Mahama
warns growing violence against African migrants threatens unity across the
continent
By Ken Gbule
Ghanaian President John Mahama
has renewed his call for the African
Union (AU) to urgently confront the rising wave of xenophobic attacks in
South Africa, warning that continued violence against foreign nationals could
undermine decades of African unity and integration.
Speaking during engagements surrounding an AU meeting in
Accra, Mahama urged the continental body to place the issue on the agenda of
its next summit, saying the growing attacks require a coordinated African
response rather than silence.
His latest appeal comes as South Africa faces increasing
criticism over weeks of anti-immigrant protests that have forced more than 160,000 foreign nationals to leave the
country over the past two months. Several people have also lost their lives as
hostility towards undocumented migrants continues to grow.
Mahama said discussing the issue at the AU would provide
South Africa with an opportunity to present its position while allowing African
leaders to work together on a lasting solution.
He expressed concern that the South African authorities had
not responded with the urgency many across the continent expected, adding that
individuals allegedly responsible for financing or encouraging the attacks had
remained free despite the worsening situation.
According to him, the violence has the potential to damage
the spirit of African solidarity and regional cooperation that the continent
has spent decades building.
AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf acknowledged that the situation remains a
serious concern. He revealed that he had earlier engaged South Africa's Foreign
Minister, Ronald Lamola, who
assured him that illegal migration should be addressed through lawful processes
rather than violence.
The crisis has also attracted international attention. Two
Ghanaians, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah
and counterterrorism analyst Emmanuel
Kotin, have petitioned the International
Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate what they described as repeated
xenophobic attacks and the alleged failure of South African authorities to
adequately protect foreign nationals.
However, South Africa dismissed the petition, insisting that
its legal system already provides mechanisms for prosecuting hate crimes and
hate speech.
Although Ghana recently postponed a planned visit by South
African President Cyril Ramaphosa
following the death of a Ghanaian citizen, Mahama stressed that Ghana holds no
hostility towards South Africa. Instead, he said his country remains deeply
concerned about the safety of Africans living there and the heavy human and
economic losses caused by the ongoing violence, urging African leaders to work
together to restore confidence, security and the shared vision of a united
continent.
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