South African women protest against xenophobia

South African women protest against xenophobia

2011-06-03 06:27:33 GMT+7 (ICT)

JOHANNESBURG (BNO NEWS) -- A group of women on Thursday marched in South Africa in defense of Somali and Pakistani businessmen threatened with xenophobic attacks.

The BBC reported that the anti-xenophobia campaigners, who were all mostly women, marched through an informal settlement in Johannesburg chanting, "We want the Somalis to stay." The march was intended to counter a protest by local businessmen demanding the closure of foreign-owned shops in the Ramaphosa informal settlement, which witnessed some of the worst violence during anti-foreigner riots in 2008.

The Somalis and Pakistanis locked their shops and stayed indoors while armed police patrolled the area.

According to the South African Press Association, Ramaphosa was one of the sites targeted by a group calling themselves the Greater Gauteng Business Forum, which distributed eviction letters to foreign-owned businesses in townships across Johannesburg. The organization Lawyers for Human Rights has called on police to protect foreign traders in wake of these letters.

Forum members complain that the foreign nationals are in South Africa illegally, do not pay taxes and sell expired goods at low prices. The Times Live reported that the members have been intimidating the foreigners, despite a High Court order which prohibits the intimidation of foreign nationals.

The Somali business owners said that despite the court order and the heavy police presence in the neighborhood, they live in fear. More than 80 forum members have been arrested on charges of intimidation and holding an illegal public gathering since March.

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