SUE SOUTH AFRICA NOW! EX FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER TELLS FG

The knotty issue of Xenophobia which has been on the African burner in the past weeks, is likely to spin into a legal matter in the weeks to come. That is because, the man who knows how it should work out, ex Foreign Affairs Minister, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi has urged the federal government to take that next step.

Professor Bolaji Akinyemi in his summation which came in a press release, said it is obvious that the South African government had a hand in the attack and killings of Nigerians and other nationals.

Below is the full text of the Press Release:

SOUTH AFRICAN CULPABILITY ON XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS ON NIGERIANS
BY

PROFESSOR A. BOLAJI AKINYEMI,CFR
FORMER MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS 

Based on:

The statement credited to Dr. Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor, South African Minister of International Relations, that Nigerians were drug dealers;

The statement credited to Deputy Police Minister, Bongani Mkongi that they fought for their land and that that land would not be surrendered to immigrants;

The statement credited to the South African Defence Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula that South Africa is an angry nation and that the country could not prevent the xenophobic attacks;
Various statements credited to South African diplomats blaming the immigrants;

The anti-immigrant acts by the South African Immigration service officials which for all practical purposes amount to holding Nigerian immigrants hostage by refusing to allow them to be evacuated;

I have come to the conclusion that the Xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other immigrants are acts sponsored or condoned by the South African state in violation of:

Article 2, paragraph 2 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;
Article 2, paragraph 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
United Nations Convention on the elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination
International Convention on the Protection of Migrant Workers.

I therefore call on Nigeria to sue South Africa before the International Court of Justice for failure in its duty of care and protection of Nigerian citizens resident there.

I furthermore call on Nigeria to file complaints against specific South African officials at the International Criminal Court for aiding and abetting the xenophobic attacks.

PROFESSOR A. BOLAJI AKINYEMI, CFR
FORMER MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS