Bishop Dr. Ogbu: Xenophobia in South Africa is politically provoked

Bishop Dr. Ogbu: Xenophobia in South Africa is politically provoked

17.09.2019

Frankly Speaking - today excerpts from an interview with South African bishop Dr. Ogbu conducted by Kla.TV in April 2019 in Zurich. Interviewer: At the Kla.TV Vision Conference on the 30th of March, 2019, Kla.TV staff members met with Bishop Dr. Ogbu from South Africa. He described in shocking clarity how xenophobia is becoming increasingly acute - exploding brutally in South Africa, often resulting in deaths. When asked by our staff if Dr. Ogbu certainly was referring to xenophobia against white farmers - in other words the classic black-and-white conflict - Dr. Ogbu surprisingly pointed to a completely different facet of xenophobia, namely the aggressive attacks of colored people on colored people. Listen now, to the interview that Kla.tv conducted, in April 2019, with Bishop Dr. Ogbu, in Zurich, Switzerland Interviewer: Please introduce yourself to us and explain a bit about what you call xenophobia, in South Africa. Dr. Ogbu: My name is Bishop Dr. Chidiebere Anelechi Ogbu. I am the president of African Diaspora Union (AfriDU), which comprises of 55 African nations in Africa and is a civil society organization, which is the umbrella body of all African diaspora in Africa. I am also the global chairman of International Gathering for Peace and Human Rights and also the president of African Network College of Bishops. […] Well, what we call xenophobia in Africa currently is actually not xenophobia. Because xenophobia is as a result of attack of foreigners of fear of foreigners. But this one is “afrophobia” because it is Africans attacking Africans. South Africans attacking South Africans. So it has nothing to do with white farmers, but rather it has everything to do with other African nationals living in South Africa. Interviewer: Where does this xenophobia originate? Dr. Ogbu: I really don't understand the reason for the xenophobic attacks. Because whatever claim some of the ignorance the Africans make, whatever claim, you know, they make, is quite unreasonable. [...] most of these people are not even having any, you know, official job. They are people who are doing their businesses, whether I call them Ethiopians, or Somalians or Nigerians or whatever. They come up with concepts and ideas on how to establish and survive, which we were not doing before. So, there's no reason, no basic reason of attacking these foreigners. Interviewer: Does the South African government not intervene and act as mediator? Dr. Ogbu: I don't know if they have any plans to solve the problem. And that's what we want to engage them so that, you know, they have to solve the problem. There have been many times when xenophobic attacks like in 2015/ 2016 there was a xenophobic attack and, you know, they called for prayer, some people called: we want peace, let there be prayer, we are forgiving you, these ones will say: please forgive us and... which has no meaning. Not until the South African government starts bringing to book. Every individual that participates in the killings, in the lootings, in the mobbing of the people, wanting to bring them to justice. Wanting there is compensation, wanting there is reparation. The government is not actually doing anything. Interviewer: You complained that European media report little or nothing on these internal conflicts and are committed to respecting human rights. That is why you turned to Kla.TV - full of hope that your cry for help would be spread. What do the South African media do to promote and facilitate reconciliation? Dr. Ogbu: w the few media. I do not know, because when the media is controlled by the government, the SABC, the ETV, these are the medias are known. You know, other media could be private media that sometimes we do not know where they arise or been taken away from them (...) Interviewer: It is impressive to hear what a vision you have for the people of your continent and what approach you see for solving these conflicts. This approach seems to be a key for solving all kinds of conflicts! Would you tell us a bit more about that? Dr. Ogbu: You know, that I want to add, is: South Africa should know one: We are just one Africa. One blood. We know that when we were colonized, there was a kind of division, there was a kind of segregation, they named the foreign people ... gave them names… But otherwise we are just one Africa.

from hm. / ij.

Sources/Links: www.impactafricanetwork.com
www.peaceandhumanrights.info