Umshini wami for the foreigners?
May. 21st, 2008 11:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nairiporterOutrage as ‘Zuma song’ used in xenophobic attacks
http://www.sabcnews.com/politics/the_parties/0,2172,170031,00.html
There has been an outrage over claims that some people perpetrating xenophobic-related crimes have been singing ANC President Jacob Zuma's controversial trademark song, Awuleth' umshini wam or Bring me my machine-gun.
Although Zuma says the chant belongs to the ANC, there are concerns that it is being abused to fuel and justify hate crimes. ANC spokesperson Jessie Duarte has added her condemnation to those waging a reign of terror against African immigrants while purporting to support the ANC.
Duarte said: "First of all, we don't expect that the people who are acting in a criminal way anywhere should wear an ANC T-shirt or sing any ANC song. Those songs are songs that are representative of our history of struggle for human rights in our country, for the right of the people to be equal before the law and live in peace … we do not believe that the people who are attacking South Africans and foreigners represents those ideals at all and therefore we do not want them to sing the songs of our struggle."
Meanwhile, former Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Yasmin Sooka argues that the ANC leadership needs to rethink its public communication strategy in a bid to avoid sending out messages that criminals can use to justify their actions.
Government responds to attacks
Government has hinted that the present xenophobic attacks in Gauteng are orchestrated events. Government spokesperson Themba Maseko says major announcements regarding the events will be made in the next days.
He says the attacks were completely unacceptable, adding that everyone, including government, was caught off-guard. Maseko says government plans to work closely with civil society to help the victims of the attacks.
He says the priority is to supply security for all foreigners and South Africans, to educate people to desist from such attacks and get as much relief as possible to as many as soon as possible. Maseko says a complete review of how government communications work is underway
http://www.sabcnews.com/politics/the_parties/0,2172,170031,00.html
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| Zuma should denounce the misuse of struggle songs says Yasmin Sooka |
There has been an outrage over claims that some people perpetrating xenophobic-related crimes have been singing ANC President Jacob Zuma's controversial trademark song, Awuleth' umshini wam or Bring me my machine-gun.
Although Zuma says the chant belongs to the ANC, there are concerns that it is being abused to fuel and justify hate crimes. ANC spokesperson Jessie Duarte has added her condemnation to those waging a reign of terror against African immigrants while purporting to support the ANC.
Duarte said: "First of all, we don't expect that the people who are acting in a criminal way anywhere should wear an ANC T-shirt or sing any ANC song. Those songs are songs that are representative of our history of struggle for human rights in our country, for the right of the people to be equal before the law and live in peace … we do not believe that the people who are attacking South Africans and foreigners represents those ideals at all and therefore we do not want them to sing the songs of our struggle."
Meanwhile, former Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Yasmin Sooka argues that the ANC leadership needs to rethink its public communication strategy in a bid to avoid sending out messages that criminals can use to justify their actions.
Government responds to attacks
Government has hinted that the present xenophobic attacks in Gauteng are orchestrated events. Government spokesperson Themba Maseko says major announcements regarding the events will be made in the next days.
He says the attacks were completely unacceptable, adding that everyone, including government, was caught off-guard. Maseko says government plans to work closely with civil society to help the victims of the attacks.
He says the priority is to supply security for all foreigners and South Africans, to educate people to desist from such attacks and get as much relief as possible to as many as soon as possible. Maseko says a complete review of how government communications work is underway
