XENOPHOBIA:FALANA THREATENS TO SUE SOUTH AFRICA

Xenophobia: Falana Threatens To Sue South Africa

March 10th, 2017

MR FEMI FALANA

Lagos lawyer and activist Femi Falana has asked South African President Jacob Zuma to identify perpetrators of criminal acts and xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans living in South Africa and bring them to justice.

The request was contained in a letter yesterday, titled: “Request to identify perpetrators of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians, bring them to justice and provide adequate compensation to victims”.

Falana urged Zuma to promote and ensure access to justice and the right to effective remedy and reparations to victims.

He said he would sue the South African government if it failed to stop the xenophobic attacks as requested.

“Take notice that if the xenophobic attacks continue, we shall be compelled to sue your government.

“Since 2008, the xenophobic violence and other criminal acts have continued to occur across South Africa claiming lives, displacing tens of thousands of people and leaving countless victims injured and robbing them of their property.

“Although some arrests have reportedly been made, many perpetrators are yet to be brought to justice while the victims continue to be denied access to justice and their internationally recognised right to effective remedy and reparations.

“We believe that it is the failure of your government to bring perpetrators to justice and protect the victims that has resulted in a vicious cycle of attacks and impunity.

“These xenophobic attacks and violence are not only human rights violations but also criminal acts, and the failure to address the problems is a serious affront to the rule of law and directly breaches your government’s international human rights obligations.”

The lawyer, therefore, said the South African government should identify and arrest perpetrators and bringing them to justice and publicly provide access to justice and effective remedy to victims.

Falana urged Zuma to put measures in place to protect non-nationals, including Nigerians, living in South Africa.

He argued that the prosecution of perpetrators and provision of reparations to victims would prevent future attacks