SECAM Representatives Condemn Xenophobia in Africa, Support Regional Conferences

“We call on the leaders of all categories to avoid utterances that inspire violence,” they said and appealed to African nations to act with speed saying, “governments and political actors should urgently bring an end to the rising tide of hatred and any form of violence everywhere on the African continent and the Islands.”

South Africa has been the scene of xenophobic violence in recent months sparking reprisal attacks in other African countries. As a result, several countries repatriated their citizens.

South Africa decided to send emissaries to the West African country to apologize for the violence and gave assurances that South Africa is taking measures to protect all nationals in the country.

According to SECAM, “xenophobia signifies (amongst other things), the failure to realize that we have a common origin and common Father, God, who made each of us in his own image and likeness.”

“Consequently, it does not matter where you are born (South Africa, Nigeria, Cameroon, Zambia, Zimbabwe etc), we are all true brothers and sisters of the one family of God and should be each other’s keeper (Gn 4:9),” reads the statement signed by the President of SECAM, Philippe Cardinal Ouédraogo, Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

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In the statement, SECAM reminds the faithful about “what the Holy Father, Pope Francis has continually urged everybody to do, namely, welcome, protect, promote and integrate migrants and any other stranger among us and to build a society that seeks peaceful well-being in equality and reject all discrimination.”

Making reference to the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI,  Africae Munus, SECAM Bishops “solemnly appeal to all people living in Africa, Christians, especially, to eschew all forms of violence, prejudice and hatred and promote the dignity of each human person wherever he/she finds him/herself, become an agent of reconciliation, justice peace and unity.”

“We passionately urge parents, relatives, guardians, teachers and other mentors to help children to seriously appreciate what it means to be sisters and brothers in God’s family,” the Bishops say.

They also advocate for responsible and constructive journalism, appealing to the media “to refrain from disseminating divisive and dehumanizing information, ideas and initiatives, and commit themselves to engaging media for the promotion of positive messages.”