2nd October

Press Statement for Immediate Release

PASSOP Appeal to Premier Lynn Brown to take action against human rights violations at the Cape Town Refugee Centre

Following our brief meeting with the Premier, we desperately request her intervention in the current crisis in the Western Cape. We were encouraged by her serious concern in the meeting and now ask of her to take actions towards solving the crisis. We believe that images of women and children being shot with rubber bullets in Western Cape are an embarrassment to all. Incidents like that witnessed on Monday the 29th of September at the Cape Town refugee centre are be becoming part of our image as a province. Such incidents occur because home affairs have failed to serve or even respect the human rights of immigrants.

Press-Statement for immediate Release

We fear war in Johannesburg

Zimbabweans will rush into Johannesburg in large numbers

South Africa is faced with an on going migration crisis, with over 3 million immigrants from Zimbabwe alone. This crisis is a result of hardships faced by Zimbabweans in Zimbabwe. This crisis has led to frustrations among the South African poor who have been forced to compete with the immigrant populations for basic resources and employment. In the recent past we have seen the ugly face of xenophobia, resulting in many deaths, massive displacement of the immigrant population and a large reverse migration of immigrants back into there poverty and war stricken countries. The South African police were unable to deal with the violence and the army had to be called in.

PASSOP (People Against Suffering Suppression Oppression and Poverty) is appalled by the reports of recent xenophobic attacks in Alexandria and Diepsloot. We are appealing to all political parties and social movements within South Africa to address and clarify their stances towards the important issue of xenophobia. Foreigners in townships across South Africa live in fear, much like the Jews during the Nazi Regime. Their homes are vandalized, their stores looted and even their lives are taken. This inhumanity cannot be allowed to continue.

The DHA (Department of Home Affairs) and the police must immediately stop claiming ignorance as to the situation in which immigrants are forced to live in, they are undocumented no illegal by choice. They are being treated like criminals in townships across South Africa. The South African government has failed to document refugees in a timely manner. The refugees should not be punished for governmental shortcomings.

Press Statement For Immediate Release.

11th April 08

Another Xenophobic attack in Johannesburg

We are appalled by the xenophobic attack in Diepsloot. The attack started at 7.30am this morning. At least thirty shacks were destroyed and more than 100 people displaced. We are further aggravated by reports that there was a meeting with the police, a councillor and the community last night in which the community openly declared the attack would follow. In response, several hours after the attacks had started the police eventually came to disperse the crowd. When they arrived they were seen laughing and apparently made 20 arrests but of Zimbabweans not of South Africans. The police have completely disregarded the rights of immigrants. They arrested Zimbabweans for being undocumented, a situation which the refugee centres have forced Zimbabweans into through their lack of service delivery. We are outraged by the reports of South Africans shouting that they must go back and vote. The South African government must act on the Zimbabwean situation and South Africa must accept and document the influx until the situation is resolved in Zimbabwe. We have stated we will protest about the lack of involvement by the South African government in the Zimbabwean crisis and will mobilise our masses, along with civic movements, community organisations and human right activist movements within 2weeks.

Press Statement for Immediate Release from PASSOP in Cape Town

We protest against the victimisation of Somalians

We are completely against the continued attacks on immigrants in the townships, particularly the Somali community. We demand that there be inquiry into why no arrests have been made following the most recent attacks, looting and murder of a Somalian. Government cannot allow leniency on xenophibia, it is our opinion that these attacks are against a race, a religion and a nationality. The police continue to target immigrants and they fail to hold xenophobic murderers accountable. This treatment of immigrants is much like that of black people under aparthied, sub-standard. UCT PASSOP, PASSOP members from the townships, Somalians, Congolese, Zimbabwean and South Africans will picket to show our support and solidarity with the victims and our anger with the police who have neither prevented nor punished such actions.

Friday 12 October 2007 1pm

Press Statement for Immediate Release

Protests at Home affairs Planned

There will be a 24 hour picket outside of home affairs (the refugee home affairs beneath the high way next to the International Conference centre) in Cape Town starting at 8:30pm on Sunday the 14th Oct, where in an attempt to get attention, foreign students from UCT along with some South Africans (black and white) will be sleeping on the street along side our illegal friends- the Zimbabweans.

There will be further demonstrations in front of home affairs (the refugee home affairs beneath the high way next to the International Conference centre) at 13:00 on Monday the 15th Oct where large numbers of our PASSOP members will be coming through from the townships.