Xenophobic attacks: Sue South Africa gov’t over deaths - Faibille

African countries whose nationals have lost their lives as a result of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa can sue the Rainbow Nation, a Ghanaian lawyer Egbert Faibille Jnr has argued.

He said the brutalities in South Africa are against the spirit of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

Article 4 of the Charter reads: “Human beings are inviolable. Every human being shall be entitled to respect for his life and the integrity of his person. No one may be arbitrarily deprived of this right.”

About eight people including a Ghanaian have been confirmed dead in the attack as locals agitate they have been deprived of jobs while foreigners are working.

“The xenophobia in South Africa falls foul of this provision. Let all African states and persons who have lost loved ones sue the Republic of South Africa in the appropriate judicial forum for compensation to send a clear lesson that we just don’t talk. We walk the talk,” Faibille Jnr voiced out in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, ECOWAS has condemned the barbaric, criminal and xenophobic murder of innocent African foreigners in South Africa, urging the South African Government to act quickly to stop the increasing wave of attacks across its country.

An ECOWAS statement signed by the Chair of the Authority, HE John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, also condemned the individual South Africans involved in the act.

The West African body described as a pity, the fact that the very people, whose nations sacrificed to help South Africans fight, repel and defeat apartheid, will today be considered aliens and hacked to death in such barbaric manners.

“We welcome the statement of our brother, President Jacob Zuma, and his assurances of a peaceful resolution, but we request for an urgent national action plan, backed by a behavioral change campaign against xenophobia in South Africa”, the statement added.

Evacuation Ghana’s Foreign Minister Hanna Tetteh has serviced notice Ghanaians living in South Africa whole lives are in danger will be evacuated based on advice by the Ghana mission.

In a tweet, she said, “the matter is being investigated by the South African Police and our embassy is following up on this matter.

“There will be a meeting at the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs with African ambassadors today to discuss the matters. Our Embassy will advise on the need for evacuation of Ghanaian citizens if necessary”.