Do you remember the rivers of blood? I do. As if it was yesterday. That flow of water with something indistinguishable bobbing and eddying along. Perhaps a bunch of reeds or some flotsam. Then the form rolls over and you see an arm. An exposed shoulder. A foot. Part of a leg. It is a body. One body followed by another and another in a river of blood. Then the obscene, gruesome realisation hits you. The body count isn’t slowing down, it’s speeding up. This is a genocide.
In 100 days between April and June 1994, some 800 000 Rwandans were killed. In a country with a history of violence, ethnic tension and political tribalism, the death of Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana (a Hutu) was the spark that ignited the genocide. Following Habyarimana’s death, Kigali’s presidential guard began a bloody campaign of revenge, killing leaders of the political opposition. So began the slaughter of Tutsis and moderate Hutus while the world did nothing. Rwanda will forever live in the memory of the world as a moment of collective shame. The Rwandans who died there were failed by the media and the international community. When help finally did arrive it, was too little and way too late.
In South Africa the xenophobic violence has shown that hate is a virus which, with the right socio-political and economic conditions, easily spreads across provincial borders. At the time of writing this, some 42 people have been killed and another 25 000 displaced. We now know that our government was aware of the potential for violence with Intelligence Minister, Ronnie Kasrils telling the SABC: “Of course we were aware there was something brewing.” The cause for the xenophobic violence has almost been over analysed. You cannot open a newspaper or click on a website without seeing yet another eloquent debate on the causes.
As Zimbabweans, Mozambicans and Nigerians are burnt, hacked, shot and beaten to death; as our country’s international stature is decimated; as thousands crowd police stations, churches and other places for safe harbour; as families are torn apart; there’s the profound realisation. This is our collective moment of shame. This is a pivotal point in history and as it passes we will be asked: “What did you do?”
What are we doing to end this? Who are we helping? What action have we taken?
While it is unfair to compare this to Rwanda because of the hundreds of thousands of lives that were lost there, we need to ask ourselves how many more people must be displaced, how many more lives must be lost here? What must it take before we collectively rise up against this evil?
South Africa is a country with a proud tradition of collective protest where action was collectively taken against the most unspeakable evils. Now is the time to rise up once again and take action. For when it is over and becomes a part of our history we will be asked: “What did you do?”
As a member of the media, as a captain of industry, as a member of government, as a privileged person with resources, as a church leader, as a media owner, as an ordinary citizen we will be asked: “What did you do?”
Lastly if you are aware of any efforts aimed at protesting against the violence, bringing relief to the victims or any other actions that will benefit this situation please list them with your comments. Let’s hear what you’re doing to help.
Then if you live in the Centurion area and want to do something to help, please email me at mandyd[at]mweb.co.za. I am rallying with the Institute for Islamic Services of Pretoria. We are looking for blankets, warm clothing, baby food, baby supplies and non perishable food that can be distributed to victims of violence and displaced peoples in the Pretoria and surrounding areas.
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