Mr. Nurudean Ssempa (MRASA)Ms. Fatima Hendricks (OT & MI Student 2015)Mr. Minhaj Jeenah (IR)

MRASA & the Roll-back Xenophobia Campaign

Contents

1. Xenophobia: The context1

2

. 3

2. MRASA’s campaign

3. Insights & challenges: What are we learning?

Xenophobia:The context

Xenophobia

Xenophobia: Attitudes, prejudices and behavior that reject, exclude and often vilify persons, based on the perception that they are outsiders or foreigners to the community, society or national identity” (WCAR, 2001)

Xenos: something strange Phobia: fear

Linked to new racism - the discriminatory treatment of the “other”, on the basis of “the other’s” national origin or ethnicity. It is a shift in racism, from notions of biological superiority, to exclusion based on cultural and national difference (Ibrahim, 2005).

Xenophobic Attacks1994: Statement by Home Affairs Minister – “aliens

pouring into SA”

1998: 3 Foreign Nationals thrown of train

2000: Sudanese thrown of train & Kenyan pair shot dead

in home

2004: Somali shop owner shot dead on

Christmas Day2009: 3000 Zimbabweans displaced from De Doorns

1 2

34

5

6

2015: Xenophobic attacks in Limpopo, Kwa Zulu Natal Province

2008: Alexandra & other townships. Houses burnt, 342

shops looted and 213 burnt down. Hundreds injured,

thousands chased away, over 60 dead. Multiple Sources

Cause of xenophobia No %

1 Jealousy 208 86.3

2 Anger generated by high rate of poverty 188 78.0

3 Foreigners ‘steal’ jobs meant for locals 158 65.5

4 Foreigners seem to live far much better lives than locals 158 65.5

5 Competition for resources 147 60.9

6 Foreigners become scapegoats for the locals’ lack of education

82 34.0

7 Foreign men ‘steal’ local women 48 19.9

8 Foreigners are suffocating locals in their spaces 34 14.1

9 Foreigners are responsible for the high rate of crime 32 13.2

10 Communication problems between locals and foreigners 18 7.4

11 Foreigners bring diseases into S.A. 14 5.8

12 Foreigners are very corrupt 8 3.3

13 Mere dislike of foreigners 8 3.3

14 Failure of locals to take responsibility of their lives 2 0.8(Mpofu-Chimga, 2013)

Student’s views on causes of xenophobia

Rights of non-nationals

Refugees Act 130 of 1998 & Immigration Act 13 of 2002.

RSA Constitution

Non-national refers to a broad category of people who are not South African citizens, including refugees, asylum seekers, temporary residents (like students), and undocumented migrants.

South African constitution offers protection to citizens and non-citizens (non-nationals) alike, and it is one of few constitutions in the world that indisputably does so.

2.2 million immigrants

(STATSSA, 2011)

65k(Documented

Refugees, 2013)

230k(Asylum-seekers,

2013)

MRASA’s Campaign

MRASA’s program to Roll Back XenophobiaKey objectives:

To Help Promote, Protect and Monitor Rights for Non-National Communities in the Western Cape and other provinces.

To promote peaceful coexistence & integration between local South Africans and migrants.

To proactively involve leaders of different faiths in finding solutions to challenges affecting our community and work to promote social cohesion.

To provide platform for voices of refugees, professional migrants and local South Africans to be heard and to provide opportunity for inter-cultural engagement with a purpose of learning from each other and a “let’s build together” philosophy.

http://www.no2xenophobia.co.za

Key activities: Community Conversations

Key Partners/Supporters

Q1 Q2 Q4Q3

2016 MRASA Roll Back Xenophobia upcoming Events

Activities Community

Forum Documentary

production Human Rights

Education Presentation, Chile

Activities Schools visits Media

engagement No2xenophobia

website Info-graphics Documentary

production “Youtube”

ActivitiesYouth

DebatesYouth

forumAfrica Art

festivalStudents

art paintings

Activities Sports Event Media

engagement Community

Forum Survey on

youth attitudes

For more information please visit: www.mrasa.org.za

email:info@mrasa.org.za/Tel: 021 637 9181

What are we learning?

“Islam is a way of life”Every daylived experiences

HijrahMu’aakhah

Last Sermon Prophet Muhammad

Quran:EqualitySingle OriginKnow one another

Contemporary Islamic Frameworks:Research & Policy Vacuum

Adamic & Prophetic heritage: Migratory

MRASA’s Framework: REMS (Sue, 2007)

Racial micro-insults:(verbal/non-verbal)

Micro-invalidations:

Everyday Micro-aggressions – What we Muslims say/do

“These”, “Those” people”

“You greet them but they don’t reply

salaam”

“Stateless”, “Alien”“Foreigner”

Second class:

“Serve white person first”, “happy to serve white person”, Differential

treatment in Queues, “Its broken, but you have it”,

“How much is it? It’s so expensive – can you afford

it?”

MRASA’s Framework: REMS (Sue, 2007)

Myth of meritocracy:

Colour blindness:

Everyday Micro-aggressions – What we Muslims say/do

“Foreigners work very hard, locals are lazy”

“Everyone has an equal chance, its what you do with it”, “always proving

yourself”

““When I look, I don’t

see colour”“I don’t see race”

Denial of individualracism:

“I have many Black/Foreigner friends”, “Open front door – “we don’t have anything for

you”

MRASA’s Framework: REMS (Sue, 2007)

Assumption of criminality:

Ascription of intelligence:

Everyday Micro-aggressions – What we Muslims say/do

Aversion to sitting next to immigrant,

Clenching bag,Following people

around shop

“He is foreigner but he is very intelligent”“Over-praising” - PC

Pathologizing cultural values/communication styles:

“They speak so loudly, shouting from one side to another –

it’s not the village”

MRASA’s Framework: REMS (Sue, 2007)

Assumptions of Similarity/Exoticization:

Workplace/socialMicro-aggression:

Everyday Micro-aggressions – What we Muslims say/do

“You all have the same nose”,

In the township – Dominant culture -“Indian food, biryani or akhni” vs

“own food tastes”

“Not welcome into their group/click”, “Always the underdog – have to work

twice as hard”, Overlooked in group discussions, token Black representing all Black

people, failure to make eye contact as if non-

existent”

MRASA’s Framework: REMS (Sue, 2007)

Environmental micro-aggressions:

Assumption of disadvantage

Everyday Micro-aggressions – What we Muslims say

Media control/representation, masajid

access, leadership of muslim organisations,

composition of boards,Aid vs. Development –

“Ramadaan aid”, “Jummah handouts”

Low education, Poor, “so lucky to be

here”, “doing us a favour”

“Just married her for citizenship”

SURPRISE!

While courageous individuals and communities have stepped forward to stop the violence and create safe spaces, it is our collective responsibility to combat racism, xenophobia and discrimination. 

DO SomethingAboutXenophobia.

Conclusion

Where to?

We’d like to hear from you!