As the world commemorates Centre International Day for Countering Hate Speech, Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) has criticized inflammatory remarks directed at Malawians escaping xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
CHRR Executive Director Michael Kaiyatsa said in a statement on Thursday that the language can fuel prejudice, discrimination, and embolden acts of violence against innocent people.
Kaiyatsa said this year’s commemoration has come at a time when the world is witnessing a worrying rise in hateful narratives directed at migrants, refugees, minority groups, and other vulnerable populations.
He expressed deep concern with the growing tendency of portraying migrants as the cause of complex socio-economic challenges witnessed in different nations including in Malawi and South Africa.
Kaiyatsa said while the concerns of local businesses deserve to be heard and addressed through appropriate economic and regulatory policies, they should never be used to justify prejudice, discrimination, or hostility towards migrants.
“If left unchallenged, hate speech threatens human dignity, undermines social cohesion, and can escalate into discrimination, hostility, and violence,” reads part of the statement.
The CHRR therefore called on all sectors of the society to reject hate speech in all its forms and uphold the dignity, equality, and rights of every person.
The hate speeches follows the growing concerns of violent attacks of people from other countries by South Africans who are accusing the foreigners of taking up their jobs and exerting pressure on the country’s resources.
The has been an increase in attacks against migrants from African countries including Malawians and this has displaced a countless number of foreigners despite widespread condemnation from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and other public figures like Julius Malema as well as Organisations and Countries.
Currently, over 10 thousand Malawian nationals are stranded in South Africa due to the attacks. The government of Malawi initiated a voluntary repatriation exercise to evacuate its citizens fleeing the xenophobic attacks.
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