He stated South African government is not needed to condone its gangs murdering innocent Somali refugees who fled from the ongoing fighting in their homeland.
The transitional federal government of Somalia on Wednesday called for South Africa to protect vulnerable Somali refugees from gangs that have reportedly killed a number of Somali merchants.
Mohamoud Abdi Ibrahim, Somalia’s minister of trade and industries, told state-run Radio Mogadishu the government is very concerned about the killings and robberies by South African gangs of Somali traders who have small businesses in many parts of that country.
“Somalia played unforgettable and key role South Africa to be independent and free from apartheid system which endured for a long time,” Ibrahim said.
He charged that the South African government's inaction against the gangs is a statement that the government condones the murder of innocent Somali refugees who have fled the ongoing fighting in their homeland.
The statement of the minister comes as armed gangs on Sunday night attacked Somali-owned shops in the South African city of Port Elizabeth, killing at least two Somali traders and wounding three others.
On June 18, several Somali-owned shops in the South African town of Rothenberg were attacked by local gangs that looted the properties and stole cash.
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has estimated more than 7,118 refugees from Somalia live in South Africa.
From 2002 to 2010, more than 700 Somalis were killed by South African gangs while trying to rob them or loot their belongings.
In the last few years, South African gangs have launched brutal attacks against the Somali community, burning refugees alive or beating them to death. South African police say that xenophobia is the main motivation in the attacks.
In mid-January, a Somali shopkeeper was burnt to death when a gang of robbers attacked his shop in Samora Machel Township in the Western Cape.
Source: www.allheadlinenews.com
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