Xenophobia exists in Namibia
WINDHOEK – Namibians are xenophobic towards fellow Africans, research carried out by the Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) has revealed.
The fellow Africans singled out are from Angola, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, said the report issued during a Refugee, Asylum-Seekers and Economic Migrants’ Project stakeholders’ meeting held on Thursday.The purpose of the research was to investigate incidents and levels of xenophobia in four SADC countries, namely Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania and South Africa.
It aimed to establish the existence and levels of xenophobia and seriousness of xenophobic threats, tendencies and attacks towards foreigners in those countries.
The report found that the most affected groups in Namibia are economic migrants, foreign students as well as refugees, especially Arabs and Asians, more specifically Chinese.
Hatred towards Chinese people is partly rooted in the unfair way they treat their employees, especially when it comes to the payment of wages.
“They have a tendency of selling faulty goods, and not returning a person’s money upon return of the faulty item to the shop. Arabs, in particular Egyptians, have tendencies of spitting everywhere, as well as raising their voices anywhere and everywhere,” said the report.
It added that Arabs also tend to go to the University of Namibia (Unam) and elsewhere to sell paintings, and this negatively affects the local visual arts industry.
– Nampa
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