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We condemned the paramilitaries and we condemn, no less emphatically,
the racists who have brought disrepute upon the province.
People like us who have emigrated to countries across the
world, often advantageously to us and them, should never be
guilty of attacks verbal or physical on those who have done
as we have done, leave our homeland in search of a better
way of life elsewhere. People have the right to be treated
as people, regardless, of race, colour or creed. We may be
aware of the thinking of some who fear for their jobs from
the presence and availability of these foreigners who often
look and speak differently to them but the evidence is that
the migrants, refugees or whatever are needed, sometimes for
their skills as physicians, surgeons and nurses and often
only for doing the jobs not always desirable to our own people.
The contribution of these new people to our economy is recognised
by economists and employers as consequential, even essential,
in many places. And the fact that they want to live here is
a credit to us as a decent people who believe in live and
let live. The attacks by racists are a blight on this society.
Everything should be done to bring the criminals to the judgement
of the courts and the onus is on the police and those who
live in the affected areas to do just that. There must be
no rest here for anyone who injures others and destroys property
whoever they are and whatever it is. Communities can and must
defeat racism, and paramilitarism as well.
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