Moz: Xenophobia 'serious threat'

2010-07-16 22:36

Maputo - Mozambique's government considers xenophobia a “serious threat”, state media reported on Friday.

“There is a serious threat and as a precautionary measure people are moving from areas seen as dangerous to safer areas,” Mozambican Foreign Affairs Minister Oldemiro Baloi told the Noticias newspaper.

Speaking at a Southern African Development Community summit, Baloi acknowledged that a few acts of violence against foreigners had occurred recently.

“As regards Mozambique, the information that reached us from South Africa is that up to now there have not been significant acts of xenophobia.”

Meanwhile, authorities at South Africa's border with Mozambique at Komatipoort in Mpumalanga said movement between the countries was normal.

Around 1200 Mozambicans returned from South Africa on a daily basis, said Orlando Cossa, head of the Mozambican side of the border at Ressano Garcia.

About 4400 Mozambicans left South Africa in one day during the May 2008 xenophobic attacks.

“I don't know why, but it's lower compared to the equal period last year. A bit before the World Cup they said there would be xenophobia. Now they see nothing is happening and go back.”

Mozambicans at the border said they were not afraid of attacks.

Joao Lenga, 42, was returning from visiting his brother, a construction worker in South Africa, and said there was no problem when he was in the country.

- SAPA