Iraq deaths: Govt reviews law
2004-04-30 15:47
Pretoria - Government lawyers are looking at the country's laws to try to find a way of preventing South Africans from entering conflict areas, said deputy foreign affairs minister Aziz Pahad in Pretoria on Friday.
Responding to the death of a sixth South African in Iraq, Pahad said the government was "anxious that South Africans did not go there."
"Clearly violence is escalating in Iraq and it will get worse," he said.
Foreign affairs have admitted that they do not know how many South Africans are operating in the war torn country.
"But obviously it is more than we had hoped for," Pahad said.
He said they were looking at the laws to see if there was any way of preventing South African from going to Iraq but said it would be difficult without transgressing the Constitution.
"We want to warn people going there that it is a very serious situation and to please reconsider," he said.
Like many countries, South Africa has no representation in Iraq and must rely on embassies in Kuwait and Jordan to gather information.
"But very often not even the families are aware that their husbands, sons and brothers have gone to Iraq," he said recognising that the lure of money was often the motivation.
The South Africans already killed were operating as body guard and drivers to the peace keeping force in the country.
- SAPA