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From the Kansas City Star, Thursday, May 29, 2008:
The horrifying violence against foreigners that has left at least 50 dead in South Africa is a disturbing omen of instability on the African continent.
Like Kenya, which experienced even more extensive violence this year, South Africa is an emerging economic and political model for neighboring countries. Unrest and bloodshed inside either of those nations bodes poorly for stability elsewhere.
The South African violence laid bare the impotence of the president, Thabo Mbeki, who has 10 months remaining in a lame-duck term.
Mbeki waited much too long to condemn the xenophobic violence, which began in a township in Johannesburg and spread elsewhere. The nation that won democratic rule on the strength of Nelson Mandela's non-violent principles was shamed by photographs showing a man being burned alive in a squatter camp.
South Africa's economic growth of recent years has not lifted its masses out of excruciating poverty. Jobs are scarce and slum housing is prevalent. But immigrants from poorer African nations still flock to South Africa, to compete for jobs at the bottom rungs.
Mbeki, who has largely failed to help his people with jobs and decent housing, waited too long to uphold the rule of law once violence broke out.
South Africa will gain nothing by using foreigners as scapegoats for the country's high unemployment, housing shortages, escalating food prices and crime.
Mbeki, who finally denounced the violence on Sunday, must restore the rule of law by insisting that persons arrested in connection with the violence be prosecuted.
South African leaders, as well as officials in Washington, should move to correct the economic inequities that gave rise to the horrors of the past month.
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