Date: 20/06/2003
Source: Ministry of Education
Title: Asmal: World Refugee Day
ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION, PROFESSOR KADER ASMAL, MP, ON WORLD REFUGEE DAY 'REFUGEE YOUTH - BUILDING THE FUTURE': AN INVESTMENT IN REFUGEE YOUTH IS A SOUND INVESTMENT FOR THE FUTURE, Durban, 20 June 2003
World Refugee Day salutes the spirit and courage of the world's refugees. 20 June is a day on which to think about the world's refugees and to extend to them our encouragement, support and respect.
The word 'refuge' suggests protection, comfort and hospitality. But the word 'refugee' suggests loneliness, separation from loved ones, impermanence, and waiting. I wonder how many of you in this hall today, have had the experience of being a refugee, or being the child of a refugee: a refugee from an African country, the child of a refugee from a country in Europe, or from Asia.
Most refugees seek asylum from war, oppression and political persecution. If you have had this experience, you would know of the sense of displacement, of longing for home, or fearing to return home. Or perhaps you have read the diary of Anne Frank, and have learnt how Anne, a Jewish teenager and her family, sought refuge from the Nazis in a house in Holland. She wrote about the confinement, the fear and the distrust in her diary, a confinement from which only her father emerged alive after the war.
Refugees are a special category of people recognised as warranting protection by the international community. They are children, women and men who have been forced to flee conflict, persecution and serious human rights violations, and who find themselves in countries such as our own.
South Africa has concluded international refugee conventions binding us to an obligation to protect and assist refugees. In this regard we are signatories to the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa.
We have passed into law the South African Refugees Act of 1998, which establishes the means by which those seeking asylum can be assessed and granted their due status and rights as refugees. South Africa's own long road towards attainment of democracy and political stability offers hope to the many disenfranchised, uprooted and dispossessed people, especially of Africa, who through the asylum procedure, acquire the right to legally reside in our country.
However, despite these progressive measures there are those in our own country that continue to oppress our fellow African brothers or sisters who seek refuge here by referring to them in derogatory terms as 'Amakwerekwere'. We need to ensure that all our people embrace not only the letter of the law but more importantly its spirit.
In embracing the spirit of the law, our efforts should not only be confined to our own country. We must commit ourselves to fight against racism and xenophobia the world over. We cannot ignore the revival of racism in Europe. Nor can we turn a blind eye to the ongoing discrimination against gypsies and rise of extreme nationalism, which has led to a hatred of foreigners. In this regard, we should all be concerned about the measures currently being considered by the European Union with respect to placing tighter controls on refugees. The motivation behind these oppressive moves stems from European leaders political fears arising from the support being garnered by far-right and anti-immigration parties, which if implemented will simply fuel xenophobia and racism.
It is for this reason that as the South African Government we believe that education is a key vehicle to equip us with the appropriate culture and ethos necessary to receive and assist refugees, through promoting values such as of tolerance, empathy and compassion in our education institutions.
It is with this in mind that I have called for a Revised National Curriculum Statement that has as its central principles: social justice, a healthy environment, human rights and inclusivity. I have also called for a report on the values which should underpin this curriculum, and which should guide the way we teach and behave towards each other in schools. The report, entitled the Manifesto on Values, Education and Democracy, highlights some of those values enshrined in our Constitution, which are so important in education; values of social justice and equity, democracy, non-racism and non-sexism, respect and reconciliation. Flowing from this Manifesto, we have put in place a number of initiatives to secure the commitment of educators and learners to these values, including advocacy materials, support for teachers, and opportunities for learners to exchange ideas about freedom, non-racism and the African Renaissance.
With respect to these constitutional values, the right to human dignity, or ubuntu, is critical in the context of World Refugee Day. Sadly, this is a right that refugees, along with many other immigrants to this country, do not always enjoy. This is especially true of refugees from other parts of Africa, who experience xenophobia far more than refugees or migrants from Europe or Asia. Hatred of foreigners is no less than sheer racism, a social ill that this country has fought proudly over decades to overcome.
As we take up our pride of place in the new millennium, we should remember that a cornerstone of the identity of the new South African is pride in being a citizen of this country, and pride in being an African. This pride involves an inclusive form of patriotism, that allows us to say: I am proud of being a student at this school, I am proud of being a South African and an African, but I am also proud of the culture of being an African: the culture of hospitality, of good neighbourliness. My pride in being a South African does not mean I scoff at those who seek refuge in my country. It is a pride that we have the physical resources and the social skills to welcome the refugees into our midst.
To be proud and a patriot does not have to mean being a chauvinist, a bigot or a racist. I have a poem written by a young student, Samkele Tsipa, written as part of a competition for the Roll Back Xenophobia Campaign last year. I am going to read this poem to you, because it sums up so well how we should not behave towards refugees:
Don't hate me because I come from a different land
Don't hate me because I'm smart and you don't understand,
Because I speak a different language and live a certain way
Don't hate me because I'm better at a sport that you play.
Don't look at me with piercing eyes when you see me walk by
Don't curse me when I retaliate and then wonder why
Remember when I knocked at your door and you did not let me in,
Because I'm the incorrect nationality and have the wrong colour skin,
Some hate me for what I stand for and some for who I am
Some hate me because of envy and some hate me because they can,
But whatever your reason is, think before you do,
Because the next person that decides to tour my country could be you!
Interestingly, Samekele Tsipa titled his poem, "Patriotic Hatred". I would like to meet with Samekele and explain that patriotism does not always imply hatred.
Many teachers who come into contact with refugee children attest to the fact that, although generally not conversant with our languages and education system, refugee children adapt very quickly, and consistently maintain their positions at the top of their classes. What motivates them, you might ask. The fact is that they have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. That gain is a sound education, which South Africa is well able to offer.
We are mindful of the many difficulties and challenges teachers in this country face, such as a shortage of resources or large classes. They might feel that these challenges are aggravated by having to admit refugee children who, through no fault of their own, are unable to pay all their school fees. I am also aware of the fact that some schools will not admit refugee children because they do know or understand what their refugee permits mean, in terms of legal rights, or even who refugees are. That reason I can understand. What I refuse to understand is when that child is refused admission to the school because she has skin shades darker than anyone else or has an accent difficult to understand. Let us not re-impose on others the racism that we so vehemently fought against. If you are not sure whether a non-South African child should be admitted into your school, ask the relevant provincial authorities. I can state unequivocally here today that refugee children have a right to be admitted into the South African school system.
Most of us are aware that during apartheid many South Africans, like myself, sought refuge in countries all over the continent and farther a field. Everyone was entitled to an education, and most of us took advantage of it because we knew that one day we would be needed to rebuild our country. That is what the refugee of today also wants to do. With the education she receives here, she will be able to contribute towards reconciliation in her community and nation; she will be able to work at various levels of society to reconstruct and develop the national economy, and to alleviate poverty. The youth, who seeks refuge in South Africa today, is his country's workforce tomorrow.
President Mbeki and my colleagues in Government are committed to working alongside Africa's leaders for political and economic stability on the continent, through NEPAD, the African Union and related initiatives. Who will maintain and develop this political and economic stability? It may just be that young refugee learner, whom you have welcomed into your midst, and who is serious about her studies.
What are the benefits of refugee education for us, you may ask. Directly, maybe nothing, but for our continent it makes an immeasurable contribution. Countries at war will one day need human resources to rebuild them. Who will need to do this? The very people from and of those countries. If we can provide them the opportunity to learn, you would have contributed to building the continent by sharing your resources with someone to become someone who, in turn, will contribute to the development of her own country.
To principals and teachers who have of their own accord and generosity admitted refugee children into their schools without hesitation, thank you. Thank you for putting the refugee's needs for education above other needs. To human rights organisations and concerned individuals, I thank you for calling in unison for better treatment of refugees and respect for their rights. It is this selflessness and sensitivity to the refugee situation that makes me confident that South Africa can play its role in the establishment of peace and prosperity on our continent and in the world.
In closing let us dedicate this day to the many young people whose dreams of a confident future as yet remain unfulfilled due to war, hatred and exile. Let us assist those whose right to a childhood has been robbed from them due to poverty and displacement. Let us commit ourselves to building a brighter future through providing them with the necessary support and solidarity so that they too are able to live happy and successful lives. In doing so let us place education at the centre, in making their lives fuller and safer. More importantly, let us hold out hope for future generations by embarking on sustained efforts to deal with the challenges, which cause displacement in the first place.
I thank you
Enquiries: Molatwane Likhethe on 082 573 0397
Issued by Ministry of Education
20 June 2003
Source: Ministry of Education
Title: Asmal: World Refugee Day
ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION, PROFESSOR KADER ASMAL, MP, ON WORLD REFUGEE DAY 'REFUGEE YOUTH - BUILDING THE FUTURE': AN INVESTMENT IN REFUGEE YOUTH IS A SOUND INVESTMENT FOR THE FUTURE, Durban, 20 June 2003
World Refugee Day salutes the spirit and courage of the world's refugees. 20 June is a day on which to think about the world's refugees and to extend to them our encouragement, support and respect.
The word 'refuge' suggests protection, comfort and hospitality. But the word 'refugee' suggests loneliness, separation from loved ones, impermanence, and waiting. I wonder how many of you in this hall today, have had the experience of being a refugee, or being the child of a refugee: a refugee from an African country, the child of a refugee from a country in Europe, or from Asia.
Most refugees seek asylum from war, oppression and political persecution. If you have had this experience, you would know of the sense of displacement, of longing for home, or fearing to return home. Or perhaps you have read the diary of Anne Frank, and have learnt how Anne, a Jewish teenager and her family, sought refuge from the Nazis in a house in Holland. She wrote about the confinement, the fear and the distrust in her diary, a confinement from which only her father emerged alive after the war.
Refugees are a special category of people recognised as warranting protection by the international community. They are children, women and men who have been forced to flee conflict, persecution and serious human rights violations, and who find themselves in countries such as our own.
South Africa has concluded international refugee conventions binding us to an obligation to protect and assist refugees. In this regard we are signatories to the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa.
We have passed into law the South African Refugees Act of 1998, which establishes the means by which those seeking asylum can be assessed and granted their due status and rights as refugees. South Africa's own long road towards attainment of democracy and political stability offers hope to the many disenfranchised, uprooted and dispossessed people, especially of Africa, who through the asylum procedure, acquire the right to legally reside in our country.
However, despite these progressive measures there are those in our own country that continue to oppress our fellow African brothers or sisters who seek refuge here by referring to them in derogatory terms as 'Amakwerekwere'. We need to ensure that all our people embrace not only the letter of the law but more importantly its spirit.
In embracing the spirit of the law, our efforts should not only be confined to our own country. We must commit ourselves to fight against racism and xenophobia the world over. We cannot ignore the revival of racism in Europe. Nor can we turn a blind eye to the ongoing discrimination against gypsies and rise of extreme nationalism, which has led to a hatred of foreigners. In this regard, we should all be concerned about the measures currently being considered by the European Union with respect to placing tighter controls on refugees. The motivation behind these oppressive moves stems from European leaders political fears arising from the support being garnered by far-right and anti-immigration parties, which if implemented will simply fuel xenophobia and racism.
It is for this reason that as the South African Government we believe that education is a key vehicle to equip us with the appropriate culture and ethos necessary to receive and assist refugees, through promoting values such as of tolerance, empathy and compassion in our education institutions.
It is with this in mind that I have called for a Revised National Curriculum Statement that has as its central principles: social justice, a healthy environment, human rights and inclusivity. I have also called for a report on the values which should underpin this curriculum, and which should guide the way we teach and behave towards each other in schools. The report, entitled the Manifesto on Values, Education and Democracy, highlights some of those values enshrined in our Constitution, which are so important in education; values of social justice and equity, democracy, non-racism and non-sexism, respect and reconciliation. Flowing from this Manifesto, we have put in place a number of initiatives to secure the commitment of educators and learners to these values, including advocacy materials, support for teachers, and opportunities for learners to exchange ideas about freedom, non-racism and the African Renaissance.
With respect to these constitutional values, the right to human dignity, or ubuntu, is critical in the context of World Refugee Day. Sadly, this is a right that refugees, along with many other immigrants to this country, do not always enjoy. This is especially true of refugees from other parts of Africa, who experience xenophobia far more than refugees or migrants from Europe or Asia. Hatred of foreigners is no less than sheer racism, a social ill that this country has fought proudly over decades to overcome.
As we take up our pride of place in the new millennium, we should remember that a cornerstone of the identity of the new South African is pride in being a citizen of this country, and pride in being an African. This pride involves an inclusive form of patriotism, that allows us to say: I am proud of being a student at this school, I am proud of being a South African and an African, but I am also proud of the culture of being an African: the culture of hospitality, of good neighbourliness. My pride in being a South African does not mean I scoff at those who seek refuge in my country. It is a pride that we have the physical resources and the social skills to welcome the refugees into our midst.
To be proud and a patriot does not have to mean being a chauvinist, a bigot or a racist. I have a poem written by a young student, Samkele Tsipa, written as part of a competition for the Roll Back Xenophobia Campaign last year. I am going to read this poem to you, because it sums up so well how we should not behave towards refugees:
Don't hate me because I come from a different land
Don't hate me because I'm smart and you don't understand,
Because I speak a different language and live a certain way
Don't hate me because I'm better at a sport that you play.
Don't look at me with piercing eyes when you see me walk by
Don't curse me when I retaliate and then wonder why
Remember when I knocked at your door and you did not let me in,
Because I'm the incorrect nationality and have the wrong colour skin,
Some hate me for what I stand for and some for who I am
Some hate me because of envy and some hate me because they can,
But whatever your reason is, think before you do,
Because the next person that decides to tour my country could be you!
Interestingly, Samekele Tsipa titled his poem, "Patriotic Hatred". I would like to meet with Samekele and explain that patriotism does not always imply hatred.
Many teachers who come into contact with refugee children attest to the fact that, although generally not conversant with our languages and education system, refugee children adapt very quickly, and consistently maintain their positions at the top of their classes. What motivates them, you might ask. The fact is that they have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. That gain is a sound education, which South Africa is well able to offer.
We are mindful of the many difficulties and challenges teachers in this country face, such as a shortage of resources or large classes. They might feel that these challenges are aggravated by having to admit refugee children who, through no fault of their own, are unable to pay all their school fees. I am also aware of the fact that some schools will not admit refugee children because they do know or understand what their refugee permits mean, in terms of legal rights, or even who refugees are. That reason I can understand. What I refuse to understand is when that child is refused admission to the school because she has skin shades darker than anyone else or has an accent difficult to understand. Let us not re-impose on others the racism that we so vehemently fought against. If you are not sure whether a non-South African child should be admitted into your school, ask the relevant provincial authorities. I can state unequivocally here today that refugee children have a right to be admitted into the South African school system.
Most of us are aware that during apartheid many South Africans, like myself, sought refuge in countries all over the continent and farther a field. Everyone was entitled to an education, and most of us took advantage of it because we knew that one day we would be needed to rebuild our country. That is what the refugee of today also wants to do. With the education she receives here, she will be able to contribute towards reconciliation in her community and nation; she will be able to work at various levels of society to reconstruct and develop the national economy, and to alleviate poverty. The youth, who seeks refuge in South Africa today, is his country's workforce tomorrow.
President Mbeki and my colleagues in Government are committed to working alongside Africa's leaders for political and economic stability on the continent, through NEPAD, the African Union and related initiatives. Who will maintain and develop this political and economic stability? It may just be that young refugee learner, whom you have welcomed into your midst, and who is serious about her studies.
What are the benefits of refugee education for us, you may ask. Directly, maybe nothing, but for our continent it makes an immeasurable contribution. Countries at war will one day need human resources to rebuild them. Who will need to do this? The very people from and of those countries. If we can provide them the opportunity to learn, you would have contributed to building the continent by sharing your resources with someone to become someone who, in turn, will contribute to the development of her own country.
To principals and teachers who have of their own accord and generosity admitted refugee children into their schools without hesitation, thank you. Thank you for putting the refugee's needs for education above other needs. To human rights organisations and concerned individuals, I thank you for calling in unison for better treatment of refugees and respect for their rights. It is this selflessness and sensitivity to the refugee situation that makes me confident that South Africa can play its role in the establishment of peace and prosperity on our continent and in the world.
In closing let us dedicate this day to the many young people whose dreams of a confident future as yet remain unfulfilled due to war, hatred and exile. Let us assist those whose right to a childhood has been robbed from them due to poverty and displacement. Let us commit ourselves to building a brighter future through providing them with the necessary support and solidarity so that they too are able to live happy and successful lives. In doing so let us place education at the centre, in making their lives fuller and safer. More importantly, let us hold out hope for future generations by embarking on sustained efforts to deal with the challenges, which cause displacement in the first place.
I thank you
Enquiries: Molatwane Likhethe on 082 573 0397
Issued by Ministry of Education
20 June 2003
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