Contact: Juan Michel, +41-22-791-6153 +41-79-507-6363, media@wcc-coe.org

MEDIA ADVISORY, June 6 /Standard Newswire/ -- "Deeply saddened by the brutal wave of violent xenophobic attacks and murders of foreign nationals, migrant workers and refugees" occurring since early May in South Africa, the World Council of Churches (WCC) urged the country's government "demonstrate leadership by bringing to an end this murderous violence and promoting the observance of human rights".

In a 6 June letter to the country's WCC member churches and the South African Council of Churches (SACC), the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia joined his voice to a previous call made by the SACC secretary general Eddie Makue, who condemned the use of violence and intimidation against strangers. Over the last month, some 50 people were killed in a wave of anti-immigrant violence, which forced more than 70,000 people to flee their homes.

Acknowledging "the right of nations to maintain the sanctity and security of their borders", Kobia called on the South Africa government and people "to welcome the stranger" out of "compassion". He also stressed the "positive contributions" migrants bring to their hosts countries "in terms of cultural diversity, skills, economic growth, etc."

Full text of the letter:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?id=5993

WCC member churches in South Africa:
http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=4638

Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, from the Methodist Church in Kenya. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.