Letter to the editor: Cry for help by Indians in South Africa's Durban

The ongoing unrest in South Africa has destroyed hundreds of businesses and killed at least 70 people as the spasm of violence that a week ago. Hundreds of shops and businesses were looted during the initially political motivated protest, with roads being blocked, properties and vehicles damaged and burned. 

With riots, arson, violence, and lootings escalating, Indians and Indian-origin South Africans living there face dangers to their lives. Amid the chaos, we have received a letter from a doctor, crying for help as he fears for his life and his family. Here's the unedited text from the letter.

I am writing to you not knowing if I or my family will be alive tomorrow.

I am a young Indian man whose great grandparents came from India as indentured labourers as slaves to work in the sugar cane plantations under colonial rule. 

I am a medical doctor working in Durban, South Africa.

The Indian community is coming under attack in civil unrest and war. Weapons have been stocked and piled in. 

All the food sources malls and wholesalers have been burnt. The fuel stations have been targeted to prevent movement and blown up.

The communication network towers are being targeted so that we won't be able to get the message out. 

Myself and other doctors are unable to get to our patients in the hospital which is even worse with the covid pandemic.

Please get the message out we need help. A genocide has been planned in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. 

We are getting trapped with no flights out.

Please get this word out. Please. Pray for us before our network and internet gets cut.

I love my country but bad people are using good people to hurt us. 

Please help

Dr from South Africa