What happened to the morals, values, and principles of freedom and democracy in South Africa? Why is a country which suffered so much under oppression in the past today supporting some of the most oppressive regimes around the world?
As a two-year temporary member of the UN Security Council, South Africa has voted against imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe, despite the unthinkable crisis and ruthless dictatorship of Robert Mugabe. While members of the opposition were being killed in Zimbabwe, former South African president Thabo Mbeki held Mugabe's hand on TV and claimed there was no crisis in Zimbabwe whatsoever.
When the UN voted to condemn Myanmar's military junta crackdown on peaceful protesters and human rights violations, South Africa was one of the countries that blocked the resolution. South Africa has also voted against imposing any sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, and to stop monitoring human rights in Uzbekistan and Iran, despite the widespread human rights violations in both countries.
In January 2007, "South Africa was one of 22 countries absent from the UN General Assembly when a resolution was adopted to condemn Holocaust denialism." Also, the country voted against a resolution that condemned the "use of rape as a weapon of war."
South African diplomats are currently trying everything to suspend or delay the International Criminal Court's case against the Sudanese president Omar al Bashir for the alleged genocide and war crimes in Darfur. Never mind the 200,000 dead and millions displaced in the Darfur conflict since 2003, which many analysts and aid organizations label one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world.
As James Kirchick rightly pointed out in the Los Angeles Times, how can South Africa and its ruling party, the African National Congress, say that any sanctions against Sudan over the Darfur conflict would be "totally unacceptable" when the same party "demanded complete and utter isolation of the white apartheid government in Pretoria?" Sanctions worked in the case of South Africa in the 1980s and 1990s, why not try them in the case of Sudan?
Article comments
1 - Zedd
Savo,
You should have been responsible and first explain that the SA government is currently in transition. A lot of ridiculous information about Africa is spewed because no one holds the tellers of the "big fish" stories accountable. Lest you break into a head hunter story, I have to implore you to be responsible. Afro-pessimism has devastated this continent. Be very careful.
What you also don't understand is the unique perspective that SAs have. Western ideas of who gets the tag of "the bad guys" are not ALWAYS going to jell with them. Could you do a piece explaining what the contentions are with each situation against a complete towing of the line. It may contribute to your better understanding of all of these situations.
What happens with Westerners is that they over simplify when it comes to non Western matters and want to apply simple fixes (and labels, a la axes of evil) to more nuances problems and end up causing a bigger problem that extends decades long.
Your simple declarations are lacking depth and true assessment. As a person who is studying diplomatic methodologies, you should have a keener eye when assessing such things.
Lets hope your next post wont be of Xhosas who eat little Bushmen children for dessert just to get cool points in the west.
2 - Savo
Zedd, being in transition does not mean that the government should also be totally irresponsible in its foreign relations.
South African policies are one of the primary reasons for the collapse of Zimbabwe.
Do you think, like the government of South Africa, that 200,000 dead and millions of displaced in Darfur don't really matter?
Do you think that it's ok to use rape in wars?
3 - Clavos
...being in transition does not mean that the government should also be totally irresponsible in its foreign relations.
Quoted for Truth.
4 - Ruvy
Zedd,
When Jacob Zuma holds Mugabe's hand and tells him what a nice boy he is, do you think it will smell any better because he a fellow Zulu?
Afro-pessimism? Name me a single country in sub-Saharan Africa that actually functions in peace according to some norms of democracy - or even a benevolent dictatorship that runs peacefully.
5 - Zedd
"South African policies are one of the primary reasons for the collapse of Zimbabwe. "
How? Please elaborate.
6 - Zedd
Ruvy,
You got your people wrong. I understand, because African matters are hardly known world wide so I won't be too harsh. Google though.
7 - Zedd
Clavos,
Zimbabwe getting more sanctions will do absolutely nothing to Mugabe. This is an Octogenarian who I'm convinced is either a severe alcoholic or drug addict who will not be hurt by the sanctions against the country. The problem with Zim is not the "electorate". The people have done their part and voted him out. Punishing them does nothing but cause even more devastation across the entire region. Where do you think those people who are displaced by the added sanctions will certainly end up? South Africa. Savo left this VERY important calculation out. You are a smart guy (sorta)and pride yourself in making practical solutions that may not always be warm and fuzzy. What would you do?
Now.... If Bush had been ousted and his replacement where in place for a very short time and a new administration was coming in shortly, why would crucial decisions be made that would affect their economy for years to come, at such a time? We are talking about a lame, ICU patient duck President in this situation.
8 - Dr Dreadful
Zedd,
I think Ruvy is aware that Mugabe is not a Zulu. He was referring to you, and how your judgment of the Mugabe-Zuma relationship might be skewed by your kinship with the latter.
9 - Zedd
Ruvy,
In the ranking of most peaceful countries in the world, all of these countries with the exception of South Africa rank ABOVE the United States. The UK ranks below Botswana and before Mozambique
Ghana
Madagascar
Botswana
Mozambique
Zambia
Gabon
Tanzania
Cameroon
South Africa
Kenya
How is that for African pessimism? Do you feel smarter now?
10 - Zedd
Doc,
He got it way wrong about Zuma.
11 - Dr Dreadful
Mind you, I tend to agree that sanctions won't have much effect on Mugabe, both for the reasons you stated, Zedd, and the fact that Zim is already so far gone that imposing sanctions would be a bit like drilling a hole in the hull of the Titanic.
I disagree, too, that they were successful in the case of South Africa, partly because SA was rich enough in natural resources to look after itself and partly because a small number of significant world players - the US, the UK and Israel, for example - either ignored the sanctions completely or only honoured them half-heartedly.
And Ruvy's question about peaceful(ish) sub-Saharan states? I can think of a few: Ghana, Gabon, Burundi, Tanzania, Botswana and Swaziland all seem to be relatively stable right now.
12 - Dr Dreadful
Zuma isn't a Zulu? I've seen him in photos dressed in what looks like Zulu ceremonial regalia. Or was he just putting on airs?
13 - Zedd
Savo,
"Do you think, like the government of South Africa, that 200,000 dead and millions of displaced in Darfur don't really matter?
Do you think that it's ok to use rape in wars?"
You can't be serious. You really think that Darfur doesn't matter to the SA government. Do some research man or put the pen down.
14 - Zedd
08 December 2006-
After meeting at the White House with President Mbeki, President Bush told reporters that it is time to step up international efforts to urge Sudan to drop its objections to an expanded peacekeeping force for Darfur.
President Mbeki said the two men also discussed the impact of the situation in Darfur on neighboring Chad and the Central African Republic. Mbeki also expressed the hope that the United Nations would move quickly on a plan to deploy an expanded peacekeeping force in the region.
September 16, 2008-
in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, on Monday for two days of talks with President Omar al-Bashir on efforts for peace in the war-torn Darfur region.
Mbeki is due to discuss moves to head off potential charges against the Sudanese leader from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes and genocide in Darfur.
Hope that gives a different spin to what our author would have us believe.
15 - Zedd
Doc,
Good on you dude. Zuma is very Zulu. However he has no love for Mugabe. Major faux pas. But understandable. No one cares about the minute details of small nations, especially those in Africa.
16 - Dr Dreadful
Oh, I see now. It was Mbeki, not Zuma, doing the hand-holding.
[/confusion]
17 - mshengu
Most people outside of Southern Africa know little about the complexities and relationships our country has with neighbouring states. But then again - the same can be said for those who never had any real affinity for Africa.
Mugabe's Octogenarian status is far more complicated than meets the eye. I predicted that Zimbabwe would probaly end up ther way it is - back in 198 when I refuted the Washington Post's scurrilous attack of Mugabe and his supposed homophobia. Instead, they in all their omniscience claimed that sodomy was a way of life in Africa ...
Mugabe - a Shona and Zuma - a Zulu could hardly be expected to have a deep-seated trust amongst themselves - suspicion maybe ... but a sound friendship and trust ... hardly ...
It was Mbeki squandered who sadly his presidency through ineptitude - cowtaling to Mugabe - with whom he had a very long reationship - as comrades in the struggle.
Why not place blame where it deserves to be placed ... (You guys figure that one out amongst your braniac selves.)
Talking of Darfur ... where are the so-called compassionate Muslims of the world???
It is largely through the complacency of th Muslim world that Darfur has escalated to the point it currently finds itself - not South Africa ...
But then again, we wasted so many years having a Minister of health that was more confused than most when dealing with compassionate/humanitarian issues.
Barbara Hogan is such a fresh - much needed woman of substance - the likes of whom we could only wish more to follow.
mshengu
Struggling/Suffering in The Diaspora
18 - auctionSA
I don't think it is fair to blame SA for Zimbabwe's collapse. There is a lot more that could be done to help them, but the blame falls on one man and one man only, Uncle Bob