SA Government has today launched into a tirade of criticism of Madagascar's latest coup. They have also asked the AU to expell Madagascar from membership on this basis. Curiously enough, they claim they will not support a government which has taken power through undemocratic means yadda, yadda, yadda. Pull the other one, apparently it has bells on.
Interesting hypocrisy. For quite some time they have done or said nothing at all of the kind for our friendly northern neighbours in ZimBOBwe who have for a decade or so been suffering under the yoke of a senile fool who seeks his own glorification and enrichment and has set these goals ahead of the good of his own people and is not even moved by their suffering. He has insanely clung to power through intimidation, violence, corruption and manipulation of election results - and still, STILL - after nearly railroading unity government negotiations for months, he is referred to as PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe. Why is that?
Once again SA makes a lot of noise about issues it picks and chooses in order to make itself look good - BUT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT GLBT PERSECUTIONS IN AFRICA.
It can be argued that Uganda has nothing at all to do with South Africa. The same can be argued about Nigeria, Ethiopia and Zamibia, who boldly claim "there are no gays in our country" (most likely because they are terrified of what awaits them if they ever come into the open - or have already fled their homes). Not our business? You think?Then why has SA been (for the past decade or so) involved in the affairs of Zimbabwe? And if that is the case, then what has Madagascar to do with SA?
Selective morality and hypocrisy, that's what.
Where was SA's "morality" when it was called on to sign the UN Declaration to decriminalize homosexuality? Oh yes that's right, South Africa refused to sign that one on the grounds of "having principles". And every year SA is an annual signatory to a UN document condemning religious intolerance - they wouldn't dare skip that one because somebody might notice and get a bit upset. Where are SA's "principles" when calls are made to pass hate crimes laws against the so-called "corrective rape" of lesbians and murder of trans people and anti-GLBT hate speech in the press?
Inviting fundamentalist gay-haters to talks with the SA Government on the thorny matter of gay marriage perhaps? Sounds like a good place to be, don't you think? I think if anybody still needs more confirmation that the ANC and the current government have turned decidely fundamentalist and anti-GLBT, they haven't been paying attention to current events.
It would be interesting indeed to see exactly which human rights issues in African countries SA's wonderful government has seen fit to comment or act upon - and which not to. What a fascinating study that would be.
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