Mbeki a Disgrace, Yet Again

With his crackpot denial that HIV causes AIDS, his appointment of a health minister who recommended beets and garlic garlic as treatment for South Africa's more than 5 million HIV infected citizens, his corrupt government, his incomprehensible support of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his refusal to use South Africa's leverage to halt the horrors in Zimbabwe, former South African President Thabo Mbeki's legacy is a disgraceful one.

In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Mbeki now heads an African Union panel set up in January 2009. It's composed of current and former African officials and it is tasked with helping to bring peace to war ravaged Darfur. It is also charged with investigating the atrocities committed in Darfur and advising the African Union on how to deal with perpetrators. They will issue a report of their findings in July. Today Mbeki announced that the panel will not consider any of the evidence compiled by the International Criminal Court.

On March 4 the ICC announced an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, torture and the forced displacement of millions in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Comments

[LMPE]

It should come as no surprise that apartheid is at the root of the problems with South Africa's government. Right before Nelson Mandela became president, the government sold South Africa's assets to private ownership. Therefore, Mandela had nothing from which to work, and so very little changed for most black South Africans. Not to mention that so many white South Africans have been reluctant to view black people as their equals.

[Paulo1]

Well now isn't that a nice comment LMPE, blame it all on the white man and his bad old Aparthied

Aparthied is long dead. The system put in place after its fall has arguably worked better than any other African nations. The country is by far the richest in southern Africa. The people are by far the best educated and continued reform is proving that Africa is not solely the place for thugocracy.

So Mia complains about the inept and immoral nature of one, count them ONE, of South Africa's leaders and you decide it is a reason to denounce the bad old whites who managed to leave a prosperous and wealthy nation to the new leaders. People who have opted to stay and help build a better nation and who know the risks of loosing everything by looking across the border at the disaster of Mugabe in Zimbabwe.

Your comment borders on a very insidious form of racism. Afro Centric in nature and rampant in African Studies which condemns Africa to perpetually claiming to be the victim to whites rather than hold its head up as equal member of world civilization.

[Kaviraj]

"Aparthied is long dead."

It is alive and kicking in Israel

[upstander18]

I hear you Mia loud and clear! But sadly, I'm not too surprized. I believe the A.U. could have the upper hand when it comes to Mugabe and his band of criminals running Zimbabwe and the genocide in Darfur. It's sad to see Mbeki so ignorant with the ICC's strong case against al-Bashir, but again with someone who is ignorant on the AIDS crisis in his country I for one don't hold him in a high regard.

[wereeverywhere]

Here's a statement from Jacob Zuma last year expressing frustration with Mbeki:
http://www.thetimes.co.za/SpecialReports/Zimbabwe/Article.aspx?id=790290

Addressing an investment conference in Johannesburg yesterday, Zuma said Zimbabwe was now “out of control” and that his party“ cannot agree with Zanu-PF on values”.

The statements are a radical break with the ruling party’s tradition of treating Mugabe and Zanu-PF with kid gloves. ANC spokeswoman Jessie Duarte also expressed her party’s frustration with Zimbabwe ’s ruling party.

“We believe that the actions of Zanu-PF have been, for us, quite traumatic and difficult to understand — particularly because we come from the same root objective of deepening democracy,” she said.

[These statements from last year and I don't know what Zuma's position now is regarding Mugabe/zanu pf]

[Klimb]

Mbeki is not a disgrace...he has tried among many things to help with Zimbabwe which you also know is not a simple matter. It is amazing that some individuals think that change should occur overnight in an environment that has never been stable or recovered from colonialism. Support for dictatorship govts in Africa by foreign nations need to stop, otherwise these problems will continue. Like somebody said on NPR two days ago, AFRICA JUST NEEDS BETTER PR!

[wereeverywhere]

Mbeki vigorously supported Mugabe. International pressure against apartheid and for ANC was pivotal for bringing down old regime in South Africa. Instead of returning the favor, ANC has often supported dictatorships ( Desmond Tutu rails against this disgraceful policy and hopefully Zula will change it). Banning, jailing, even torturing political opponents, journalists, and human rights workers are documented abuses by Mugabe. It's pretty low to support such a failure like Mugabe, and Mbeki disgraced himself- as do all who support him.

[monstabunny]

Thank you for keeping us informed and keeping your rage high, Mia. Thanks to your voice, the people of Darfur have a little more than nothing.

[raaf]

Only when the ICC also prosecutes Israeli and other western war criminals it will be taken seriously. Going after not so powerful Africans is easy.

[JWheels]

Indiscriminately mowing down thousands of innocent people and sending jet fighters to strafe hospitals, is a little different than blockading Gaza.

[SeanFromNJ]

Except of course for the fact that Israel did both those things and more. We may never know how many people have died as a result of Israel's policies in Gaza. They also bombed hospitals, schools, refugee centers, etc...

[Kaviraj]

You mean to say "is little different from". This is not to diminish the suffering in Darfur. I agree that al-Bashir must be held accountable. But there IS a double standard towards Israel and denial does not make it go away. That double standard also counts for Cheney/Bus­h/Rumsfeld­/Rice etc of the last American admin. To think that the West should judge al-Bashir is arrogant and hypocritical to the extreme. We westerners have exploited Africa and the rest of the 3rd world for 400 years, so our self-righteousness is merely to assuage our own guilt for what Africa has become.

[LaughingMan]

In other words, those insignificant black useless Africans being slaughtered ( by an Islamic government, - or as you would put it, "not so powerful Africans" - and supported by a lot of those Pro-Palestinian Arabic nations) in their own country, do not matter at all, in the grand scheme of things; - especially when compared with more noble and worthy victims such as the long-suffering Gazans.

I always love it when a pro-Palestinian, ( or Anti-Israeli) supporter, tries to make their point, by crapping all over the suffering and deaths of innocents in other parts of the world - typically in Africa, though - by oppressive governments and regimes. And it always seems to come up when someones points out the inappropriateness ( impropriety?) of comparing the Gazan situation to the Apartheid regime and apartheid era in South Africa.

Nothing makes your point like denigrating other people's suffering.

[wereeverywhere]

So maybe none of Farrow's report is new to those who follow African events, at least those without ideological blinders on. What has changed is that South African trade unions have stood up against Mugabe. Last summer they managed a one week regional boycott against Mugabe. In April of last year dock workers refused to unload arms from China that were headed to Zimbabwe. If any here have more recent information I'd like to hear it. I don't have much hope that a bunch of bureaucrats in African Unity panel will come up with anything against Al Bashir. But with Mbeki gone there's some hope that the tradition of tolerating African tyrants will be interrupted if there's enough grassroots pressure. If South Africa stopped backing these failures that would be a huge step forward for the continent.

[nkadzi]

"Today Mbeki announced that the panel will not consider any of the evidence compiled by the International Criminal Court."

and what were the reasons for Mbeki and his team not considering the evidence compiled by the international criminal court?

[FearlessFreep]

Why should the South African government be any more respectful of international courts than the US government is?

[Marshall Lucky]

Because America is G-d's Gift to the World and South Africa only wishes they could be.

[Paulo1]

Mia,

And your point is exactly what? Is there something new in Mbeki's immoral stances? Nothing new at all for those of us who watch the news from Africa.

Rule number one of African leadership : Thou shalt not support any action or criticism by anyone against a fellow African leader no matter how heinous the thugs actions.

It seems that Africa is unfortunate. For every Nyere or Mandala we get an Idi Amin Dada, a Robert Mugabe and a Mbeki.

[FearlessFreep]

And even Nyerere had those destructive militias.