Ramaphosa Should Urgently & Vocally Side with Human Rights as Ugandan Opposition Leader Is Arrested
Herman Mashaba
ActionSA President
It is now the time for President Cyril Ramaphosa to vocally side with human rights in Uganda and condemn the arrest of Ugandan Opposition Leader Bobi Wine, in the best interest of the millions of people living in the embattled country.
Having had the privilege to meet Bobi Wine in Johannesburg on Wednesday evening, I am deeply concerned that his unlawful arrest will further allow the degradation of human rights in Uganda and contribute to the political and economic instability being seen there.
ActionSA have long advocated that South Africa should use its diplomatic might not to side with apartheid-era relationships and dictatorships but use it in the interest of human rights and the South African people.
We simply do not believe that the breakdown of freedom of association in Uganda will benefit the South African people as it may further lead to economic decline in the country, and contribute to a refugee crisis which many countries, including South Africa, would need to address.
At our recent policy conference in September, delegates voted that South Africa’s diplomatic service should be professionalised where officials are allowed to act independently and without political interference to advance South Africa’s interests.
The appointment of cadres of the ruling party at the Department of international affairs, and the repeated political interference, have clearly weakened South Africa’s international standing to the detriment of the South African people. Not speaking out about Wine’s address would further contribute to this damage.
As a party which values ethical leadership, ActionSA will continue to hold the South African government accountable to ensure that global human rights abuses are not condoned. For too long, the South African diplomatic approach protected the ruling party’s friends, without protecting our people.
Ramaphosa Should Urgently & Vocally Side with Human Rights as Ugandan Opposition Leader Is Arrested
It is now the time for President Cyril Ramaphosa to vocally side with human rights in Uganda and condemn the arrest of Ugandan Opposition Leader Bobi Wine, in the best interest of the millions of people living in the embattled country.
Having had the privilege to meet Bobi Wine in Johannesburg on Wednesday evening, I am deeply concerned that his unlawful arrest will further allow the degradation of human rights in Uganda and contribute to the political and economic instability being seen there.
ActionSA have long advocated that South Africa should use its diplomatic might not to side with apartheid-era relationships and dictatorships but use it in the interest of human rights and the South African people.
We simply do not believe that the breakdown of freedom of association in Uganda will benefit the South African people as it may further lead to economic decline in the country, and contribute to a refugee crisis which many countries, including South Africa, would need to address.
At our recent policy conference in September, delegates voted that South Africa’s diplomatic service should be professionalised where officials are allowed to act independently and without political interference to advance South Africa’s interests.
The appointment of cadres of the ruling party at the Department of international affairs, and the repeated political interference, have clearly weakened South Africa’s international standing to the detriment of the South African people. Not speaking out about Wine’s address would further contribute to this damage.
As a party which values ethical leadership, ActionSA will continue to hold the South African government accountable to ensure that global human rights abuses are not condoned. For too long, the South African diplomatic approach protected the ruling party’s friends, without protecting our people.