ANC cadres show selective morality to “friend” nations

On 22 June, the BBC presented a programme showing the human-rights abuses perpetrated by China on its Muslim Uighur people – how it deliberately separated children from their parents, and how it detained thousands of Muslim adults in “re-education” camps. The BBC investigation revealed China’s shameless use of apartheid practices including racial profiling and the detention of hundreds of thousands of Muslims against their will in secret camps, from which reports of torture and worse have been leaked.

The New York Times (28 June 2021) in an “investigative report” says that “Russian operatives in the Central African Republic (CAR) who had been billed as unarmed advisers are actually leading the fighting, including massacres of civilians”. The United Nations Security Council has documented Russian “mercenaries” killing civilians, looting homes, and shooting worshippers in a mosque in a major military operation.

The United Nations has well documented accusations of atrocities by these Russian mercenaries, who are blatantly committing human-rights abuses against unarmed civilians, including indiscriminate killings, looting, and occupying schools. All these crimes are corroborated by photographic evidence and witness accounts.

Reports tell of more than 2 000 Russian “advisers” in the CAR, and further reports reveal the forcible recruitment of child soldiers, sexual assaults on women, and regular indiscriminate shooting of civilians. Violations against citizens mentioned in the reports include, but are not limited to, rape, summary execution, targeted killings, torture, and forced disappearances.

In only one week, the most dastardly human-rights abuses by two of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) partners have been exposed, yet the various senior ministers of the African National Congress (ANC), who just a few weeks ago were incensed and vociferous about human-rights abuses against civilians, who led demonstrations at certain embassies, and who called for the severing of diplomatic relations, remain absolutely silent about the victimisation perpetrated by their “friends”.

The flagrant persecution of their African brothers in the CAR raises not the slightest comment, criticism, or even a modicum of concern by these ANC cadres. Isn’t it time for those like Jesse Duarte and President Cyril Ramaphosa to stand up for the morality they demand not only of selective countries, but of all?