HUMAN SHAME

As the riots in South Africa continues, so does the comparison with the former Apartheid regime. Although this time around it is the oppressed which has become the oppressors.

 

So far 50 people have been killed and over 25,000 has fled their homes in relation to the xenophobic riots which surfaced two weeks ago. And although the South African government even sought to bring in the army to stabilise the riots, the violence continues.  

 

President, Thabo Mbeki continues to condemn the violence as an “absolute disgrace that has blemished the countries name.”

 

But critics of the government continue to blame the government for their failure in not admitting that the riots are a result of their own their foreign and immigration policies. Unemployment rates in South Africa are as high as 30 percent and out of a population of 49 million, between 3 and 5 million are foreigners.

 

However, no reasoning can justify the actions of inhumanity which is going on in South Africa. One South African blogger wrote: “We are an intolerant, racist and xenophobic nation with a short and selective memory.”

 

Without going so far that I tend to pass judgment on the South African populations, it is thus hard to comprehend how the people which only few years back needed help from a gathered international community now are attacking those who come to their nation for help from political oppression at home.

 

The South African Human Rights Commission said: “South Africa must pass a hate crime law, sign and ratify the International Convention on the protection of the rights of migrant workers and members of their families, as one of the measures to deal with xenophobia.”

 

It might be possible to comprehend the frustration and anger which have built up among the poor and unemployed South Africans. But we should not forget that similar signs also surface other places and it continues to amaze me how we keep blaming those who are even less fortunate than ourselves when something change or goes wrong in society. That seem to be a universal pattern of reaction and we should all be ashamed.

HARMS TRUST

It seems like George W Bush’s dream of recreating ‘The Cold War’ is staying just that, a dream as both Russia and China have come together and condemned the US plan for a missile defence shield in Europe.

 

The US want to located a radar base In the Czech Republic and an interceptive missile site in Poland and their reason for wanting to do so is that they say it is a system key to the US’s own security and to that of their allies in relation to their continues attack on Iran and the Islamic world.

 

The new defence stations in Europe is US latest attempt to seek acceptance for their propaganda in relation to what they characterised as the ‘evil axis’ and ‘the war on terror’. Instead this is just another sign of the irrational behaviour of the Bush regime and their abuse of their power as a world super power, on the world.

 

Luckily, for once Russia and China come together as the rational part of a world debate, as their leaders expressed: “It harms the strengthening of trust between states and regional stability.”

 

It is time for Bush to wake up and smell the smoke of his own wrong doing. He has driven the world into a cultural and religiously ideological war that no one wanted in the first place. Bush’s actions over the last 7 years don’t reflect democracy but it reflects one of the most gruesome totalitarian violations of human dignity the world has ever seen, and there is really no surprise that this war hungry beast is trying to prolong the suffering and consequences of his game.

 

There is really no need for a missile defence shield to draw association between the happenings of the last 7 years to the cold war, but if the history of the Cuba crisis thought us anything,  this US proposal will for sure fuel a situation where no country, people or religion will benefit. Well, except maybe Bush himself.

 

 

 

Related links: Orwell was an optimist

UN TO ENTER BURMA

The leader of Burma’s military junta has finally agreed to let all foreign aid workers in to the country to assist with relief work, in the areas affected by Cyclone Nargis.

 

But the promise of entry might still lead to disappointment as the Burmese regime has a history of changing their mind in relation to agreements made with the UN.

 

It is impossible to comprehend the reasoning behind the actions of the Burmese government in relation to this large scale natural disaster which has contributed to the death of at least 78,000 Burmese people.

 

But then again, the Burmese dictatorship is not known for their rational behaviour or even the compassion for the people they govern. A Global report published earlier this week show that Burma also has the highest amounts of child soldiers of any nation.

 

Since the cyclone hit Burma on the 2. May, the violating and evil behaviour of the regimes has proven more clearly than ever, as they have been denying aid to citizens, steeling from the aid deliveries for self consumption, and recently refusing to reconnect the Bahan township with electricity due to their support to the Monk’s in September’s ‘Saffron Revolution’.

  

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rica told the BBC: “It’s a quite unusual situation actually that you have a country in this desperate straits with its population in the circumstances that this population is in- and you get a kind of stone cold face about people who just want help.”

 

It might be an unusual situation if it happened anywhere else in the world, but from a regime that is led by a sadistic greed, their reaction should not come to the world as a surprise.  

 

Luckily, it seems like the International community has had a dramatic wake up call, as the European Parliament are now threatening to drag the Burmese regime to the International Criminal Court of human rights violations, in Haag, if they do not open up to International aid to assist the crisis.

THE COWARDS BOW TO PRESSURE

The cowards of the Burmese regime are now bowing under pressure as the Junta has declared three days of national mourning for the sufferers, and the 78, 000 confirmed dead, after Cyclone Nargis hit the country, 18 days ago.

 

Yes, 18 days it has taken for the regime to signalise a slight awareness of the huge levels of suffering that the citizens of Burma have faced in the recent weeks. Just unfortunate, that this realisation is coming too late to diminish the damages already caused.

 

It is thus a paradox, that the Burmese regime decide to declare three days of official mourning after it’s allied, China began it’s own mourning for the victims after Sichuan earthquake last week.

 

What made China different from Burma, was a government who participated and tried to diminish the consequence of the catastrophe faced, while in Burma, the people were left alone to die, by denying the extent and severity of the situation and preventing international aid to reach those in need. And this all due to a selfish fear of being exposed, as a corrupt regime, without any consideration for democracy and human rights, like that would come as a surprise to anyone!

 

On the upside though, this new turn of reaction from the Burmese government might signalise the effect and impact that China has on the junta. The Burmese regime is also accepting more foreign aid to assist the situation after an emergency meeting in Singapore on Monday, although foreign expert employed by UN aid agencies are still not allowed to enter the country.

 

Douglas Alexander, Britain’s International Development Secretary commented: “Anything which may see more aid getting to the victims of Cyclone Nargis who so desperately need it is to be welcomed, but we are continuing to pressure the Burmese government to accept direct assistance in the affected areas.”  

 

 

Related links: the planet out of balance

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