South Africa Fails to Back UN Resolution on Holocaust Denial

Continuing the tragic tale of South Africa’s voting hall of shame…

South Africa once again shamed themselves by failing to back a UN General Assembly resolution on Friday rejecting denial of the Holocaust.

This follows the recent UNSC vote where South Africa voted “no” on a resolution calling for the end of human rights abuses in Burma.

Iran was the only nation to formally disassociate itself from the resolution which was passed by consensus, but 22 other nations including South Africa, left their seats empty in the assembly hall.

So far the list of nations I know of that sheepishly left their seats vacant in a pathetic and cowardly stand against the resolution include: South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Cambodia and Zimbabwe.

Some reputable bloggers are reporting that China also abstained from backing the resolution but I have found no confirmation of this.

The resolution was co-sponsored by 100 nations, including the most recent victim of genocide, Rwanda.

Tomorrow will be the 62nd anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, a Nazi death camp where over 1 million people were murdered.

The General Assembly, i. Reaffirming its resolution A/60/7 of 1 November 2005, ii. Recalling that resolution A/60/7 observes that remembrance of the Holocaust is critical to preventing further acts of genocide, iii. Recalling further that, for this reason, resolution A/60/7 rejects efforts to deny the Holocaust, which by ignoring the historical fact of these terrible events increases the risk they will be repeated, iv. Noting that all people and States have a vital stake in a world free of genocide, v. Welcoming the establishment by the Secretary-General of a programme of outreach on the subject of the "Holocaust and the United Nations," and further welcoming the inclusion by Member States within their educational programmes of measures to confront attempts to deny or minimize the importance of the Holocaust, vi. Taking note that 27 January has been designated by the United Nations as an annual International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust, 1. Condemns without any reservation any denial of the Holocaust; 2. Urges all Member States unreservedly to reject any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event, either in full or in part, or any activities to this end;

We will try to get comment from the department of foreign affairs regarding our no show in the GA. But don’t expect any rational explanations…

It is touching that this resolution was co-sponsored by Rwanda. I personally wish that more South Africans, Jews in particular, would learn more about and understand what Rwanda went through in 1994. Hopefully in 50 years time, a similar resolution won't be necessary regarding the Rwandan genocide.

(Thanks to Dave at Soccer Dad for notifying us.)

Update 2 @ 29/01/2007
The Anti-Defamation League had sent a letter to the uncommitted UN ambassadors, including the South African ambassador, urging them to add their support to the resolution on Holocaust denial: ADL to Uncommitted U.N. Ambassadors: Support Holocaust Denial Resolution

Update 3 @ 29/01/2007
Do you think this was just an administrative oversight? Or was it technical?

Comments

[Joel Pollak]

Truly disgusting.

Here in the USA, the lustre has faded from SA's human rights record and students in human rights courses are busy writing long papers attacking SA's stance on HIV/Aids. It is perhaps a matter of time before SA's other positions come under scrutiny.

Whatever world Mbeki, Khumalo and their ilk are living in, it is not one that most thinking people inhabit.

I am inclined to believe that SA's votes at the UN are bought and sold by Iran, much as Japan uses landlocked countries at the International Whaling Commission.

[Gary]

SA at the moment has been treated with kid gloves by the West, depite aligning itself with the rogue regimes of the world.
SA better be careful, because sooner or later. investment will dry up. Why invest in a state that aligns itself with the criminal regimes of the world?
By the way, next time SA go's cap in hand to ask the USA or UK for money, I hope they tell SA to go ask Ahmadinejad and Kim Jung Il.