James Kirchik has been writing alot about South Africa of late and his latest piece questions why, if South Africa is one of the most liberal democracies, has it failed to support gay rights in international forums.
Comment is Free: South Africa's gay betrayal
Once again, the answer lies within our secret ministry of totalitarian affairs where third world ties trump human rights.
But, as a knowledgeable South African recently wrote to me in an email: "It seems that South Africa is happy to betray its democratic values in order to support its totalitarian friends." The South African government's decision to side with authoritarian police states that imprison and kill gay people is a disappointing betrayal of the moral authority it gained with the fall of apartheid. |
Last month South Africa also supported Chinese calls to ban Liberal International, an NGO that had dared to call for Taiwan's entrance into the WHO.
The press release from UN Watch said (here's the voting record)
Amid a series of rulings today affecting NGOs, the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) slammed Liberal International with a one-year suspension, blocking the umbrella group of Liberal parties around the world from participating at U.N. conferences and debates. China initiated the retaliation after the group accredited a Taiwanese man as one of its delegates to a Human Rights Council session in March, who spoke in the plenary for the right of Taiwan to join the World Health Organization. |
I can't yet figure out if our votes are dictated by the US or by China. Either we automatically oppose the US or we automatically side with China. And that's our foreign policy in a nut-shell.
I have been wondering if Taiwan really does get a worse deal than Israel at the UN. The banning of LI is a disgrace.
Posted by: Joel Pollak | August 24, 2007 at 13:33
Maybe SA's foreign policy shares Northern Bob's feelings on homosexuality.
Posted by: Hillel | August 24, 2007 at 15:21
The supreme irony is that most gay rights groups support the ANC, are anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian, opposed the Iraq War, and will likely oppose any Israeli or American action to disarm Iran.
Posted by: Gary | August 24, 2007 at 17:24