Editorial
July 3, 2003
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The legendary South African elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, will not be in his country when US president George Bush visits on Tuesday next week. Mr Mandela’s absence is already being interpreted as a deliberate action seeing that there is no other diplomatic way in which he could have avoided meeting Bush. Bush, as many people should be aware, is not highly thought of by Mandela. The US leader has borne the brunt of uncomplimentary reference from the revered South African, who once accused him of not being able to think properly. The two men have disagreed on America’s highly criticised invasion of Iraq. Mandela’s decision to be out of town when Bush comes knocking should be instructive to Uganda where many of our people were against the Iraq adventure. We were against that adventure because of its illegality and because of the fact that crimes against humanity were committed there by coalition forces. Even today, the US forces continue to be involved in the killing of civilians as they purportedly search for the elusive weapons of mass destruction. Only President Yoweri Museveni and a few others wrongly joined the pathetic “coalition of the willing” in backing the US war. When Bush arrives here next week we should emulate Mandela and give him the cold shoulder. This is a man who ignored world opinion, unilaterally disregarded the counsel of the United Nations and enthusiastically backed the US forces as they bombed Iraq, killing some women and children in the process. Bush should be given the same treatment accorded to Burkina Faso President Blaise Campaore when he visited a few years ago. Mr Campaore is held responsible for the murder of the man he overthrew as president, Mr Thomas Sankara, so when he came here we let him know that there is no place for him. Museveni has recently been schmoozing with the Americans, even going as far as signing that nefarious Article 98 agreement, which gives US soldiers immunity against trial for war crimes and others crimes against humanity. |
© 2003 The Monitor Publications
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