By failing to reach out to the Ukraine our government is judged to have neglected accepted norms of basic humanity
13 April 2022 - 17:00
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
A woman carries her cat as she walks past buildings that were destroyed by Russian shelling, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine in Borodyanka, in the Kyiv region, Ukraine, April 5 2022. Picture: ZOHRA BENSEMRA/ REUTERS
Our government’s approach to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is seriously questioned by traditional allies. Certain universally tried and tested principles are relevant in this regard. You must never allow ideology to influence your interpretation of basic human rights.
When you rate war crimes on different scales depending on where they are committed, you discriminate. When you close your eyes to blatant war crimes, you are complicit in a sense. When you fail one member of the family of nations, you fail the entire family of nations. When you apply the rule of law selectively, you undermine legal certainty.
By failing to reach out to the Ukrainian ambassador to SA, the representative of the president of Ukraine in our country, after the start of the cruel invasion by Vladimir Putin and his henchmen, our government is judged to have neglected acceptednorms of basic humanity.
Many members of the family of nations that supported the ANC in their struggle are watching the current stance of the ANC-led government with disappointment. Our international standing has taken a further knock.
Dawie Jacobs
Sterrewag
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: SA fails the entire family of nations
By failing to reach out to the Ukraine our government is judged to have neglected accepted norms of basic humanity
Our government’s approach to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is seriously questioned by traditional allies. Certain universally tried and tested principles are relevant in this regard. You must never allow ideology to influence your interpretation of basic human rights.
When you rate war crimes on different scales depending on where they are committed, you discriminate. When you close your eyes to blatant war crimes, you are complicit in a sense. When you fail one member of the family of nations, you fail the entire family of nations. When you apply the rule of law selectively, you undermine legal certainty.
By failing to reach out to the Ukrainian ambassador to SA, the representative of the president of Ukraine in our country, after the start of the cruel invasion by Vladimir Putin and his henchmen, our government is judged to have neglected accepted norms of basic humanity.
Many members of the family of nations that supported the ANC in their struggle are watching the current stance of the ANC-led government with disappointment. Our international standing has taken a further knock.
Dawie Jacobs
Sterrewag
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Ukraine war to slash GDP by more than 45%, World Bank forecasts
EU to tackle threat to its influence with ‘food diplomacy’ to counter Russia
Austrian leader to meet Putin in Moscow as Russian forces pound Ukraine’s east
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Related Articles
US inflation surges to 8.5% on higher fuel and food prices
Russians flock to local social media as Moscow cracks down on big tech
Moscow will be hard-pressed to divert coal to Asia
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.