LETTER: Is SA offering nothing to Turkey or Syria in their hour of need?
In the early hours February 6 a devastating earthquake struck southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria.
13 February 2023 - 13:54
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A man walks past a damaged building in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, on February 13 2023. Picture: REUTERS/SUHAIB SALEM
In the early hours February 6 a devastating earthquake struck southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria. At the time of writing more than 28,000 deaths had been reported.
Only a day after the event British MPs, together with the UK foreign secretary, criticised and condemned Syrian president Bashar Al Assad regime for the “completely unacceptable bombing” of the town of Marea, an opposition-held enclave that had been affected by the deadly earthquake.
This regime has been viciously attacking civilians for more than 11 years, with more than 600,000 civilian deaths and millions displaced, all by their own government, supported by the Russian and Iranian air forces.
SA unashamedly maintains and enjoys warm and friendly relations with all three of these countries, and has yet to criticise, let alone condemn, this barbarity. In last week’s state of the nation address President Cyril Ramaphosa touched on foreign policy, briefly listing in order of priority the Israel-Palestine conflict, the earthquake in Turkey, and the Ukrainian war.
The recent hosting of the Russian foreign minister by international relations & co-operation minister Naledi Pandor, the upcoming naval exercises with Russia, the visit to Simon’s Town by a Russian “cargo vessel”, and the visit to Russia by defence minister Thandi Modise, speaks volumes on SA’s impartiality and morality while the brutal invasion of Ukraine continues.
It was Pandor who not long ago reprimanded her own citizens for being “selfish”,referring to her government’s intended gift of R50m to another country: “The idea that by donating to Cuba the government is taking money from South Africans is a selfishattitude”, she said. Yet nothing is offered to Turkey or Syria in their hour of need?
Allan Wolman Tel Aviv, Israel
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 Anonymous correspondence will not be published.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: Is SA offering nothing to Turkey or Syria in their hour of need?
In the early hours February 6 a devastating earthquake struck southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria.
In the early hours February 6 a devastating earthquake struck southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria. At the time of writing more than 28,000 deaths had been reported.
Only a day after the event British MPs, together with the UK foreign secretary, criticised and condemned Syrian president Bashar Al Assad regime for the “completely unacceptable bombing” of the town of Marea, an opposition-held enclave that had been affected by the deadly earthquake.
This regime has been viciously attacking civilians for more than 11 years, with more than 600,000 civilian deaths and millions displaced, all by their own government, supported by the Russian and Iranian air forces.
SA unashamedly maintains and enjoys warm and friendly relations with all three of these countries, and has yet to criticise, let alone condemn, this barbarity. In last week’s state of the nation address President Cyril Ramaphosa touched on foreign policy, briefly listing in order of priority the Israel-Palestine conflict, the earthquake in Turkey, and the Ukrainian war.
The recent hosting of the Russian foreign minister by international relations & co-operation minister Naledi Pandor, the upcoming naval exercises with Russia, the visit to Simon’s Town by a Russian “cargo vessel”, and the visit to Russia by defence minister Thandi Modise, speaks volumes on SA’s impartiality and morality while the brutal invasion of Ukraine continues.
It was Pandor who not long ago reprimanded her own citizens for being “selfish”, referring to her government’s intended gift of R50m to another country: “The idea that by donating to Cuba the government is taking money from South Africans is a selfish attitude”, she said. Yet nothing is offered to Turkey or Syria in their hour of need?
Allan Wolman
Tel Aviv, Israel
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.
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