LETTER: UN should take Naledi Pandor to task

International relations & co-operation minister Naledi Pandor may have a point in saying the UN does not do enough to protect human rights (“Pandor slams Israel ‘occupation’ and ‘inadequacy’ of UN Security Council”, October 25).

At its most basic and without taking sides, 22,000-25,000 people have lost their lives in the Israeli-Palestinian crisis since 1987. We are certainly not headed towards a peaceful settlement.

Then again, compare this to about 25,000 murders and 42,000 rapes committed in SA every year. Since the ANC took power in 1994 more than 600,000 South Africans have been murdered.

Instead of stepping up to protect SA citizens the ANC instead doubles down on and entrenches (new) discriminatory race laws — 116 according to the Institute of Race Relations.

It then proceeds to offer legitimacy to its “buddy” countries, the ones that invade neighbouring countries and undermine free elections the world over (Russia), comprehensively oppress women (Iran), systematically repress minorities (China), use arbitrary detention (Venezuela), steal elections (Zimbabwe), and engage in human trafficking (Cuba).

Pandor is right, the UN needs to up its game. A first step could be to take Pandor and her government to task for wilfully failing to protect human life and undermining human rights the world over.

Rolf Endres
Randburg

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