Writing as chairman of the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, Primate of the Anglican Church of South Africa has asked President Kgalema Motlanthe to reconsider the decision to deny a visa to the Dali Lama:
The Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum wishes to express its serious concern over South Africa’s decision to deny a visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the occasion of the proposed conference to celebrate world peace and the 2010 Football World Soccer Cup in South Africa. We raise our voice alongside the many others of our civil society expressing anger and disappointment, including Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s clearly stated unhappiness with the action and its underlying causes. ….
We note that speculation surrounding the motivation for this decision has provided a stark reminder of the need to separate the functions of the ruling political party from those of Government and Head of State.
More fundamental is the question of the relationship between domestic and international human rights norms and values, and policy-making.
Click Read more to see the full letter.
The Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum wishes to express its serious concern over South Africa’s decision to deny a visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the occasion of the proposed conference to celebrate world peace and the 2010 Football World Soccer Cup in South Africa. We raise our voice alongside the many others of our civil society expressing anger and disappointment, including Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s clearly stated unhappiness with the action and its underlying causes. ….
We note that speculation surrounding the motivation for this decision has provided a stark reminder of the need to separate the functions of the ruling political party from those of Government and Head of State.
More fundamental is the question of the relationship between domestic and international human rights norms and values, and policy-making.
Click Read more to see the full letter.
To His Excellency, Kgalema Motlanthe, President of the Republic of South Africa
The Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum wishes to express its serious concern over South Africa’s decision to deny a visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the occasion of the proposed conference to celebrate world peace and the 2010 Football World Soccer Cup in South Africa. We raise our voice alongside the many others of our civil society expressing anger and disappointment, including Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s clearly stated unhappiness with the action and its underlying causes.
However, it is not the practice at the WCRLF simply to criticise, but to share in dialogue about values and the nature of governance in South Africa. We would therefore like to reflect on those guiding principles which inform decision making, and the upholding of which provides a measure of our success in becoming the nation we aspire to be.
We note that speculation surrounding the motivation for this decision has provided a stark reminder of the need to separate the functions of the ruling political party from those of Government and Head of State.
More fundamental is the question of the relationship between domestic and international human rights norms and values, and policy-making.
The UN Charter and the African Charter both affirm the sovereignty of States to make their own decisions, while taking account of international human rights standards and norms. South Africa’s policy-making is directly derived from our Constitution, itself the product of our struggle for national liberation, for universal adult suffrage, and for redressing past inequalities. Our Constitution is informed by a desire for peace and security rooted in equality of opportunity and universal human dignity. These are enshrined in the Bill of Rights, recognised globally as an exceptional statement of standards and values.
As religious leaders, we embrace the values of the South African Constitution. Under the apartheid regime, faith communities were not afforded equal rights, equal dignity, freedom of speech or access to government. Today, whatever our faith, we know that our government is there to serve us all and to uphold our shared and hard won values. We were therefore particularly shocked by the decision to block a visit by one of the world’s most highly respected and visible spokespersons for religious faith, tolerance and human rights.
By acting in a way that reflects Beijing’s political demands you have weakened our national sovereignty. While we recognise the Peoples’ Republic of China is a friend to Africa, investing substantially in infrastructure and development across the continent, and are aware of the important opportunities for Sino-African solidarity and cooperation, we nonetheless are convinced it is inappropriate for any foreign power to ask us to sacrifice our values and our constitutional principles in exchange for their support.
We have noted media reports of the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang’s statement that Beijing ‘appreciated efforts by all nations that support China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and oppose Tibetan independence’, but would like to point out that, as set out in the UN Charter and the Covenants, the Tibetan assertion to their identity does not necessarily imply or deny their right to territorial sovereignty. However, the Peoples’ Republic of China clearly denies the right of Tibetans to self-determination.
Both the South African Constitution and the African Charter guarantee to all peoples the right of self-determination. This principle has been repeatedly affirmed by the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, most recently in 2003 with its decision to recognise, at the behest of South Africa, that indigenous peoples experience collective discrimination and have the right to collective self-determination and respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms.
When considering China’s relations with its minorities, national groupings and neighbours, while we are bound to respect both China’s sovereignty, we should nonetheless refuse to compromise, or be seen to compromise, our own African values, including self-determination and the full spectrum of internationally normative human rights.
We ask you to reflect on the decision to withhold a visa to the Dalai Lama. As leaders of diverse faiths and communities, we believe South Africa has erred in its judgement.
We also believe that with the postponement of the peace conference there is now time for the Presidency to speak out in unequivocal support of our hard won values of freedom, inclusion and fundamental human and religious rights.
We would welcome any opportunity to discuss this matter further.
Grace and Peace
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba
Chairman Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum