'Haiti jamboree' under fire
2003-12-10 08:02
Pretoria - The South African government is set to spend R10m and send a navy vessel with military support personnel to the Caribbean which is celebrating 200 years without white oppression.
This decision has been described in some quarters as a "totally senseless waste on symbolism without any content".
Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma left for Haiti from the Commonwealth summit in Nigeria on Monday to provide support for the festivities there on January 1.
The SAS Drakensberg left Simon's Town for the island on Friday afternoon with about 200 sailors, air crew and medical staff aboard.
The personnel will take care of logistics, security and medical support during the celebrations that have been marred by widespread violence on the island over the past few weeks.
The ship will also serve as a safe overnight facility for President Thabo Mbeki and his entourage if the situation on the island become too unsafe. The ship will return only on January 25.
Two police explosives experts will also leave for the island soon to help with security measures.
Only successful slave rebellion in history
The South African delegation will leave for Haiti about a week before the celebrations start.
At least 15 people were killed and hundreds arrested in violent clashes in the past few weeks between the island's police force and pressure groups protesting against the "oppression" of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
Two hundred years ago, the slave colony of Haiti overthrew the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte in what has symbolically become the only successful slave rebellion against white oppression in history.
The South African government supports the celebrations as part of its own celebrations of 10 years of democracy.
'Regrettable and a disappointing waste'
Professor Hussain Solomon, director of the centre for international political studies at the University of Pretoria, said on Tuesday that the government's foreign policy was a "mess".
He said the message being sent out in light of events in Zimbabwe and Haiti was that it was acceptable for a black leader to oppress his fellow citizens with force, but it was a disgrace if the same happened at the hand of a white man.
"Where does South Africa want to position itself in the international community? Our government leaders contradict each other regularly, which does nothing for Mbeki's global credibility.
"Our government supports dictators such as President Robert Mugabe, but expects the super powers to donate money for Nepad and the African Union. At the same time, the government spends its money like this.
"Very little of this makes sense - especially in the light of our country's own needs and those elsewhere in Africa. Definitely not Haiti's."