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Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad's Statement
on Criticism of President Mbeki's Visit to Haiti
The Government has taken note of criticism by a tiny
minority of the forthcoming visit to Haiti by President
Thabo Mbeki and Minister of Foreign Ministers, Dr Nkosazana
Dlamini Zuma scheduled for 1 January 2004.
It will be unfortunate if a perception were to develop
that just as this minority has never accepted the democratic
rule by the African majority in South Africa they will
accordingly find it difficult to join in a celebration
that portrays the first victory of Africans over slavery
in Haiti 200 years ago.
For them the current challenges facing the people of
Haiti feeds into their stereotype tendency to portray
Africans and black people in the continent and elsewhere
in the diaspora as hopeless and failures.
Accordingly, Africans must not look for role models
of democracy, peace and justice in their own history
and people but only in the first world. We refuse to
be party to efforts that seek to obliterate the history
and achievements of African people in the continent
and elsewhere in the diaspora.
We desire for ourselves what we desire for the peoples
of the world including the people of Haiti. If we desire
peace, prosperity and sustainable development for the
people of South Africa so do we for the people of Haiti
and the rest of the South.
Accordingly, as we celebrate the 10 years of the youngest
African Republic in peace and harmony, so would we want
to join with the people of Haiti in their bicentennial
celebrations of the oldest African Republic.
During her recent visit to Haiti, Minister Dlamini
Zuma held discussions with President Jean Aristide,
representatives of his government and leaders of opposition
political parties and civil society. Both the government
and opposition political parties are of the view that
it would be tragic if they were not to celebrate such
a historic moment.
We will not join in the fray that seeks to deny the
people of Haiti the right to claim their heritage! Consequently,
both President Mbeki and Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will indeed join the peoples
of the world and Haiti in celebrating this bicentenary.
To the chagrin of those who call on our President not
to visit Haiti, the Haitian Government and opposition
political parties have called on SA to assist them in
addressing the sharp political and economic challenges
currently facing the country. The Government will indeed
rise to this challenge and has accordingly agreed to
assist in this regard.
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853
Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
18 December 2003
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