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By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) Jan 19 | South Africa, a country still plagued by its racist history of Apartheid, has apparently inflicted yet another insult to humanity and human dignity on the world stage by appointing a noted homophobic journalist as its next ambassador to Uganda.
News of the appointment of Jon Qwelane was met with outrage and disgust by LGBT activists in South Africa as well as international LGBT activists.
Published Sunday Morning by Johannesburg's Times Live newspaper, Times correspondent Moipoine Malefane reported that;
Controversial media personality Jon Qwelane is to become South Africa's ambassador to Uganda.
The presidency will reportedly announce Qwelane's appointment by next month.
The veteran newsman was one of President Jacob Zuma's fiercest supporters when the ANC politician was facing charges of corruption.
Qwelane used his column in the Sunday Sun tabloid to attack Zuma's critics, saying that there was a conspiracy against the man who was later to become president of South Africa.
Qwelane, who is critical of homosexuals, will become ambassador at a time when the Ugandan government is under pressure to withdraw plans to execute homosexuals.
In 2008, Qwelane wrote about the rift within the Anglican church over the ordination of gay priests, saying that the "real problem" is the "rapid degradation of values and traditions ."
International relations spokesman Saul Molobi could not be reached for comment.
But the Sunday Times has learnt that the department had discussed Qwelane's appointment and was waiting for Uganda to approve it.
Asked about his pending move, Qwelane said: "That's news to me. I know nothing about that."
Prominent South African LGBT Activist Christina Engel on her blog, Sour Grapes - The Fruit Of Ignorance, had this to say:
Yesterday I was utterly appalled to discover that Jon Qwelane, the homophobic and racist journalist who has for years been critical of gay people and their fight for human rights - and whom human rights groups have been lobbying for almost two years to see appear before the Equality Court - has just been appointed Ambassador to Uganda! I take issue with this appointment, because this man has proved himself to be utterly intolerant, and prone to inciting hatred between races and sexual orientations alike. He is not a peace-maker, but a blunt instrument who would - if anything, make matters worse for the pink community in Uganda.
This man is so unbelievably bigoted that he even went so far as to write in his column that if he required blood transfusions, he wouldn't accept White blood under any circumstances! His criticism of Black people who embrace Western culture are referred to in derogatory fashion as "coconuts", being black on the outside and white on the inside. Of course, many people ask how can a Black person be so racist? Well, duh. Because he obviously has a major chip on his shoulder about White folks - and gay folks. Oh, and women too. Considering the history of this country, how can such people be allowed to perpetuate the old hatreds from that time and to reinforce them instead of lay them to rest?
Ms. Engel further notes:
What kind of message does it send to a country like Uganda when South Africa appoints a blatant homophobe and human rights violator, who is still facing charges on hate speech against the pink community - as an "ambassador"?
I know what it says to me - it says, "We support you, Uganda - and your policies of discrimination!" It says "We stand with you against those western pro-homosexual, pro-human rights lobbyists". Solidarity. That's what it says to me.
How can President Zuma in all good conscience appoint such a person - who is known for his hatred of gay people - to the post of Ambassador in a country which is currently STILL being slated for both existing and proposed draconian laws that rob such people of their equality and human rights and threatens to slaughter them like cattle?
This sets a terrible precedence particularly for the people of South Africa as it makes them appear as if they are completely indifferent to the fight for human equality that was the legacy of their former president, Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned for decades fighting to end Apartheid. This also completely negates the message of hope that has been spread globally by his fellow South African, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a Nobel laureate and supporter of LGBT rights. Tutu who is quite vocal in his defence of human rights and who uses his high profile to campaign for the oppressed as well as fight AIDS, tuberculosis, homophobia, poverty and racism, has publicly condemned the pending action to appoint Qwelane as ambassador.
Let us hope that President Zuma backs off of this appointment and instead sends a person of higher moral standards and human dignity to tell the government of Uganda that the human rights of ALL beings champions flawed and genocidal laws.
[Updated on: Tue, 19 January 2010 19:23] |
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johnleeb
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Toe is in the water |
Location: USA
Registered: January 2009
Messages: 44
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"In 2008, Qwelane wrote about the rift within the Anglican church over the ordination of gay priests, saying that the 'real problem' is the 'rapid degradation of values and traditions .'"
So should we then go back to the traditions where racial prejudice and even slavery was looked at as appropriate values?
Personally, I feel that anyone who would deny full human rights to any others are asking for their own rights to be stripped from them, Qwelane included.
It reminds me on a reply I recieved from McCain when asked why he didn't support gay marrage.
He wants marrage to be 'traditional', and in many states in the US that would require that interacial marrages be outlawed.
All of them claim tradition yet don't even know or care what that tradition was!
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South Africa Appoints Noted Homophobe Ambassador to Uganda 
