how ironic, nelson mandela on his shirt.
Ironic, indeed! South Africa sticks by GaddafiJacob Zuma loyal because of Gaddafi's support for the anti-apartheid struggle.Andrew Meldrum
The South African government is stubbornly continuing to support Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi [3], wherever he is.
South African President Jacob Zuma's government blocked a United States proposal [4] at the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday to release $1.5 billion in Libyan assets — frozen by the United Nations to starve Gaddafi of resources. The unfrozen funds would go to Libya's rebels.
South Africa agreed to approve $500 million of the package for urgent humanitarian assistance, but it opposes the release of the remaining $1 billion because the National Transitional Council has not yet been recognized by the U.N. itself. It also opposed recognizing the rebels' National Transitional Council.The U.N. security council has scheduled a vote on the U.S. proposal on Thursday in New York. Both the U.S. and Britain have criticized South Africa's stance.
However it is not just South Africa. Many other African governments do not want to move against Gaddafi, because of his support for them in the past.But a few African leaders, specifically Senegal's Abdoulaye Wade, Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan and Botswana's Ian Khama, have voiced their support for the rebels.
South African President Jacob Zuma has defended his support for Gaddafi. Zuma said this week that the NATO-backed revolt has undermined the "African Union's efforts and initiatives to handle the situation in Libya."
But Zuma's efforts as an African Union envoy to negotiate a solution to the Libyan crisis fell flat when the rebels rejected his proposal.
South Africa voted for the U.N. Security Council resolution 1973 to protect civilians in Libya, but that move was criticized in South Africa. Government ministers said they regretted the move when they saw NATO's military intervention go beyond a no-fly zone.
Zuma said this week that the Libyan crisis is the latest example of Africa being shown a lack of respect by the rest of the world.
An AU peace and security council meeting in Addis Ababa on Thursday and Friday will deliberate on the "unfolding situation" in Libya, said Zuma. "The AU position has been the most logical one. It still has room in the situation right now."
Zuma may think the African Union will come up with an effective solution, but few others do.
Zuma and other members of South Africa's ruling African National Congress feel loyalty to Gaddafi for his support for the anti-apartheid struggle.
Former South African president Nelson Mandela once said: "Those who feel irritated by our friendship with President Gaddafi can go jump in the pool."