Zuma rejects Libya regime change objective

But defends SA vote in support of UN resolution to protect civilians

SAM MKOKELI and HOPEWELL RADEBE

Published: 2011/03/22 06:35:55 AM

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has defended SA vote in support of the United Nations (UN) resolution that resulted in allied forces launching air strikes to stop Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s brutal crackdown on dissent.


SA’s vote for the enforcement of a no-fly zone at the UN Security Council last week was criticised as being inconsistent with South African foreign policy, which has been opposed to military intervention in the past.


The African National Congress Youth League yesterday questioned SA’s failure to advocate a peaceful solution in Libya, while the United Democratic Movement (UDM) said SA had been tricked into supporting the "nefarious objectives" of western nations.


Speaking at a Human Rights Day celebration in Cape Town yesterday, Mr Zuma said operations to enforce the no-fly zone should be limited to the protection of civilians. "They should not harm or endanger the civilians that resolution 1973 sought to protect. As SA, we say no to the killing of civilians, no to the regime change doctrine, and no to the foreign occupation of Libya or any other sovereign state," Mr Zuma said.


He recommitted SA to supporting the position of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, which earlier this month rejected any foreign military intervention in Libya, "whatever its form". "We believe that a peaceful and political solution, based on the will of the Libyan people, will guarantee long-term stability in Libya," he said.


Mr Zuma is a member of an African Union committee established to find a solution to the Libyan crisis. He planned to send envoys to Libya, but the trip was cancelled after the UN resolution.


"The committee remains seized with the matter," he said yesterday.


UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said the government appeared to have been duped into abandoning its foreign policy stance by voting in favour of the "dubious" resolution 1973 "which the western world is currently exploiting in its use of military intervention in Libya for their own nefarious objectives".


"This position is a smokescreen for regime change. Elsewhere, in countries like Bahrain, people are calling for regime change, but the same western superpowers have chosen to side with the ruling regime against the wishes of the people. It this kind of hypocrisy that makes us cringe as a nation."




Youth league spokesman Floyd Shivambu said it was concerned about SA’s failure to advocate a peaceful solution.


"SA voted in favour of the no-fly zone in Libya, whilst its allies in Brics abstained, because they noticed the inconsistencies being applied to Libya."


Mr Shivambu questioned why the UN had not resolved to protect the people of Bahrain and Yemen, whose governments also acted violently against civilians.


"It is evident that certain powers, particularly the US, UK and France, want to impose a puppet government in Libya so that they can have access to its oil reserves and capacity, like the US did through the illegal war it waged against Iraq in 2003."










SA’s permanent representative to the UN, Baso Sangqu, yesterday called on the coalition forces enforcing the no-fly zone not to overstep their mandate.




At a seminar in New York on the challenges for SA’s Security Council membership, Mr Sangqu said there were questions whether the coalition forces were within their mandate to attack Mr Gaddafi’s compound.








SA expected explanations for the "strategic targets" of Libya’s administrative infrastructure. "President Zuma stated SA does not support the attempts to use resolution 1973 to effect regime change and to try to enforce the foreign occupation of Libya.




"When we supported the resolution … we were emphatic that the coalition forces should ensure the safe passage of civilians and a cease-fire. We also sought mechanisms to monitor and to ensure civilians are not killed, and that air strikes should be limited only to the protection of civilians."