Africa-Press – South-Africa. South Africa will not try and convince Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to reconsider his country’s widely criticised decision to close the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor said it was not South Africa’s place to try and force its own values on other countries.
She was speaking on Tuesday at the Union Buildings in Pretoria at the sidelines of Museveni’s state visit.
“South Africa is not a nanny. We can’t accept responsibility for trying to persuade other countries to go this way or the other. What we do is point out the benefits of the enjoyment of freedoms and human rights,” said Pandor.
This comes as Uganda announced earlier this month that it would not be renewing its mandate for the UN office, a move criticised in a country where campaigners say freedoms are regularly threatened.
Uganda wrote to the OHCHR on 3 February to announce it would be closing the office.
The move was condemned by the opposition National Unity Platform led by Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, who was quoted as saying: “The government wants to violate human rights unhindered, and this office is seen as a stumbling block to their evil intentions towards Ugandans.”
Kyagulanyi unsuccessfully challenged Museveni in the January 2021 election and has often been targeted by security forces. He was released on bail recently.
The UN office was in the spotlight during that election year when security forces were accused of beating up a group of political activists who had gone to the office to petition the body over alleged rights violations.
The East African country has also experienced a series of crackdowns on those opposed to Museveni’s 36-year rule, with journalists attacked, lawyers jailed, and opposition leaders muzzled.
In November last year, the UN’s Committee Against Torture voiced its concern about reports that “torture and ill-treatment continued to be frequently practiced in the country”.
Despite all these alleged human rights infringements, Pandor said South Africa had no business engaging Uganda regarding such matters.
She said: “No, we are not the master of Uganda, they are a sovereign state, and they make their own decisions just as we are a sovereign state and make our own decisions.”
“We may discuss matters where we seek to influence each other, but at the end, each country decides.”
When asked about accusations that Museveni had made homophobic comments, Pandor said: “We wouldn’t make homophobic remarks in SA. This is our standard and we hope as SA that other countries draw on the universal human rights framework.”
Museveni’s visit is directed at consolidating bilateral relations between the two countries, with discussions between him and his host, President Cyril Ramaphosa, said to have encompassed political, economic, regional, continental, and international issues.
Pandor said it was “shocking” that half of at least 70 South African businesses had closed their doors and left Uganda.
“Businesses have come to us complaining about a number of issues that we will raise with our counterparts,” she said.
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