Maravi

Chiluba under fire over comment on SA laws

Chiluba under fire over comment on SA laws
By Edwin Mbulo in Johannesburg, South Africa
Mon 01 Mar. 2010, 07:10 CAT

FREDERICK Chiluba should not ridicule South African laws in his efforts to gain more support from President Rupiah Banda against continued mounting pressure for the government to appeal against his acquittal on plunder cases, a South African national has said.

Speaking during the AIDS and Human Rights trainers of trainer’s workshop at Willow Park Conference Centre and Resort in Johannesburg last Thursday, Mbomgeni Dlamini said Chiluba should know that the same South African Constitution, which he described as devilish for supporting gay rights made sure that he did not see the real devil in hell as he received medical treatment in that country.

“Or he could have died in jail, and who knows the status of the doctors who were treating him because South Africa has laws that protect gays and lesbians and most of them are the elite in society who include heart specialists and nurses,” Dlamini, a participant at the workshop organized by the AIDS/HIV and Human Rights in Southern Africa (ARASA).

Dlamini said Chiluba should thank the South Africa government for having provided treatment for his weak heart, which could not stand the pressure of being in prison.

“When we look at the Malawian homosexual case, it makes good reading and it is good that the case has been moved to a higher court,” he said. “For Chiluba to say that South Africa’s Constitution was imposed on its citizens by Western donors and contains ‘rights of the devil’, is very shameful because he should realise that he is the one who is a devil as he stole money for the poor people and many people living with HIV and AIDS could have been receiving the best health and educational services had he invested that money into the health sector and education instead of satisfying his appetite for Hollywood style of life,” said Dlamini.

And according to the United Nations guideline four as presented by ARAS programmes coordinator Jacob Segale, the protection of lesbians, homosexuals, people living with HIV/AIDS helps to prevent the spread of HIV and reduces its impact.

“It is important to ensure that people vulnerable to HIV are also able to access health services without fear. This helps to prevent the spread of HIV and reduces the impact of costs that go to government in terms of treatment, support and care,” Segale said.

In September last year, Chiluba said that South Africa’s Constitution was imposed on its citizens by Western donors and contains "rights of the devil."


During the launch of Save Rural Africa Foundation (SARAF) in Lusaka, Chiluba said the South Africans were given money when they were formulating their Constitution with instructions that they include rights of prostitutes, homosexuals and lesbians.


"A few months back, my wife and I watched a presentation in South Africa of an organisation which has been formed to protect the rights of prostitutes. And that may sound a little peculiar and strange. It isn't. That is the worldwide movement. I don't want us to be simplistic. It's not easy going. Why did that come about?” Chiluba asked. “I was told by one South African brother that on their way towards the inauguration of their Constitution, they were given aid, money and they were told, 'if you embrace the rights of the individual, the liberties of everybody including prostitutes and allow for homosexual and lesbian marriages, we will give you this money'. We politicians face a lot of difficulties.

“We are living in very difficult times not only have our friends in South Africa accepted that which they didn't want and implemented in their Constitution, the rights of the devil. This may be slowly coming but we have to watch out because there have been attempts in this country to put the same rights in our Constitution.


We have to be wide awake and particularly if our children understand fully what this means to them and to those after them, then we will have a firm, strong foundation and that is what we do need."

And immediately reacting to Chiluba's remarks, South African government spokesperson Themba Maseko expressed displeasure at Chiluba's attacks on South Africa and its citizens.

"I know that South Africans negotiated the Bill of Rights themselves. It was a very elaborate process, which involved more than two million submissions from ordinary South Africans. The Constitution was debated in our newly-elected Parliament. To suggest that anybody imposed the Constitution to us would not be true and would be ridiculous," said Maseko, adding that the South African Constitution did not have rights for the devil.

Labels: CHILUBA, CORRUPTION, SOUTH AFRICA

posted by MrK @ 3:41 PM