Why Would SA Deny The Dalai Lama A Visa?

The South African government's ban or denial to grant the Tibetan Spiritual Leader, the Dalai Lama the visa to enter the country last week is a shame and a blatant rebuke on the face of the long and often teacherous road of almost seemingly, never ending fight for freedom and human rights.

South Africa, is one country with a telling history of freedom fighters. Having learnt from history, like they say, experience is the best teacher, the country should be in a position to understand exactly what the Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet are going through.

This man has been in exile for almost fifty years for God's sake, just because of Beijing's policy of holding on to Tibet and never accord them their sovereignty!. This selfishness and short arrogance bent on breaking the spirits of those who demand freedom and justice has apparently caught fire in South Africa, how unbelievable!. Taiwan was lucky to escape its greazly claws and bottomless pits in the knick of time. Still, the mainland drools at the idea of having the island back in its claws.

The people of Tibet's spirits should not be dampened by South Africa's foolhardy decision and then expect the world to speculate about the pressure they had from China. Is China South Africa's colonial master?. China has no direct control of South African affairs and how the African National Congress would want to run its Foreign Affairs desk. However, it can diplomatically influence the outcome, but reason tells me that ethics and morallity will bubble to the surface and get the ANC to see the light. They have been in the Dalai Lama's shoes and surely, the bunch must understand him better than any other person.

During Apartheid days, the African National Congress and its members were largely perceived as trouble causers and terrorists, but years later, they were the celebrated brave men and women of the century for having sacrificed their lives through stagging fights, fierce fights for freedom, human rights, equality and justice. During those days South African exiles were welcome in many corners of the world and people spoke of apartheid as "the worst human degrading system". As champions of africa's rainbow nation and democracy, the government of South Africa, the ANC in Particular is the one to know best how the Dalai Lama feels when a door is slammed on your face because you want your freedom, justice and equality. The ANC must be ashamed!.

Again, it is not surprising that the ANC is looking upon China as its new master. They share common values with ZANU PF, that is why they have been protecting and nourishing the Zimbabwean dictator for so long. Again the ANC has risen to defend Sudan's Omar al-Bashir from the International Criminal Court. There is a nottable shift in policy by the African National Congress. It is interesting to note that whilst the ANC seemed not interested in this "Look East" campaign initially by its Zimbabwean neighbour to promote trade between Zimbabwe and Asia, much was being done underground by the ANC within the "look East" campaign to bolster relations with China.

A trend is starting to develop in Africa, a trend that is looking more to China and shunning the West. China has made significant in-roads into Africa. Its influences will be felt more and more from the developing world than anywhere else. There is an undoubted paradigm shift here. It began years ago, but it is only starting to be seen and the effects felt now. It seems South Africa is taking its "big brother" role seriously in Africa through protecting its siblings from the Western powers, America and of course parts of Europe.

The ANC has finally come out in the open to tell the world that they support China unashamedly and unreservedly, no matter how bad their records of human rights are, they will stick with it. Zimbabwe declared the same position. However, the West is not exhornerated , they also have had their hands dirty through their involment in human rights abuses too, e.g. Iraq invasion, this was made very public !!. But the ANC's shift in policy is just too wide in a short period of time and too drastic!. I am pretty sure they were expecting this out cry that is why they have delayed announcing their decision to deny him the visa.

As for combining politics and sports, South Africa are the champions of such acts and have done it so well in the past. Utilizing the world cup to form and have the raibow nation come together, Nelson Mandela championed this. Nkosazana Zuma's statement is of someone hidding behind a cow shield in front of a canon!!, she has to be strong enough not to be turned into mince. Sport and politics have always gone hand in hand. Its like trying to alienate politics from the media, these things are inseparable and the other thrives on the other.

During the Apartheid era, SA Rugby and Cricket tours were banned from international tests because the ANC and other political and civil movements called on the international world to "look and see" what was happening with-in South Africa. Then, today, now that the ANC achieved its goals of majority rule in 1994, they now turn around and pretend they do not know sports and politics can go hand in glove?. Who are these people trying to kid?.

The government of South Africa refused entry to a man who is fighting with conviction for his people and what they believe in. The African National Congress has denied the people of Tibet their Universal Right of expression and have denied the Dalai Lama to sit with other peace champions and share ideals with the world about the peace processes of the world and that of South Africa itself.

The M&G reported government spokesman Thabo Masebe Monday saying "We want the focus to remain on South Africa. A visit by the Dalai Lama would move the focus from South Africa on to issues in Tibet,". He knows as mush as everyone knows that the Dalai lama's visit will not take no attention from the World Cup 2010, just like it never did with the arrival of Nelson Mandela at the Ellis Park Stadium for the Rugby World Cup 1995 triumph, infact, a raibow nation was born.