DA calls for Chinese weapons conveyance permit to be immediately suspended

The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls for the immediate suspension of a conveyance permit that will allow a Chinese shipment of weapons bound for Zimbabwe to be transported across South African territory. Defence Secretary January Masilela is being highly disingenuous in claiming that there is nothing that South Africa can do to intervene, as there are no arms embargoes against Zimbabwe. In fact South African law clearly precludes the issuing of a permit to a country where there is a reasonable expectation that such weapons will be used for political repression.

The National Conventional Arms Control Act (NCAC) clearly states that the committee must "cancel, amend or suspend the permit if it is in the interests of maintaining and promoting international peace or avoiding repression and terrorism" [Section 14 (3) (d)].

In light of the seriousness of the situation the DA also calls upon Sydney Mfumadi, Chairperson of the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), to issue a public statement today explaining just how it is possible that his committee approved the granting of a conveyance permit when doing so clearly violates the spirit and the intention of the guiding principles and criteria of the Act.

These sections include:

• S15 (d) "avoid transfers of conventional arms to governments that systematically violate or suppress human rights and fundamental freedoms;
• S15(e) "avoid transfers of conventional arms that are likely to contribute to the escalation of the regional military conflicts, endanger peace by introducing destabilising military capabilities into a region or otherwise contribute to regional instability;
• S15(k) avoid the export of conventional arms that may be used for purposes other than legitimate defence and security needs of the government of the country of import.

Reports from within Zimbabwe point to a dramatic escalation of violence and political repression. The army, police and intelligence units are reportedly being deployed around the country to step up violent intimidation aimed at opposition supporters and members.

Based on the current climate and on historical experience which has graphically illustrated that Robert Mugabe has no qualms about unleashing violence of the worst kind against his own people, there is no possible argument that can be made that allowing a shipment of arms into Zimbabwe does not violate South African law.

It is not surprising that the South African government cannot see why it is ethically and morally obligated to stop the shipments of arms - it lost its moral compass on this issue years ago.  What is surprising is that is so ready to mislead South Africa and the world about the fact that it is violating its own laws in order to help prop up Robert Mugabe and his cronies.

Statement issued by Rafeek Shah, MP, DA spokesperson on defence, April 18 2008