South African civil society activists will protest countrywide against Russia’s planned military exercise off the coast of KwaZulu-Natal this week.
Several civil society and environmental organisations, including the Coalition of the Poor, which comprises Abhalibasemjondolo Market Users’ Committee, the Right to Know Campaign, the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance and Ubunya bama hostele announced in a joint media release that several protests to “Say NO! to War Games with Russia” would take place in Pretoria, at Durban harbour and in Richards Bay from February 22-24.
“It is most unfortunate that South Africa has chosen to invite the Russian Federation to participate in war games off the South African coast between Durban and Richards Bay at a time when Russia is engaging in the invasion of the sovereign state of Ukraine,” the organisations said in the statement.
“The naval exercise not only falls on the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, but it also falls on the day commemorating the sinking of the troopship SS Mendi on February 21, 1917, during World War I, ‘The War to End all Wars’. These war games signify the end of South Africa’s ‘neutrality’ in what is essentially unprovoked and unjust military aggression in violation of the UN Charter, with global implications,” the organisations said.
They added that they were protesting because they were concerned the war in Ukraine could escalate into World War III, and because SA had no nuclear weapons and was the only country in history to have voluntarily dismantled its nuclear weapons to sign the UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. There was also an environmental risk to the naval exercises.
“The South African government has welcomed Russian military aggression into the previously peaceful waters of the Southern Ocean. This not only sends a signal of South African alignment with the aggressor that violates the UN Charter, but also creates a risk for further confrontation between South Africa and its other trading partners. Because South Africa has ended its ‘neutral position’ we will become part of the conflict by default, resulting in further devastation of our precarious economy,” the organisations said.
Similarly to SA, Ukraine surrendered its nuclear weapons during the fall of the USSR, handing them to Russia in return for protection in case of violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity by Russia, UK and USA.
“Ironically, Russia has violated Ukraine’s sovereignty and is now threatening the use of nuclear weapons in the conflict against Ukraine. Our concern is that these visiting vessels may be armed with nuclear weapons. The South African Government must ensure that no nuclear weapons are brought into South African waters,” the organisations said.
In addition, they pointed out that the invasion of Ukraine had already impacted South Africa’s fragile economy by escalating the cost of wheat, sunflower oil and fuel, increasing the cost of living for the poor.
“We call upon the South African Government to call off the naval exercise, to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and to use the South African defence resources allocated to this exercise for disaster relief desperately needed as a result of the recent floods in South Africa,” the organisations said.
Protests will take place outside the Russian Embassy in Pretoria on February 22, and at Durban harbour and at Alkanstrand Beach in Richards Bay on February 24.
