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It has been reported that yesterday South Africa’s representative in the United Nations Security Council refused to ratify a proposal supporting the aspirations of the Syrian people who want a new government after 40 years of Assad family rule. The proposal, which had already been watered down after Chinese and Russian objections, simply called for the United Nations (UN) to "consider" unspecified "measures" after a 30-day period. Despite this, the South African government abstained from the vote. As the Dalai Lama visa debacle has shown, it appears that we now have a foreign policy that simply bends to the will of the Chinese.

With all of this bending, we have lost our moral backbone.

I will today be writing to the Minister of International Relations, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, to ask why South Africa abstained from voting for the proposal to assist Syrians at the UN yesterday.

This decision is the latest in a string of incidents in which the South African government has failed to live up to its supposedly human rights based foreign policy. In Africa, we have taken the side of incumbent dictators in the Ivory Coast and Libya, despite legitimate elections and uprisings against their rule. Most recently, in response to Chinese pressure, the South African government refused to make a decision about the issuing of a visa to the Dalai Lama, leaving the Tibetan spiritual leader with no choice but to cancel his visit to our shores.

While these actions may please the Chinese, our largest trading partner, their costs for our reputation internationally, and for the Syrian people more specifically, are significant. The UN estimates that the Assad regime has killed more than 2,700 people since March while suppressing a popular uprising. How many more lives must be lost before Pretoria has the courage to act in the Syrian people’s defence? It is time that the Zuma government uses its foreign policy to make a positive contribution to the promotion of democracy and human rights, rather than seeking to appease foreign powers. We have a moral duty to do so in this regard.