President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to South Africa for the 15th BRICS summit has stirred controversy in the country, highlighting the fickleness of people and the government’s insecurity about its status as a global influencer.
Sadly, the media has influenced the public’s opinion about the Nato/ Russia conflict inside Ukraine and Putin’s visit to South Africa.
Many South Africans believe Russia is the aggressor, invading Ukraine and massacring its civilians, but this is a false narrative, propagated by mainstream media. It’s crucial to explore alternative and non-aligned sources of information that speak truth to power.
Regarding President Putin’s visit, the US and European countries are attempting to embarrass South Africa by demanding his arrest upon arrival under the Rome Statute and the International Criminal Court (ICC). This puts South Africa in a compromising position since it won’t bow to the selective dictates of the ICC.
It’s worth asking why mass murderers like Blair, Bush, Obama, Clinton, Cheney, Netanyahu, MBS, the king of Bahrain, and others roam free from prosecution while Putin faces an international arrest warrant.
The ICC is a mechanism designed and created by Western Europe to operate in the sole interests of the collective West. South Africa joined in good faith and perhaps due to a little coercion from outside interests, but it’s time to acknowledge the error and opt out.
Russia has always been a friend to Africa, and the colonial Anglo-Saxon alliance has always been anathema to Africa’s growth and development. As a full member of BRICS, South Africa’s government must assert its independence and sovereignty and resist the US and European vassals’ attempts to influence its decisions.
South Africans should seek alternative media outlets that report with truth, honesty, and integrity, such as Pepe Escobar, Peter Lavelle, George Galloway, Mehdi Hassan, Paul Craig Roberts, RT, Press TV, Sputnik, and others. It’s time to empower ourselves with independent thinking and formulate independent opinions on worldly events.
* Q. Müller, Lansdowne.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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