A group of high profile South Africans, including former president Nelson Mandela, has condemned attempts to force United Nations (UN) secretary-general Kofi Annan to resign.
Mandela, Graça Machel, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, author Nadine Gordimer and human rights lawyer George Bizos signed an open letter sent in their personal capacities on Thursday.
The five said they joined 54 African nations, the European Union, Britain, France, Russia and China in their support for Annan.
Annan has come under fire over the UN oil-for-food programme for Iraq, in which his son was involved.
Several United States politicians and newspapers have called for Annan to be replaced.
The letter said those advocating Annan's resignation were using the pretext of his son's alleged involvement in the programme to get rid of him.
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The real reason, however, was Annan's criticism of some of the United States' actions in Iraq, the letter said.
Annan's statement was "within the United Nations' founding objective of attaining world peace and justice".
"Those who call for his resignation betray the objectivity his position as secretary-general demands and regard the United Nations as a mouthpiece to extol and exonerate the policies of the United States of America, right or wrong."
The letter said the United Nations' inability to deal effectively with certain situations could be partly attributed to the failure of world powers - particularly the US - to support the UN.
"This instance of the reprehensible and unjust attack on the secretary-general for doing his job with integrity and admirable courage is the latest example of the attitude," the group said.
- This article was originally published on page 7 of Cape Times on December 10, 2004
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