Those called to give evidence as well as judgment at the upcoming Russell Tribunal (“Let’s make a start on peace” by Ronnie Kasrils, The Star, August 23) and who have experienced apartheid first-hand are more than qualified to do so.

We hope that they will share their experiences in an honest manner, and why not?

But some doubts must arise given that almost everyone mentioned by Kasrils (including himself) has a record of bias against Israel.

Also, this tribunal has not called on anyone to defend the accusations against Israel; therefore, the honesty and integrity of the tribunal must come under scrutiny.

A tribunal, by its very essence, must represent both sides of an argument, and yet only one side is to be presented, denying the other any voice. So, the outcome is a foregone conclusion and this kangaroo court simply cannot have any credibility or morality.

To reinforce this claim, consider that this tribunal – the Russell Tribunal on Palestine – by its very name implicates Palestinians, contrary to what the secretary of this tribunal stated publicly in a press interview that “we cannot take on every issue in the world”, when questioned about Syria.

But there are Palestinians in Syria (which the world witnessed coming under fire from that regime’s gunships just last week) and Lebanon – yes, all 400 000 Palestinians in that country are suffering under ghastly apartheid laws and oppressive systems restricting access to work, health care, education and freedom of speech and movement.

No such laws exist in Israel or in the occupied territories, yet in past sittings of this tribunal (London and Barcelona) only Israel stood accused as seems to be the case in the upcoming session.

Do these other Palestinians not exist? Do Palestinians living under oppressive dictatorial regimes in Arab countries, in squalid refugee camps, not warrant the same consideration?

Will this tribunal also call for testimony against oppressive apartheid regimes such as Syria and Lebanon where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are suffering a fate far worse than what apartheid ever inflicted on the majority of South Africans or what they are accusing Israel of?

Allan Wolman

Rosebank, Joburg