Obamas do not deserve the honour – MJC

US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk from Marine One to the White House in Washington on May 5, 2012 after returning from campaign stops in Columbus, Ohio, and Richmond, Virginia. AFP PHOTO/Nicholas KAMM

US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk from Marine One to the White House in Washington on May 5, 2012 after returning from campaign stops in Columbus, Ohio, and Richmond, Virginia. AFP PHOTO/Nicholas KAMM

Published May 18, 2012

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The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) has slammed mayor Patricia de Lille for wanting to award the Freedom of the City to US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle.

MJC spokeswoman Nabeweya Malick said the organisation was “appalled and questions the wisdom of the mayor”.

“To bestow such an honour on an individual implies that he or she has contributed more than ordinary mortals to the design of a better life for all and in particular South Africans. An analysis of Obama’s presidency reveals a predatory rather than a peaceful first term in office,” she said.

Ealier this week De Lille announced that the City of Cape Town would be making the award to the Obamas because “they have brought hope to the world”.

Malick said Obama had “adopted a bullying and coercion campaign against Palestinians by cutting off financial aid and providing Israel with weapons of mass destruction and funds”.

“He has worked diligently to contain Iran and to decrease its power and wealth. He has concentrated on keeping puppet regimes in place in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan, Libya, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

“Obama copied his predecessors in supporting Hosni Mubarak to the end. In his 2009 Cairo speech, he did not criticise Mubarak once. The US is in permanent war rather than permanent peace: aiding Israel on a permanent basis, Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan and Afghanistan,” she said.

Malick added that in “Iraq and Afghanistan more than 5 000 young Americans have lost their lives in futile wars. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, Afghanis, Somalis and Sudanese have lost their lives or have been displaced and have become refugees”.

Malick said the correct position to hold was to confer recognition to those who were steadfast in their quest for justice and peace – “these are qualities of icons of peace and justice”.

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Cape Argus

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