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Yomiuri Shimbun
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
U.S. Escalates Human Rights Criticism of South Africa and Brazil
The Trump administration is significantly escalating U.S. government criticism of perceived foes in South Africa and Brazil as the State Department's political leadership reimagines America's role in documenting human rights abuses around the world, according to leaked draft documents reviewed by The Washington Post. The department's annual human rights reports, which are scheduled to be transmitted to Congress on Tuesday, according to a memo seen by The Post, are expected to target the South African government for its alleged mistreatment of White Afrikaner farmers and the Brazilian government for its alleged persecution of former president Jair Bolsonaro, an ally of President Donald Trump. Human rights advocates, foreign leaders and other critics of the Trump administration say its claims about both governments are exaggerated. Within the State Department, there is considerable unease, too, over how the writing of these and other country-specific human rights reports were shaped compared with past years, with some saying the process was unduly politicized. The Post also has reviewed leaked draft reports for El Salvador, Israel and Russia. Those documents eliminate previous descriptions of abuses, including government corruption, prisoner abuse and persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals. The State Department has declined to comment directly on the draft documents but last week issued a broad defense of the administration's shift in priorities. 'Governments around the world continue to use censorship, arbitrary or unlawful surveillance and restrictive laws against disfavored voices, often on political and religious grounds,' a senior State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under the agency's rules, told reporters. 'We are committed to having frank conversations … with our allies, our partners and also our adversaries to promote freedom of expression around the world.' This official also noted that the forthcoming human rights reports had been restructured to remove redundancies and increase readability. Representatives of the South African and Brazilian embassies in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. Current and former State Department officials familiar with this year's human rights reports describe a divisive process with internal disputes over certain countries, including South Africa, resulting in a months-long publication delay as drafts begun during the Biden administration underwent substantial revision. Uzra Zeya, a top official for human rights at the State Department during the Biden administration who now leads the Human Rights First nonprofit, said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was seeking to 'weaponize and distort human rights policy' in a way that rewards rights-abusing allies while targeting political opponents and critics. The report for South Africa focuses on what the Trump administration says is the 'land expropriation of Afrikaners and further abuses against racial minorities in the country,' the draft documents show. Trump has claimed the country's White minority faces a 'genocide,' though human rights groups, and even some Afrikaner groups, have resoundingly dismissed that as untrue. Trump lectured South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a visit to the White House in May, with the U.S. president showing his visitor purported video evidence of what he claimed proved the persecution of Afrikaners. While Ramaphosa acknowledged there were problems with safety in some rural parts of his country, he forcefully rejected the idea that White South Africans were being singled out – and at least one of the images Trump showed during the tense meeting was later found to not show South Africa at all. That same month, the Trump administration welcomed to the United States about 60 White South Africans as refugees, making a rare exception to its broader halt to refugee resettlement programs for people fleeing war or facing persecution around the world. The U.S. has also cut aid to South Africa and is planning to boycott November's meeting of the Group of 20 industrialized countries to be held in Johannesburg. U.S. officials have complained not only of the treatment of White Afrikaners but also South Africa's support of legal cases against U.S. ally Israel at the International Court of Justice. The draft report includes a lengthy section on antisemitism in South Africa. According to two people with knowledge of the process, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, career State Department staff pushed back on some of the proposed language in the South Africa report. There were specific concerns, these people said, about use of the word 'genocide,' which carries significant legal implications for U.S. policy under domestic and international law. One person with knowledge of the process said the administration wanted not just to strip down the South Africa draft left by the prior administration but reshape it entirely, highlighting claims of persecution against Afrikaners despite doubts about their veracity. A Trump political appointee, Samuel Samson, led the draft's rewriting after Africa subject matter experts in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor refused to continue their involvement, citing the inclusion of false and misleading information, this person said. Samson later visited South Africa in July to conduct research, according to local media reports. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In Brazil's draft report, the State Department accused the country's left-wing government of 'disproportionately suppressing the speech of supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro,' who is accused of attempting to stay in power with a violent coup. Bolsonaro has denied the charge. The draft report specifically mentions Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, stating that he 'personally ordered the suspension of more than 100 user profiles on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter)' in a way that impacted Bolsonaro's supporters on the far right. The Trump administration expanded U.S. sanctions on Moraes last month, with Rubio alleging the judge had committed 'serious human rights abuse, including arbitrary detention involving flagrant denials of fair trial guarantees and violations of the freedom of expression.' Moraes has pledged to ignore the sanctions and continue his work. Bolsonaro and his allies have appealed to Trump for help as he faces a variety of charges related to the 2022 attempted coup, which occurred roughly two years after Trump's supporters, hoping to overturn his election defeat in 2020, carried out a violent assault on the U.S. Capitol. 'I always talked about the prosecutions that Trump suffered. If he wants to say something about me, he'll decide to speak,' Bolsonaro told The Post this year. Administration officials have defended the shift in U.S. human rights priorities, and it's not unusual for a new administration respond to different trends, such as perceived attacks on freedom of expression in Europe and other democracies. The State Department human rights reports are the most comprehensive on the subject compiled by any single body in the world, and they are widely used in both U.S. and international courts. In particular, they are often used in immigration court during hearings on asylum and deportations. Appearing in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in May, Rubio clashed with Democratic lawmakers, who asked why the State Department had canceled long-standing refugee programs but started a new program that focused specifically on Afrikaners from South Africa. Rubio said that the South Africans who arrived in the United States 'thought they were persecuted' but acknowledged there were millions of others facing persecution around the world who would not be resettled as refugees in the U.S.
IOL News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
WATCH LIVE: Ramaphosa responds to questions in Parliament on efforts to redress race-based discrimination
President Cyril Ramaphosa will respond to key questions in parliament today Image: GCIS President Cyril Ramaphosa will be responding to questions from Members of the National Assembly, with economic growth and the cost of living among issues for deliberation on Tuesday afternoon. This was confirmed by the Presidency in a media statement. This comes after Ramaphosa concluded his working visit to the United States with President Donald Trump, aimed at mending strained relations between the two countries. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'The President's engagement with the National Assembly is a mechanism for Parliament to hold the Executive branch of government accountable, ensuring transparency and strengthening constitutional democracy,' said Presidency spokesperson Vincent Mangwenya. He said Ramaphosa will also brief the Parliament on efforts to redress race-based discrimination and the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes. 'The President will also reflect on South Africa's commitment to conflict resolution regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in that country,' Magwenya said. He said the oral replies will centre on economic growth and job creation as well as creating employment. The engagement will take place at the Nieuwmeester Dome, Cape Town, on Tuesday afternoon, at 2pm. IOL News previously reported that Ramaphosa has concluded his working visit to the United States, returning to the country following what the Presidency described as 'productive' diplomatic engagements, despite an unexpectedly charged meeting with Trump. On Wednesday, Ramaphosa and Trump held a high-level meeting at the White House, initially intended to focus on diplomatic ties and economic engagement. However, the discussion quickly escalated into a heated confrontation with the South African delegation During a striking Oval Office meeting, Trump urged Ramaphosa to take action to protect White Afrikaner farmers from violent attacks. Trump reiterated widely discredited claims that these farmers were victims of a targeted genocide, even showcasing video footage of crosses and earthen mounds, which he asserted marked over 1,000 graves of murdered individuals. However, the mounds were part of a protest symbolising opposition to violence, not actual grave sites. Notably, Trump failed to acknowledge South Africa's complex and painful history, including decades of violent, racially discriminatory white rule under apartheid. It fell to others in the room to contextualise the broader epidemic of violence in South Africa, which affects all communities. Despite the attack, Ramaphosa remained calm but maintained that there were no land grabs, violence or genocide against any particular race taking place, particularly white people. The South African delegation also clarified that this was misinformation because no such thing was happening in the country.
IOL News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Showdown in Washington, but we aren't having any of that white genocide BS
Most people weren't having any of it when President Donald Trump, as expected, ambushed a working delegation the US, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, over unsubstantiated claims of 'white genocide': @Mpumalanga Post Many of you might not like Cyril Ramaphosa, but the guy is by far smarter than Donald Trump and Elon Musk combined. @PhutiPela Why didn't Trump and Elon have a meeting with Julius because that's clearly where their REAL issues lie. #SAinUSA @Givenkazeni I don't think Trump is ignorant at all. He knows how to work his ignorant nation. He knows how and to digress, when to interrupt someone who's about to make a valid point. When to be rude to throw you off. It's all an act to push the agendas. @MDNnewss During a meeting at the Oval Office on May 21, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump presented President Cyril Ramaphosa with images he claimed were evidence of a 'white genocide' occurring in South according to sources, some of the images shown was misrepresented. The photo, purported to show burial sites of white farmers, was in fact taken in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It depicted Red Cross workers handling body bags following a mass prison break in Goma, where numerous women were reportedly raped and burned Ramaphosa, unaware of the image's actual context at the time, responded calmly. He firmly rejected the genocide claims and explained that crime in South Africa affects all communities, with the majority of victims being Black South Africans. @zilevandamme Reading US and international coverage of the Ramaphosa/Trump meeting. The vast majority focus on Trump's 'unsubstantiated' claims about a white genocide/persecution in South Africa. I'm calling a geopolitical airwar victory for South Africa. @mazemoore They said when Biden took office that the 'adults were back in charge.'South African President Ramaphosa visited both President Biden and President Trump. Biden told Ramaphosa one of his made up stories. Trump called out genocide. @wise30152072 Trump: Why does one need to be black in order to do business & own farm in your country? Ramaphosa: Johann Rupert is white and he owns many multi million businesses in South Africa. Trump: …but but Elon, huh Starlink, huh genocide Ramaphosa: LOL @RachBlevins While Trump is being praised for publicly accusing Ramaphosa of not protecting White Afrikaner farmers, @DougAMacgregor noted that the confrontation was likely done 'at the behest of Israel,' as South Africa is the one pursuing a genocide case against Israel at the ICJ... @Moletsane_keora Pres. Ramaphosa did well even though Trump kept interjecting him. He was calm and collected but Trump was hell bent on believing the so called genocide taking place in our country. Johann Rupert, John Steenhuisen and Zogiswa Losi came through for the country. #Ramaphosa #Trump @allenanalysis Trump dragged Cyril Ramaphosa into the Oval Office and made him watch cherry-picked videos about so-called 'white genocide.'Elon Musk stood in the room like it was a TED Talk on racial message? Weaponize conspiracy. Gaslight a sovereign a narrative that white people are the real victims globally. @TheRedactedInc By some estimates, more than 2 000 white farmers have been killed and the government does confiscate land but it also confiscates other white-owned business. But 50 000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and President Trump has never confronted Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu like this.
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Ramaphosa returns home after standing firm against Trump's falsehoods and defending South Africa's sovereignty
US President Donald Trump hands papers to President Cyril Ramaphosa during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Image: AFP President Cyril Ramaphosa has concluded his working visit to the United States, returning to South Africa following what the Presidency described as 'productive' diplomatic engagements, despite an unexpectedly charged meeting with US President Donald Trump. The Presidency announced that Ramaphosa and his delegation would be flying home after their trip to Washington had concluded. On Wednesday, Ramaphosa and Trump held a high-level meeting at the White House, initially intended to focus on diplomatic ties and economic engagement. However, the discussion quickly escalated into a heated confrontation with the South African delegation During a striking Oval Office meeting, Trump urged Ramaphosa to take action to protect White Afrikaner farmers from violent attacks. Trump reiterated widely discredited claims that these farmers were victims of a targeted genocide, even showcasing video footage of crosses and earthen mounds, which he asserted marked over 1,000 graves of murdered individuals. However, the mounds were part of a protest symbolising opposition to violence, not actual grave sites. Notably, Trump failed to acknowledge South Africa's complex and painful history, including decades of violent, racially discriminatory white rule under apartheid. It fell to others in the room to contextualise the broader epidemic of violence in South Africa, which affects all communities. Despite the attack, Ramaphosa remained calm but maintained that there were no land grabs, violence or genocide against a particular race, especially the white people. The South African delegation also clarified that that was misinformation because no such thing was happening in the country. Meanwhile, Ramaphosa emphasised that it was important for the US to be part of the South African G20 in November this year. 'The US has introduced the G20 and it would be an honour for them to be there. Fortunately, we will be handing over the G20 presidency to them,' he said. [email protected] IOL Politics
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First Post
22-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
'What else could Cyril have done?' South Africans praise Ramaphosa for keeping his cool after Trump's ambush
Some South Africans have dismissed the information referred to by Trump as 'AfriForum propaganda,' a White Afrikaner lobby group that has faced criticism for promoting White nationalist views read more President Cyril Ramaphosa's calm demeanour during US President Donald Trump's ambush at the Oval Office has earned the appreciation of South Africans. It was a Zelenskyy-showdown all over again at the White House on Wednesday after Trump, instead of having a civil bilateral talk with the first African leader to have visited the US, cornered him and pushed his baseless argument of 'genocide' against white South Africans. 'What else could Cyril have done? You're damned if you do, damned if you don't. I think they were caught completely unawares. How on earth could you have planned for that?' asked veteran journalist Milton Nkosi. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD People from his country were quick to back Ramaphosa, with many citizens taking to X to show their support. 'He remained calm, collected and humble in the face of bigotry and lies. You were a leader today. Went to build not to fight,' one user wrote. Turn the lights down,' President Trump said. It was showtime in the Oval Office . He directed everyone's attention to a television that had been wheeled into the room, and a video began to play. Trump stared at the screen while Ramaphosa looked away. For roughly four minutes, the video showed Black politicians — none part of Ramaphosa's government or political party — using anti-apartheid chants about attacking white South Africans. 'It's a terrible sight. I've never seen anything like it,' the US president said, to which Ramaphosa replied, 'I'd like to know where that is. Because this I've never seen.' Some South Africans have dismissed the information referred to by Trump as 'AfriForum propaganda,' a White Afrikaner lobby group that has faced criticism for promoting White nationalist views. Meanwhile, Ramaphosa rejected allegations of genocide in South Africa, which has a painful history with race. Once an apartheid country, it was ruled by a white minority known as Afrikaners. The system of racist oppression ended three decades ago, and some tension remains despite largely successful efforts at reconciliation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
