News Story

FREETOWN: NEW PEOPLE CORRESPONDENT: It is now very clear that Zainab Hawa Bangura's position on the Tibet crisis represents the official APC government position. She has refused to retract her statement expressing tacit support for the Chinese crackdown on Tibetans advocating for greater autonomy and freedoms. She has refused to be interviewed on the matter and she has even banned the circulation of newspapers that may have carried reports critical of her statement on the Dalai Lama. Zainab Bangura, as Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister, expressed impatience with what he called the "Dalai Lama clique" for fostering unrest in the Lhasa area.

In a dramatic turn of events, the criticism levied against Zainab Bangura's stubborn insistence onher position was again roundly negated when the US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly by 431-1 calling on China to end its crackdown on Tibet and release Tibetans imprisoned for "nonviolent" demonstrations.

Leading US lawmakers adopted positions that run counter to what Zainab Bangura has been espousing as the APC government's official position. Nancy Pelosi, House of Representatives leader, noted that China should endeavour to "enter into a substantive dialogue" with the Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in northern India. She also continues that, "It is my hope that the House of Representatives will send a clear message that we support the fundamental freedoms of the Tibetan people and a peaceful solution to the instability in Tibet," Pelosi said Tuesday on the House floor. These are the same freedoms that Zainab Bangura has publicly said need to be suppressed.

Nancy Pelosi further signalled the rather bizarre foreign policy position by Zainab Bangura by stating that "It is long past time for Beijing to reassess its failed policy to attack and demonize the Dalai Lama, and show the world it can have civilized discussions as a responsible world power." Zainab Bangura's demonisation of the Dalai Lama by referring to him and his supporters as a "clique" raised the eyebrows of serious policy watchers and analysts who have yet to assess the APC government's daliances with Gaddafi of Libya and Ahmadinejad of Iran.

US democratic presidential hopeful, Barack Obama asked that, "If the Chinese do not take steps to help stop the genocide in Darfur and to respect the dignity, security, and human rights of the Tibetan people, then the president [Bush] should boycott the opening ceremonies." He also noted that China should "allow foreign journalists and diplomats access to the region [Tibet], and to engage the Dalai Lama in meaningful talks about the future of Tibet."

With all of these statements and resolutions, the Sierra Leonean foreign minister stands very much isolated on the key question of the commitment of her government to human rights and democratic values especially as members of her APC party have been allowed to run riot in several parts of Sierra Leone during post-election convulsions in which they have beaten, killed, and pillaged buildings in towns and villages. Zainab Bangura, formerly the head of Campaign for Good Governance and head of governance for the UN mission in Liberia, has been dramatically silent about these abuses, yet she is very vocal in voicing support for the brutal suppression of the voices of Tibetans.