Charged for genocide

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http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=88002

After reading this article, my mind has been broadened in regards to the genocide charge against Thabo Mbeki and the former health minister.  As much as I believe in moving forwards rather than looking back and finding blame, I also believe in accountability, and this point came across strongly in this article of 25 November 2009 of Business Day.  

To claim, as president of a nation, that there is no causal link between HIV and AIDS, was, to say the least, grossly irresponsible.  Being at the top of the food chain, so to speak, with all the resources available, it is bemusing to consider making such a statement to millions of people.  It is, therefore, understandable to me to consider a charge of genocide against the health minister if not the president himself.  

However, I tend to disagree that this epidemic can be compared to what happened in Germany (Nazism), since there was no evil intent to control and kill people.  Does ignorance hold the same weight as intentional killings for the sake of an idea?  It wasn't Mbeki's idea to inject people with a deadly virus to kill off people, so his intentions weren't evil, but the consequences were nevertheless deadly.

To me, as much as I believe in accountability, I am not sure such a charge will benefit the nation or the former president and former health minister.  At the time that antiretroviral drugs were held back, I wondered why, and it puzzled me greatly.  No doubt people protested.  It was indeed bizarre that a government with a dying nation would not roll out a treatment programme.  People's lives were at stake, and lives were lost.  I can understand why individuals would want justification, would want some solace for family members or friends lost.  

And yet I still feel that we need to address this issue in a forward-thinking manner, of thinking of "What now?" Where do we go from here?  What do we do now?  How is the current government tackling this epidemic?  And what can we as citizens of our country do to help?

 

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