‘No excuse for Russia’s flagrant act of aggression’: Archbishop Makgoba

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of Cape Town on Wednesday called on the government to “unequivocally condemn” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Makgoba, preaching at an Ash Wednesday service in St George’s Cathedral in the city, said the invasion was a “flagrant breach” of article 2.4 of the UN Charter.

“After all the support the UN gave us in the struggle against apartheid, it is unthinkable we should approve such a flagrant violation of a central tenet of the UN Charter,” he said.

He said nobody should need reminding about taking a stand against aggression and war.

“Yet I discern a strand of thinking in SA that suggests because we distrust the strategic designs of the West and especially of Nato, we should overlook the flagrant breach of the UN Charter by the Russian Federation’s invasion of the sovereign nation of Ukraine.

“UN secretary-general António Guterres made the position crystal clear last Thursday when he quoted article 2.4 of the charter: 'All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.’

“Applying the article to Russia’s action, the secretary-general’s judgment was stark: ‘It is wrong. It is against the charter. It is unacceptable.’”

Makgoba said he was pleased the government had called for Russia to withdraw its forces, a statement Sunday Times reported President Cyril Ramaphosa was said to be unhappy about.

“While we can all agree with President Ramaphosa, [international relations and co-operation] minister Naledi Pandor and the ANC that the conflict should have been averted by negotiation, that is no excuse for Russia’s flagrant act of aggression.

“South Africans of all shades of opinion can rally behind government’s call on both Russia and Ukraine to pursue diplomatic efforts to find a solution.”

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