Green Party Watch

Posted to Cynthia McKinney’s Facebook page:

Hello, as promised, I’ll give you a brief report from my visit to Cape Town, South Africa.

First of all, I was hosted by two activists who founded Channel Four News, a hard-hitting, truth-telling, non-special interest news outlet serving Cape Town and all of South Africa. But because of their hard-hitting questions to elected leaders, the post-apartheid era government chose to enact regulations that resulted in their temporary shutdown. Undaunted, they organized a very informative film festival chock full of documentaries recalling the South Africa-Israel connections that beefed up repressive capabilities in both states; the role of Coca Cola during the sanctions era; scenes from Gaza after Israel’s Operation Cast Lead; and stories of general Palestinian life with plays, songs, and films. Please click here to hear one of the most moving songs I have heard in a very long time:

read more »

News 24 in South Africa is reporting that Cynthia McKinney was abruptly removed from a flight to South Africa, where she was to be a speaker at the Palestinian Struggle and Human Spirit Film Festival:

Cape Town – A controversial former member of the American congress and a 2008 presidential candidate, Cynthia McKinney, was abruptly removed from a South African Airways flight on Tuesday.

McKinney, who stood against President Barack Obama at an early stage in the race for the US presidency, was barred from boarding an SAA flight to Johannesburg in Washington DC.

She would have travelled to South Africa to act as international guest speaker on the Channel 4 network’s first Palestinian Struggle and Human Spirit film festival, which will be held in Athlone from Friday to Sunday.

Passport irregularities

According to SAA, McKinney was refused access to the flight because there were irregularities with her passport.

She became known worldwide when, in her capacity as senator, she introduced articles of impeachment against former US president George W Bush, former vice-president Dick Cheney, and former secretary of state Condaleezza Rice, over the 9/11 attacks and their roles in the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

McKinney was recently arrested by the Israeli navy for participating in a Free Gaza Movement boat trip in protest against the occupation of Gaza.

Channel 4 said on Wednesday it is still unclear whether she will be allowed to enter the country.