Selective morality

Press, 12 June 1989, Page 20

Selective morality

Sir,—Mr Lange’s comments that New Zealand cannot accept the slaughter of a country’s people by its Government is very

commendable. However, we have established diplomatic contact with Zimbabwe and we did so at a time when the 8.8. C. had uncovered proof of that Government’s slaughter of its own people (no comment from our Government). Some months ago another black African nation admitted that its troops had slaughtered 5000 of its people (some estimates of 10,000). That item was not even considered worthy of television news time and from the radio report took three days to be mentioned in "The Press.” Mr Marshall is vitriolic in his comments about a certain country and full of praise for black African governments, but very quiet when blacks slaughter blacks. Many of the countries we trade , with have deplorable standards of human rights, but it seems that if trade is large enough then we don’t question them or, in black Africa, we conveniently close our eyes and ears. Surely the New Zealand Government is selective in its morality. — Yours, etc.,

G. WEIR. June 6, 1989.