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HomeNews UpdateGovt bars SA science agencies from comment on Russia-Ukraine conflict

Govt bars SA science agencies from comment on Russia-Ukraine conflict

South African science agencies have been ordered by the Department of Science and Innovation not to make public comments about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, reports Research Professional News.

The instruction has been criticised by the official opposition, which said it was clearly an infringement of the constitutional right to free speech.

In an email dated 1 March, a senior official from the Department of Science and Innovation official instructed colleagues at the department, the National Research Foundation and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, that DSI entities “should not engage in any action of any kind, which could be construed as a political commentary or political reaction to the developments in Ukraine”.

The demand for silence contrasts with a number of South Africaʼs close scientific cooperation partners, like the European Union, which is rolling back support for science in Russia.

Research Professional News reports that some SA scientists are unhappy with the countryʼs stance. One, who works at a government research entity, said that while the government had previously warned entities against making policy-critical statements, none has been “so targeted”.

“They seem to be concerned their subsidiaries might join the global outcry against Russia and support for Ukraine that other academic institutions around the world have rallied around,” the employee said.

The government told Research Professional News that its science cooperation with Russia is not affected by the ongoing crisis. “There are no implications for our bilateral science and innovation relations with Russia, and no bilateral engagements are being cancelled or delayed,” it said in a statement.

Many international and regional research organisations have expressed support for their colleagues in Ukraine. One is the African Astronomical Society (Afas), based at the South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town, but which operates independently of government.

On 28 February, in a joint statement with sister organisations in Europe and America, Afas expressed “great concern” at events unfolding in Ukraine. “The current events jeopardise the scientific cooperation within our European community and with the rest of the world,” said the statement, signed by Afas Algerian president Jamal Mimouni.

 

DA Shadow Minister for Higher Education, Science & Technology, Chantel King, told MedicalBrief that the directive prohibiting comment from government science agencies was against the human rights stance of South Africa: “The constitutional rights of freedom of speech and association should not be stifled. The inability of the South African government – not taking a concrete stance on the Ukraine/Russian conflict – is a stumbling block in addressing human rights issues, putting the ANC first and the lives lost, last.

“Innovative healthcare systems are needed to address medical challenges, during any conflict. We will make contact with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) to get clarity on why this directive was sent out to researchers in the health profession and to DSI officials, as this is clearly against our human rights stance in this country.”

 

Research Professional News article – Don’t comment on Ukraine, South African science bodies told (Open access)

 

See more from MedicalBrief archives:

 

Ramaphosa backs Deputy-President seeking medical care in Russia

 

Suspicions raised after 3 Russian doctors 'fall' from hospital windows

 

SA med students vow not to return to Russian ‘sangoma hut’

 

Necsa signed Russian nuclear medicine deal ‘to avoid embarrassment’

 

 

 

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