Bill Clinton sits on the board of directors of a US charity that has controversially decided to hold its prestigious biennial "human rights" conference on the home territory of one of Africa's most corrupt dictators.
The former US President is listed as
“honorary chairman” of the Leon H Sullivan Foundation on the most recent
documents it filed with the American tax authorities. According to the
paperwork, he spends two hours each week working for the organisation.
Clinton’s ties to the charity came under
scrutiny at the weekend, after The Independent reported that its
ninth “Sullivan Summit” was to be hosted this month in Equatorial Guinea
by the country’s notoriously kleptocratic president, Teodoro Obiang.
Human rights groups dubbed the event
“the equivalent of organising a conference on free speech in North Korea.”
In the 33 years since he seized power, Obiang has rigged elections, imprisoned
political opponents, and illegally enriched himself to the tune of hundreds
of millions of dollars.
Obiang and his family is currently facing
prosecution in the US, France, and Spain. The US authorities describe them
as criminals. And on Friday, the French government seized a Paris mansion
the Obiangs have allegedly purchased using the proceeds of corruption.
Despite this track record, the Sullivan
Foundation has refused to discuss its decision to allow Obiang host the
Summit, and has not replied to emails asking whether it, or its directors,
will benefit financially from the event.
After The Independent’s report on the
Summit was published, it emerged that John Hope Bryant, one of its keynote
speakers, had withdrawn. His motives are unclear.
It has also emerged that every mention
of Mr Clinton’s chairmanship of the Sullivan Foundation was recently removed
from its website. That has prompted speculation that Clinton – who, according
to the November tax forms, is also a trustee of the Foundation – is attempting
to downplay or conceal his role.
Mr Clinton’s office did not respond
to The Independent’s queries yesterday. Aly Ramji, a spokesman for the
Sullivan Foundation, refused to discuss why all mentions the former President’s
chairmanship had disappeared from its website.
That isn’t good enough for the Human
Rights Foundation, one of several pressure groups calling for the Summit
to be canceled. Its founder, Thor Halvorssen, urged him to urgently clarify
his role. “Mr Clinton’s wife is US Secretary of State," he said.
"It seems perplexing that he would allow himself to be so closely
associated with a vile dictator.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our new commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies