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Nelson Mandela Memorial interpretor was a fake

temujin

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Nelson Mandela memorial interpreter 'was a fake' - Telegraph


Nelson Mandela memorial interpreter 'was a fake'


Man who provided sign language interpretation on stage for Nelson Mandela's memorial service, attended by scores of heads of state, was simply "making childish hand gestures" for hours

The interpreter who signed Nelson Mandela's memorial on Thursday for deaf viewers was a fake, according to experts.

The man, who signed for a portion of the ceremony including US President Barack Obama's speech, was simply making up his own signs, the Deaf Federation of South Africa has said.
Deaf viewers in the stadium and those at home would have made little sense of yesterday's proceedings, including Mr Obama's speech.

David Buxton, the CEO of the British Deaf Association, said the unidentified man, who was supposed to be signing in South African, was "waving his hands around but there was no meaning."

Mr Buxton, who is deaf himself and speaks through an interpreter, said it was just "childish hand gestures and clapping, it was as if he had never learn a word of sign language in his life."
He said sign languages across the world share a similar structure and pattern, but his were just strange repetitive hand movements.

"It was hours of complete nonsense. He is clearly a fraud who wanted to stand on stage with big and important people. It's quite audacious if you think about it." Mr Buxton, whose wife is South African and also deaf, said neither could not believe what they were watching.

"It is incredibly disrespectful and hurtful to the deaf community," he said. The World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI), Sheena Walters, also said the sign language used was not recognisable as any accepted form of international or South African sign language.

The man was seen on stage immediately next to the speakers, which included members of Mandela's friends as well as world leaders, but seemed to be out of shot during Mr Obama's speech.

Wilma Newhoudt, a member of the ruling party and the first deaf woman to be elected to the South African Parliament, said the man communicated nothing with his hand and arm movements.

She tweeted during the ceremony: "ANC-linked interpreter on the stage with dep president of ANC is signing rubbish. He cannot sign. Please get him off."

Asked about the claim by The Associated Press, South Africa's government said it was preparing a statement.

South African Sign Language interpreter Francois Deysel said on Twitter that the interpreter was "making a mockery of our profession".

I am sure he would have been vetted by Obama's security detail-if so this is a huge lapse and an embarrassment..
 
I am sure he would have been vetted by Obama's security detail-if so this is a huge lapse and an embarrassment..

You assume too much :)
 
This is too bad,that too on the memorial for a grear mam.As$ holes find their way every where :hitwall:
 
This is too bad,that too on the memorial for a grear mam.As$ holes find their way every where :hitwall:

Watch him in action..in hindsight some of the gestures are so clearly absurd it should have been obvious all along..




You assume too much :)

Why? You think they would let any era ghaira get on the podium with Obama?If so AQ would have been on to him a long time ago..The SA authorities will have a lot of explaining to do after this...
 
Why? You think they would let any era ghaira get on the podium with Obama?If so AQ would have been on to him a long time ago..The SA authorities will have a lot of explaining to do after this...

You think they would let any era ghaira get on the podium with Obama?
Oh so Obama was the only head of state there?

Afghanistan, His Excellency Hamid Karzai, PresidentMozambique, President of Mozambique, HE Armando Emilio Guebuza
Algeria, His Excellency Mr Abdelkader Bensalah, Speaker of the Council of the Nation (Senate) – rank above the Prime MinisterNamibia, His Excellency Hifikepunye Pohamba, President
Angola, His Excellency Mr Manuel Vicente, Vice PresidentNiger, His Excellency Issoufou Mahamdou, President
Argentina, Mr Amado Boudou, Acting President of ArgentinaNew Zealand, Right Hon John Key, Prime Minister
Australia, His Excellency Mr Tony Abbott, MP, Prime MinisterNigeria, His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan, President
Bahamas, Right Honourable Perry Christie, Prime MinisterNiger, His Excellency Mahamadou, President of Niger
Bangladesh, His Excellency Mr Md. Abdul Hamid MD ABDUL, PresidentNorway, His Royal Highness Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway
Belgium, His Royal Highness King PhilippePakistan, His Excellency Mr Mamnoon Hussain, President
Benin, His Excellency Boni Yayi, PresidentPalestinian State, His Excellency Mahmoud Abbas, President
Botswana, His Excellency Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama, PresidentPortugal, His Excellency, Anibal Cavaco Silva, President
Brazil, Her Excellency Dilma Rousseff, PresidentSaudi Arabia, His Royal Highness Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince
Burundi, His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, PresidentSaharawi Republic, His Excellency Mr Mohamed Abdelaziz, President
Canada, His Excellency Stephen Harper, Prime MinisterSenegal, His Excellency Macky Sall, President
CHAD, His Excellency Mr Idriss Deby Itno, PresidentSerbia, His Excellency Tomislav Nikolic, President
China, His Excellency Li Yuanchao, Vice President,Seychelles, His Excellency Mr James Alix MICHEL
COMORES, His Excellency Dr Ikiliou Dhoinine, PresidentSpain, His Royal Highness Felipe de Borbon, The Prince of Asturias
Congo (Republic of the Congo ), His Excellency Mr Denis Sassou-Nguesso, PresidentSri Lanka, His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, President
Sudan, His Excellency Bakri Hassan Salih, Vice President
Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo), His Excellency Joseph Kabila, PresidentSuriname, His Excellency Desire Delano Bouterse, President
Cote d Ivoire, His Excellency President Allassane Ouattara, PresidentSlovenia, His Excellency Pahor, President
Croatia, His Excellency Josipovic Ivo, PresidentSouth Sudan, His Excellency General Salva Kir Mayardit, President
Cuba, His Excellency Raul Castro Ruz, PresidentSweden, His Excellency Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria.
Denmark, His Royal Highness, Crown Prince FederickSwitzerland, His Excellency Mr Ulrich Maurer, President
Djibouti, His Excellency Ismail Omar Guelleh, PresidentSwaziland, His Excellency Dr Sibusiso Dlamini, Prime Minister
Ethiopia, His Excellency Ato Hailemariam Dessalegn, Prime MinisterSuriname, His Excellency Desire Delano Bouterse, President
Equatorial Guinea, His Excellency Mr Obiang Mbasogo, PresidentTanzania, His Excellency Dr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President
France, His Excellency, Francois Hollande, PresidentTimor-Leste, His Excellency Kay Rala Xanana, Prime Minister
Finland, His Excellency Sauli Niinisto, PresidentTunisia, His Excellency Mohamed Moncef Marzouki, President
Gabon, His Excellency Ali Bongo Ondimba, PresidentTrinidad and Tobago, His Excellency Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister
The Gambia, His Excellency Prof Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh, President SheikhUganda, His Excellency Yoweri Kagota Museveni, President
Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, PresidentUnited Arab Emirates, His Excellency Sheikh Nayahan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture – Special Envoy of the Emir
Germany, His Excellency Joachim Gauck, PresidentUnited Kingdom, His Royal Highness Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Prime Minister David Cameron
United States of America, His Excellency Barack Obama, President
Guyana, His Excellency Donald Ramotar, PresidentVenezuela, His Excellency Nicolas Maduro Moros, President
Guinea, His Excellency Prof Alpha Conde, PresidentZimbabwe, His Excellency Robert Gabriel Mugabe, President
India, His Excellency Pranab Mukherjee, PresidentZambia His Excellency Michael Sata, President
Ireland, His Excellency Michael D Higgins, PresidentArab States League, His Excellency Amb Samir Hosny, Minister
Italy, His Excellency Enrico Letta, Prime MinisterAfrican Union Commission, Her Excellency Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson
Japan, His Imperial Highness, Crown Prince NaruhitoCommonwealth, His Excellency, Mr Kamalesh Sharma
Jamaica, Her Excellency, Portia Simpson Miller, Prime MinisterEuropean Council, His Excellency Mr Herman van Rompuy, President
Jordan, Her Royal Highness, Queen Rania Al Abdullah and His Excellency Prime Minister Dr Abdullah EnsourMexico, His Excellency Enrique Pena Nieto President of Mexico
Kenya, His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, PresidentMauritius, His Excellency Dr the Honourable Navinchandra, Prime Minister
Korea (South), His Excellency Hongwon Chung, Prime MinisterMauritania, His Excellency Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, President
Lebanon, His Excellency Mr Najib Mikati, Prime MinisterMalawi, Her Excellency Joyce Banda, President
Lesotho, His Excellency, T Thabane, Prime MinisterGrand Duchy of LUXEMBOURG, His Royal Highness Henry of Luxembourg, The Grand Duke
Liberia, Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President



The SA authorities will have a lot of explaining to do after this...

As will the secret service, vetting is done both by UK CPS, US SS & SA Police. BTW for the uninitiated, all the vetting process entails is who you are, your family, your criminal history, financial history, past residential address, travel, known accomplices and political affiliations. If you can check all those as green, then you are "security cleared".
 
Oh so Obama was the only head of state there?
No, the US President was not the only national leader there. But since the US President was there, the default assumption is that this should be US fault. No one else. No critical thinking necessary.
 
Not related to the interpreter but just to imagine the biggest war mongers of our times to be attending the memorial of such a great man was a political farce.
 
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