Iraqi beauty queen slams Mandla Mandela: ‘How dare you?’

Miss Iraq 2017 has slammed former president Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Inkosi Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela, after he called for African countries to boycott the Miss Universe 2021 beauty pageant, which is set to take place in Israel in December.

A statement was released which outlined how Israel is still an apartheid state, and how supporting the Miss Universe 2021 competition would be in poor taste because of the oppression of the Palestinian people by the Israel state.

“Israel is an apartheid state and we will continue to mobilise all freedom-loving people of the world to boycott, divest and pass sanctions against the brutal apartheid regime.

“Daily, apartheid Israel violates the fundamental human rights of the Palestinian people and commits crimes against humanity. We call on all African countries to withdraw from the Miss Universe pageant in apartheid Israel in protest at its observer status granted unilaterally by the AU commissioner.

“Decisive action by Miss Malaysia and Miss Indonesia has now set the trend and we call on all the Miss Universe participants from all over the world to send us letters announcing their withdrawal and disassociating from an event that normalises the apartheid Israel daily killing, bulldozing of homes and orchards and maiming young and innocent children,” said the statement.

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However, Miss Universe Iraq 2017, Sarah Idan, took to social media following the statement, to share her sentiments on Mandela’s call to boycott the pageant.

She begins by bashing Mandla for making a decision, as a man, to stop Lalela Mswane, Miss SA 2021, from representing South Africa at the Miss Universe competition, which promotes the empowerment of women.

“All I can say is: how dare you? How dare you as a man try to tell an organisation for women in women empowerment what to do? This is an opportunity that millions of women dream of, having to go on a world stage and represent their people, their nation, their culture. Not governments, not politics and definitely not your political agenda,” said Idan in her video.

Idan also pleads with Mandla to allow Mswane to compete in the beauty pageant, so she can experience the world stage.

“Please allow Miss South Africa to go and experience Israel up close on the ground, and let her be the judge for herself.

“I’m positive just like me, she will be shocked to see that the Israeli government consists of Muslims, Jews, Christians, and those people not only get to vote on policies to shape their future, but they also are part of the people who have politic parties, and some of them are even Israeli ambassadors to the world,” said Idan in her video.