Hundreds Protest Obama's Visit to South Africa

hundreds of protesters marched to the u.s. embassy in south Africa on Friday in a peaceful protest against the impending visit by president barack Obama. the demonstrators opposed drone strikes, global warming, the war in Afghanistan, u.s. policy on cuba, and other issues.

the protesters want to raise public awareness and warn American citizens about human rights violations committed by the Obama administration, which include the non-closure of the Guantanamo bay prison holding terrorism subjects, remarked campaign coordinator mbuyiseni ndlozi. said ndlozi, "their administration's government is not welcome, and is being received with antagonism. therefore they'll have to rethink the standards by which they hold their government."

protesters carried signs which read, "no, you can't Obama," a message inspired by the "yes, we can" campaign slogan adopted by obama during his historical presidential run in 2008. Obama and his family arrived in south Africa later Friday as part of a tour of three African countries. their three-day trip includes a visit to cape town's robben island, where former president nelson mandela spent 18 of his 27 years imprisoned by the apartheid government.

demonstrators staged a similar protest outside the parliament building in cape town where Obama's record on human rights and trade relations in Africa were questioned. protesters also plan to rally Saturday at the university of Johannesburg's Soweto campus, where Obama will address students and receive an honorary law degree, and on sunday at the university of cape town.

despite his global popularity, Obama is not free of criticism, even from people of African-descent. one of the protesters, abdurahman kahn said, "he's coming here to plunder African and south Africa. he's coming for the wealth and resources, for the gold mine and diamonds, while the majority of Africans and south Africans are suffering."