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Tutu slams South Africa's stand on Zimbabwe
Hmmm... That does come as a surprise...South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has rebuked his government for its dogged support of Zimbabwe, which is facing growing international isolation over its human rights record. In an emotional statement, he rejected arguments used by both Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has denounced the Commonwealth for extending its suspension of Zimbabwe at a summit this month. "I am at a loss to understand the reasoning for a lifting of the suspension of Zimbabwe," said the Nobel laureate, who won global fame for fighting racism in South Africa and for helping to lead a drive for reconciliation when white rule there ended. "What most observers seem to say is that the unsatisfactory status quo which led to the suspension remains unchanged," said Mr Tutu, whose statement did not mention Mr Mbeki by name, but picked holes in his argument and his endorsement of Mr Mugabe's election. Mr Mbeki had implicitly backed Mr Mugabe's argument that "white Commonwealth" members, notably Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, were punishing Zimbabwe for Mr Mugabe's policy of seizing white-owned farms for landless blacks. Aid agencies say disruption to agriculture caused by the farm seizures is partly to blame for chronic food shortages likely to affect more than five million Zimbabweans by year end. Mr Tutu drew a parallel between Zimbabwe's isolation and South Africa's own battle against white minority rule, or apartheid, which ended in 1994. "We appealed for the world to intervene and interfere in South Africa's internal affairs. We could not have defeated apartheid on our own," Mr Tutu said. "What is sauce for the goose must be sauce for the gander too."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-12-17 |
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