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Africa: Subsaharan

Mbeki says Zimbabwe criticism unfair

2005-04-10

South African President Thabo Mbeki has rebuked Zimbabwe's critics for making an "extraordinary" noise about that country while ignoring bigger African crises like the war in Congo.

"What's the big deal? So Bob's horrible! Lotsa people are horrible!"

"You get reports that something like three million people have died in the Congo over the last few years because of the wars that are going on," Mbeki told a meeting of the South African Communist Party, an ally of his ruling African National Congress. "But the amount of noise that you will hear about Zimbabwe, and no noise about the Congo, must surely raise questions as to why," he said at the meeting in Durban on Saturday.

I'd say that just means more people should be hollering about the pygmy-eaters in the Congo, but maybe that's just me...

Mbeki contrasted Zimbabwe's situation with instability killing 1000 people every day in the Democratic Republic of Congo, mostly from hunger and disease, on top of the 3.8 million people who have died since the war began in 1998. "Why is it so easy to ignore the death of 3 million people and make extraordinary volumes of noise about another country where only a few people have died. There is something not right about it," he said.

Posted by:Fred

#12 In this case, the warmup act was better than the headliner.

Posted by: Pappy 2005-04-10 9:19:17 PM

#11 It'd be pretty hard to make a case that ending apartheid was a bad thing. And it was an astoundingly peaceful regime change, and the Truth and Reconciliation hearings were quite an interesting and effective innovation. It's a pity nothing much else in the new regime was any good.

Posted by: James 2005-04-10 12:13:41 PM

#10 Word. It's a outrage they didn't name Bono to head the World Bank instead of that unqualified slouch Wolfowitz

Posted by: thibaud (aka lex) 2005-04-10 9:28:58 AM

#9 Pipe down people. Bono will make the tears go away.

Posted by: Poison Reverse 2005-04-10 1:30:47 AM

#8 Sad, when a country (RSA) that was almost firstworldly becomes almost a third world shithole and sliding fast to that category.

Posted by: Sobiesky 2005-04-10 1:02:07 AM

#7 When will those critics of the Iraq War and the descent into post-Saddam "chaos" turn their attention to the utter devastation that is today's South Africa and tell us what a mistake it was to end apartheid there?

Posted by: thibaud (aka lex) 2005-04-10 1:00:56 AM

#6 "Why is it so easy to ignore the death of 3 million people and make extraordinary volumes of noise ~~drowning out my brilliant very, very quiet diplomacy~~ about another country where only a few ~~stooges for white~~ people have died."
I don't know Thabo, why is it so easy to ignore anti-AIDS measures while millions become infected?

Posted by: Gleaper Cleregum9549 2005-04-10 12:55:06 AM

#5 And this shithole prevails TEN YEARS after the end of apartheid!

Posted by: thibaud (aka lex) 2005-04-10 12:53:37 AM

#4 Note the MSM silence on post-apartheid So Africa's miserable record:
-- 40% unemployment
-- most dangerous peacetime capital city on the planet
-- nearly one-third of the adult female population has been raped
-- 20% of the population has AIDS

And these jokers have the nerve to call post-Saddam Iraq "chaotic"?

Posted by: thibaud (aka lex) 2005-04-10 12:52:13 AM

#3 Lets not forget the decline under Mugabe is from the levels achieved under the almost universally villified white regime that was placed under the most severe international sactions ever used.

Posted by: phil_b 2005-04-10 12:46:14 AM

#2 Yea right as you preside over South Africa turing into a 3rd world crap hole.

Posted by: Sock Puppet 0â Doom 2005-04-10 12:37:43 AM

#1 thks Thabo - sealing your legacy among the "underachieving"

Posted by: Frank G 2005-04-10 12:11:29 AM

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