I
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And South Africa is headed in the same direction as Zimbabwe.
WINDHOEK, Namibia (Reuters) -- Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa urged
southern Africa to take a new approach to Zimbabwe, which he likened
to a "sinking Titanic" as millions flee economic and political
turmoil.
In one of the strongest African comments on Zimbabwe's political and
economic crisis, Mwanawasa said the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) had failed to achieve much in negotiations with
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
"Quiet diplomacy has failed to help solve the political chaos and
economic meltdown in Zimbabwe," Mwanawasa said late on Monday in
neighboring Namibia.
"As I speak right now, one SADC country has sunk into such economic
difficulties that it may be likened to a sinking Titanic whose
passengers are jumping out in a bid to save their lives."
Zambian government newspapers said Mwanawasa had suggested SADC "would
soon take a stand" on Zimbabwe.
Western powers have vowed to keep up pressure on Mugabe despite
threats to expel their diplomats if they continue to criticize his
government.
Both Britain and the United States have called for more sanctions
against Mugabe's government because of what they say was a violent
crackdown on opposition leaders and the severe economic crisis they
blame on state mismanagement.
Zimbabwe Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi on Monday
warned Western envoys in Harare the government would not hesitate to
expel those who backed opposition politics.
Zimbabwe officials have not said which countries could be targeted for
expulsion but they are thought to include former colonial ruler
Britain, the United States, Australia and Sweden.
"Such threats will not deter the UK from speaking out against the
continued misgovernance and human rights abuses in Zimbabwe," a
British Foreign Office official told Reuters.
"It's a tragic, unfortunate situation and it's just terrible to watch,
most especially because it's the Zimbabwean people that are suffering
as a result," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said of the
situation in the country.
Mugabe last week told his Western critics "to go hang" and ordered
Mumbengegwi to "read the riot act" to Western envoys.
Police arrested main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and 49 others
on March 11, accusing them of holding an illegal rally. Tsvangirai and
several others later received hospital treatment -- they said they had
been beaten and tortured in custody.
"With the international community, we are pressing (Mugabe) to reverse
course and end human rights abuses and political violence," said
British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett.
Extend sanctions
The European Union has renewed a range of sanctions including an arms
embargo, travel ban and asset freeze on Mugabe and other government
officials. Western governments, including the 27-nation EU, deny they
are meddling in Zimbabwean politics.
The EU's executive has allocated nearly 3 million euros ($3.99
million) for projects in Zimbabwe which support local democracy, human
rights defenders and media monitoring.
"We do not support the opposition as such but (help) so that the
opposition and the civil society can express themselves freely,"
European Commission aid spokesman Amadeu Altafaj said.
Beckett told parliament on Tuesday that Britain was "endeavoring to
get a head of steam" behind its call for urgent action by the human
rights council at the United Nations.
Britain was also trying to persuade EU colleagues to extend sanctions
against Zimbabwe and has demanded direct action against those
responsible for Tsvangirai's injuries.
Zimbabwe has been relying on food aid from U.N. agencies and Western
powers for the last six years as a result of a sharp drop in
agricultural production that critics blame on Mugabe's seizures of
white-owned farms for distribution to blacks.
Once southern Africa's bread basket, the country is struggling with
inflation of more than 1,700 percent, frequent food and fuel shortages
and unemployment of about 80 percent.
U.S. ambassador Christopher Dell walked out of the meeting with
Zimbabwe's foreign minister on Monday "refusing to participate in the
government's attempt to justify its recent brutality". State
department spokesman McCormack said Dell was in London on Tuesday, but
would return to Harare soon.
WINDHOEK, Namibia (Reuters) -- Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa urged
southern Africa to take a new approach to Zimbabwe, which he likened
to a "sinking Titanic" as millions flee economic and political
turmoil.
In one of the strongest African comments on Zimbabwe's political and
economic crisis, Mwanawasa said the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) had failed to achieve much in negotiations with
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
"Quiet diplomacy has failed to help solve the political chaos and
economic meltdown in Zimbabwe," Mwanawasa said late on Monday in
neighboring Namibia.
"As I speak right now, one SADC country has sunk into such economic
difficulties that it may be likened to a sinking Titanic whose
passengers are jumping out in a bid to save their lives."
Zambian government newspapers said Mwanawasa had suggested SADC "would
soon take a stand" on Zimbabwe.
Western powers have vowed to keep up pressure on Mugabe despite
threats to expel their diplomats if they continue to criticize his
government.
Both Britain and the United States have called for more sanctions
against Mugabe's government because of what they say was a violent
crackdown on opposition leaders and the severe economic crisis they
blame on state mismanagement.
Zimbabwe Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi on Monday
warned Western envoys in Harare the government would not hesitate to
expel those who backed opposition politics.
Zimbabwe officials have not said which countries could be targeted for
expulsion but they are thought to include former colonial ruler
Britain, the United States, Australia and Sweden.
"Such threats will not deter the UK from speaking out against the
continued misgovernance and human rights abuses in Zimbabwe," a
British Foreign Office official told Reuters.
"It's a tragic, unfortunate situation and it's just terrible to watch,
most especially because it's the Zimbabwean people that are suffering
as a result," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said of the
situation in the country.
Mugabe last week told his Western critics "to go hang" and ordered
Mumbengegwi to "read the riot act" to Western envoys.
Police arrested main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and 49 others
on March 11, accusing them of holding an illegal rally. Tsvangirai and
several others later received hospital treatment -- they said they had
been beaten and tortured in custody.
"With the international community, we are pressing (Mugabe) to reverse
course and end human rights abuses and political violence," said
British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett.
Extend sanctions
The European Union has renewed a range of sanctions including an arms
embargo, travel ban and asset freeze on Mugabe and other government
officials. Western governments, including the 27-nation EU, deny they
are meddling in Zimbabwean politics.
The EU's executive has allocated nearly 3 million euros ($3.99
million) for projects in Zimbabwe which support local democracy, human
rights defenders and media monitoring.
"We do not support the opposition as such but (help) so that the
opposition and the civil society can express themselves freely,"
European Commission aid spokesman Amadeu Altafaj said.
Beckett told parliament on Tuesday that Britain was "endeavoring to
get a head of steam" behind its call for urgent action by the human
rights council at the United Nations.
Britain was also trying to persuade EU colleagues to extend sanctions
against Zimbabwe and has demanded direct action against those
responsible for Tsvangirai's injuries.
Zimbabwe has been relying on food aid from U.N. agencies and Western
powers for the last six years as a result of a sharp drop in
agricultural production that critics blame on Mugabe's seizures of
white-owned farms for distribution to blacks.
Once southern Africa's bread basket, the country is struggling with
inflation of more than 1,700 percent, frequent food and fuel shortages
and unemployment of about 80 percent.
U.S. ambassador Christopher Dell walked out of the meeting with
Zimbabwe's foreign minister on Monday "refusing to participate in the
government's attempt to justify its recent brutality". State
department spokesman McCormack said Dell was in London on Tuesday, but
would return to Harare soon.
