Appeasement has failed. Brown must make that clear.The party line in the mid-1980s was absolute and unequivocal. South Africa’s white regime, which was fiercely opposing the establishment of a government of national unity with the black majority, was considered so barbarous that Labour demanded a worldwide economic blockade and the country’s diplomatic isolation. That was also the majority view in the Commonwealth, which fought battles with Margaret Thatcher over sanctions.
That same Commonwealth takes a rather different view of Mugabe now amid his outright contempt for SADC’s power-sharing agreement. The Commonwealth wants to welcome back Mugabe to its next conference in two years.
Zimbabwe withdrew from the Commonwealth in 2003 after the organisation renewed a suspension imposed a year earlier when Mugabe won re-election in a 2002 presidential poll some observers said was rigged.
Analysts say instead of a hard line against his sanctioning of land seizures and tearing to pieces the global political agreement, it was surprising that powerful nations were giving only mild rebukes and discreet pressure from neighbours and the former colonial power.
Mugabe retards progress
“It is clearly not working,” said Ronald Shumba, a political commentator. “Mugabe has retarded progress by refusing to fully implement a power-sharing agreement that if implemented wholesomely, tilts the balance of power in favour of Tsvangirai in the government of national unity. This balance of power represents voting patterns that emerged in the historic March 29 poll.”
Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain said Zimbabwe’s power-sharing government had made some achievements, including raising living standards and taming hyper-inflation since February. Brown was speaking at the recent summit of the Commonwealth, which groups 53 countries, mostly former British colonies.
“I sincerely hope that by the time of our next meeting in 2011, Zimbabwe will have made enough progress for us to welcome them back into the Commonwealth,” Brown said.
Appalling Commonwealth invitation
An MDC-M deputy who spoke on condition of anonymity said Brown’s attempt to reward an unreformed dictator by giving him a seat in the Commonwealth was “appalling and outrageous”. But he was defensive about Britain’s ability to act against Mugabe’s refusal to equitably share power, lest it be condemned as neo-colonialist.
Mugabe says the MDC must call for the removal of the restrictive measures against senior officials in Zanu (PF) before it agrees to implement the power sharing pact.
“Why the guilt?” said Shumba. “Britain supported economic sanctions against Ian Smith’s Rhodesia for 14 years before Mugabe won power in 1980, bringing the curtain down on Britain’s last African colony. Those sanctions must remain in place until the pact is fully implemented.”
GNU stabilises economy
A unity government formed in February after disputed elections last year has been credited with stabilising the economy and restoring ties with bilateral and multilateral partners, ending Mugabe and Zanu (PF)’s isolation policy.
Whitehall’s hopes are pinned on Mugabe’s neighbours restraining him and the world desisting from condemning him, what one diplomat called “appeasement and propitiation.”
South Africa’s leaders have finally acknowledged the menace. On Monday another team of high profile facilitators arrived to pick up a progress report from the negotiators of the three parties after the expiry of a December 6 deadline set by SADC to fully implement the pact. Zuma has warned that the continued hold-up in enforcing the pact risks Zimbabwe’s instability, which he said threatens the whole region.
The latest data show that the economy’s big end is on tenterhooks and the Finance minister warned in a national budget last week that politics was adversely affecting the country’s economics.
Maize planting is down and next year’s tobacco crop will fall further. Widespread starvation, especially in the countryside, and a refugee exodus is expected to burgeon. Mugabe’s response is to play on SADC’s willingness to mediate and do anything to stay in power for a fresh term in the next presidential elections.
A mood of disobedience
A Zanu (PF) oficial said come election time, the party will create what he calls “a general mood and psychology of obedience” among despairing rural communities.
“If he opts for more terror and rigged elections, he must pay the price,” warned a senior Western diplomat. “The MDC should be supported and military intervention should not be ruled out. There is a recent precedent; South Africa invaded Lesotho to restore order in 1998. Until decisive action is taken, the whole region is a high-risk area for investors.”
The diplomat warned that whatever happens, “Zanu’s thugs” will not inherit Zimbabwe’s once fertile earth; the locusts will.
“Chastising Mugabe and massaging his ego with Commonwealth invites will not do,” said Shumba. “Appeasement has failed. Brown must make that clear.”
Post published in: News