Mugabe's power growing - envoy
2008-11-20 22:28
Special Report
A classical music presenter for the BBC has been arrested and is in custody in Zimbabwe.
Washington - Zimbabwean President Robert
Mugabe's grip on power appears stronger now than a year ago
even as his country's humanitarian and economic crisis worsens,
the US ambassador to Zimbabwe said on Thursday.
Ambassador James McGee said in a video conference call from
the capital Harare that the humanitarian situation was "really
going down the tubes" as more people went hungry, hospitals
closed, the school system collapsed and cholera spread.
He said there were now 294 confirmed deaths from a cholera
outbreak and a further 1 200 confirmed cases of the water-borne
disease that can rapidly lead to death if not treated.
Zimbabwe's health authorities have cited a lower death toll.
"We have a very, very bad situation. I don't see anything
that will alleviate these problems until the government of
Robert Mugabe starts to act in good faith," he said.
While the situation became more dire for ordinary
Zimbabweans, the US diplomat said Mugabe appeared to be
gaining in strength as he continued to shun a September
power-sharing deal with the opposition Movement for Democratic
Change.
Political patronage
"His grip on power may be actually stronger than it was
this time last year. Mugabe continues to hang on to power
through the political patronage system," McGee told reporters.
"He is snubbing his nose at the international community and
pretty much saying: 'This is my country and I will do pretty
much what I please,'" he added.
McGee said the US strategy was to continue piling on
targeted sanctions against Mugabe and his supporters and US
allies in Europe, Australia and elsewhere would do the same.
"We have additional sanctions that we are prepared to roll
out," he said without specifying when or what these were.
McGee described a recent road trip he took through
Zimbabwe's countryside to see first-hand the "grim" situation
in the rural areas.
"When you pass through villages, there is a total look of
hopelessness from the people's faces," he said.
"There are a lot of people standing around doing nothing.
"There are a lot of distended bellies out there of small
children and people picking sweet, but non-nutritious food off
trees," McGee added.
Tougher line
He urged the Southern African Development Community (SADC),
a 15-nation regional group, to take a tougher line with Mugabe
and not to treat him as president so long as he refused to
accept the power-sharing deal, which is stalled over the
distribution of key ministries.
"SADC needs to continue to pressure this Mugabe government
to ensure that the will of the people of Zimbabwe is met," he
said.
He said overall levels of violence had decreased in recent
months but that there were still reports of abductions of
opposition supporters, particularly in the rural areas.
- Reuters