Obama lashes Africa over Zim
2008-06-26 07:19
Chicago - US presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Wednesday the international community must do more to try to help resolve Zimbabwe's political crisis, and to put pressure on Robert Mugabe, who is clinging to power.
He singled out South Africa as one country that needs to
apply more pressure on Mugabe, 84, who has refused to step
down.
"What's happening in Zimbabwe is tragic. This is a country
that used to be the bread basket of Africa. Mugabe has run the
economy into the ground. He has perpetrated extraordinary
violence against his own people," Obama told a news conference
in Chicago.
Obama, a Democrat, is running in the November presidential
election against Republican John McCain.
'Much more forceful'
"Not only do I think that the United Nations needs to
continue to apply as much pressure as possible on the Mugabe
government, but in particular other African nations, including
South Africa, I think have to be much more forceful in
condemning the extraordinary violence that's been taking place
there," Obama said.
"And frankly, they have been quiet for far too long and
allowed Mugabe to engage in this sort of anti-colonial rhetoric
that is used to distract from his own profound failures as a
leader," he added.
In the heaviest pressure yet on Mugabe by Zimbabwe's
neighbours, a troika of southern African nations urged the
postponement of Friday's presidential election which they say
would lack legitimacy in the current violent climate.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai took refuge in the
Dutch embassy in Harare this week after announcing he had
pulled out of election because of violence which has killed
about 90 people and displaced 200 000.
The government has said it will go ahead with the
presidential election despite a storm of international
condemnation and calls to postpone the vote.
Election 'a complete and total sham'
"What is remaining of this election is a complete and total
sham," Obama said, echoing US President George W Bush.
"I don't think that whatever the results of this election
on Friday, that Mugabe will be able to claim any sort of
legitimacy as a democratically elected leader in Zimbabwe," he
added.
Obama said that before Tsvangirai pulled out of the run-off,
he had had a conversation with South African ruling party
leader Jacob Zuma and said he "encouraged and urged him to
speak out more forcefully on what was happening".
- Reuters