Mugabe's a 'terrible example'

2005-07-04 09:02

Harare - Zimbabwe's demolition of illegal homes and backyard shacks is likely to be touched on at this week's meeting of the leaders of the world's richest countries, as they discuss a multi-billion-dollar plan to wipe out poverty and debt in Africa.

World attention in recent weeks has focused on the Southern African country as its government embarked on a campaign to clean up unauthorised business and residential structures.

With the two-pronged "Operation Restore Order" and "Operation Murambatsvina" ("Drive out Rubbish") now entering its seventh week, hundreds of thousands have been left homeless in what President Robert Mugabe said was action necessary to enjoy "future comfort".

Putting pressure on Mugabe

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, this year's G8 chairperson, has already said he will raise the issue at the Gleneagles meeting, where ending poverty and good governance in Africa will be at the top of the agenda.

"In the end the best pressure will come from the countries surrounding Zimbabwe," Blair told the British parliament on Wednesday, just over a week ahead of his meeting with leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.

"We have to make sure African countries realise what a deep responsibility there is to sort this out themselves," he said.

But Blair added: "I don't believe what is happening in Zimbabwe should prevent us taking action on poverty in Africa."

United States President George W Bush in Washington called Mugabe a "terrible example".

"Zimbabwe was a bread basket, provided a lot of food on a continent that often needs food. And it's a country that's being wrecked," said Bush.

Germany's parliament on the same day condemned "a new dimension of terror" against civilians.

The Bundestag lower house passed the motion assailing the situation in Zimbabwe with "violence, displacement and arrests of politically unpopular people under the regime of President Robert Mugabe".

Mbeki remains mum until UN report

The Zimbabwean government embarked on the campaign on May 19 and said it was winding down and would embark on a project to build new homes.

South Africa said President Thabo Mbeki would not respond to calls to act on Mugabe until the visiting UN special envoy Anna Tibaijuka, currently in Zimbabwe investigating the campaign and its repercussions, had released her report.

Trevor Manuel, South Africa's Finance Minister said "it's easy to climb onto the bandwagon and beat up on the Zimbabweans".

"We must say 'is this just a crazy action by a pariah?' Or is it something that should have happened and happened in larger measure because there was some benign neglect about it for too long?" Manuel said.

Mbeki has said we will have to await the report on the situation if needed to determine what course of action should be undertaken," foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said.

- AFP