Why Thabo Mbeki’s national unity talks are doomed to fail

The Times ^ | 6/12/2008 | Catherine Philp

[bruinbirdman]

The horrors of Zimbabwe’s political violence will not feature on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council meeting today. Thanks to South Africa, which blocked an attempt to put the crisis on the agenda, the council will discuss only the dire humanitarian situation.

It is hard to see how the two can be divorced. The deliberate displacement of thousands of people, the militarisation of food aid and the ban on international aid agencies are all political tactics that have greatly deepened Zimbabwe’s suffering.

The US and Britain are furious with South Africa’s block, achieved with Russia’s help. They had lobbied to raise the Zimbabwean crisis as an urgent matter after embassy staff who met victims in the countryside were detained and harassed.

But President Mbeki is determined to keep Zimbabwe off the international agenda, insisting that it is a problem for Africans to solve. Relations within his own regional grouping, the Southern African Development Community, however, are splintering over his attempts to prevent them from doing exactly that.

Yesterday Mr Mbeki publicly denounced Zimbabwe’s violence for the first time, calling it a matter of “serious concern”. Yet he failed to lay blame on the Mugabe regime. This suits Harare fine. In President Mugabe’s parallel universe, it is the Opposition that is terrorising the people – not his party. Mr Mbeki’s statement seeks to have it both ways.

President Mbeki still appears to believe that he can settle the crisis. His officials are said to have brokered talks between the Movement for Democratic Change and Zanu (PF) to form a government of national unity. But neither side is likely to accept the role of junior partner, so the process will almost certainly fail.

[Billthedrill]

The UN has once again proven its worth. We should recall this incident the next time its members take up a sanctimonious and condemnatory stance against the U.S. or Israel.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

“insisting that it is a problem for Africans to solve.”

I’ve heard this music before. A tune that came out in 1994 called Rwanda.

[struggle]

Yeah, the opposition leader’s wife getting her limbs cut off and getting thrown into a fire was “a problem that African’s solved.”

[ICE-FLYER]

Corruption can not overcome and clean corruption. Mbeki has no ability of moral character to be able to work this issue. Other nations are actually better to do this. Mbekis is bankrupt of ideas, morals or leadership having abdicated all those characteristics to his own greed and arrogance.

South Africa does not learn well at its political top. The top of their government calls the new racism “Transformation” and does little to hide it. They are careful enough to not rock the boat too too much in South Africa but act foolishly when it comes to foreign affairs.

Mbeki and others in that nation are listening to the wrong people lately and jeopardize their future with actions such as the one Mbeki takes now.

[SES1066]

The US and Britain are furious with South Africa’s block, achieved with Russia’s help.

The 'Good old boy' Dictator's Support Society in blatant action. At 2+ million percent inflation and ever increasing deaths, these 'enablers', for their own hyper-cynical reasons have condemned multitudes to die and totally dishonored the very words of the UN Charter.

But it is not just the UN, I seem to remember such local luminaries as Jimmy Carter, Jesse Jackson and many others who waxed wroth at USofA inaction in Africa over many incidents. Maybe some enterprising reporter could ask one or all about their current views?

[SES1066]

A tune that came out in 1994 called Rwanda.

I remember that tune as well. You can still hear crocodile-tears criticism of our inaction from many a third-world tin-pot taking a guilt-free bash at the USofA while conveniently forgetting the UN's refusal to make ANY EFFORT on its own. Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Eygpt (native African) was very much the responsible ass in this case, albeit one William Clinton had his own momemts of infamy here.

[bruinbirdman]

"Mbeki and others in that nation are listening to the wrong people lately and jeopardize their future with actions such as the one Mbeki takes now."

ChiComs? That wouldn't be "lately", that would be "for too long".

yitbos

[bill1952]

>But President Mbeki is determined to keep Zimbabwe off the international agenda, insisting that it is a problem for Africans to solve

I agree. Lets stop sending 100% of all food and aid of any kind whatsoever to Africa right now.

I insist that it is a problem for Africans to solve

[Tailgunner Joe]

Russia supports islamist genocide of Christians in Sudan as well as the marxist genocide in Zimbabwe. Russia supports every evil islamist and marxist regime in the world.