Posted on 07/05/2004 7:01:13 AM PDT by Clive
President Robert Mugabe ruled out any new talks with Zimbabwe's opposition on the country's economic and political crisis, citing its alleged ties with Britain, the former colonial power, the state Sunday Mail reported.
Addressing a ruling party assembly, Mugabe alleged the Movement for Democratic Change was taking orders from British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his government.
Southern African countries that have called for the resumption of dialogue with the opposition "should have realised by now the MDC is an agent of Mr Blair," Mugabe was quoted as saying.
"We cannot have serious discussions with the MDC as they don't have any authority to decide. They still have to report to their masters in Europe," Mugabe said on Saturday, according to the newspaper.
He said Blair had acknowledged in the British Parliament last week that Britain was trying to help bring about "regime change" in Zimbabwe, the newspaper reported.
"If there are any talks that need to be done, they have to be between the British and the Zimbabwean governments," Mugabe was quoted as saying.
South African President Thabo Mbeki has been trying to broker new talks in Zimbabwe after a first round collapsed after disputed presidential elections in 2002.
Mbeki had predicted new talks on an internal political deal would be completed by June this year.
No formal talks have taken place since the first round collapsed when Mugabe demanded the opposition recognise his disputed victory in the presidential polls.
Opposition leaders and independent observers say Mugabe, the only ruler since independence in 1980, used intimidation and vote rigging to win re-election and continue his authoritarian rule.
The opposition refused to drop a court challenge on the poll results. Neighbouring South Africa's policy of "quiet diplomacy" toward Zimbabwe has drawn domestic and international criticism.
Zimbabwe faces its worst political and economic crisis since independence from Britain, with soaring inflation and acute shortages of food, fuel, medicine and essential goods.
Mugabe has also intensified a crackdown on dissent, arresting opposition and labour leaders and shutting down the country's only independent daily newspaper. - Sapa-AP
What a surprise!
-
Mugabe obviously uses Animal Farm as his political playbook.
Apparently, Snowball is in cahoots with Farmer Jones to retake the Farm!
The smell of blood will soon fill the air.
The smell of blood will soon fill the air.
Well. I'd like to think so, but the Shonas are not typically an agressive tribe. Unless the Zulus of South Africa arm and protect a contingent of a combination of Ndebele/Shona insurgents, I don't see any ZANU-PF blood being shed.
The only blood will be that of the opposition, and as their ranks include the Ndebeles who as a whole do not support Mugabe's ZANU Party, I think they will suffer the Bloodbath as Mugabe seeks to shrink the population to a number that can be fed and loyal to him. I don't have a lot of hope left for Zimbabwe. Even when Mugabe dies, the rest of the ZANU elites are just as bad; if not demented as Mugabe is, the new leader will develop his own case of paranoia.
The problem is that there is no base in an adjoining country from which to launch an insurgency. None of Zimbabwe's neighbors want to have that country as their enemy, as they are the only country, with the exception of South Africa, that is both well armed and with battle experience.
I'd like to see Predators or missiles of some sort, just crash land on the households/heads of every memeber of the ZANU Politburo.
That kind of warfare would prove to be a serious deterrent to many of the problems around the world.
If I was as rich as Soros, I would fund my own Pest Control Army.
I agree with you - Mugabe is Napoleon in this Animal Farm metaphor, and it is the blood of innocents that will be shed.
All in service of the Revolution, and Animal Farm.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.