Posted on 09/08/2001 5:45:52 AM PDT by Clive
author/source:Times (UK)
published:Sat 8-Sep-2001
posted on this site:Sat 8-Sep-2001
Article Type : News
While Sule Lamido, the Nigerian Foreign Minister, was due to arrive in Harare last night with the document drawn up in Abuja for Mr Mugabe's signature, the dictator's officials said that he was out of the country
From Jan Raath in Harare
President Mugabe kept the world guessing yesterday over his assent to the agreement reached in Nigeria to end the land dispute. While Sule Lamido, the Nigerian Foreign Minister, was due to arrive in Harare last night with the document drawn up in Abuja for Mr Mugabe's signature, the dictator's officials said that he was out of the country. His disappearance held up the signing that commits him to end 18 months of state-driven chaos.
Mr Mugabe flew to Tripoli last week for the launching by Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, of the African Union, successor to the Organisation of African Unity. Observers point out that in the past senior government officials have repeatedly made decisions to restore the rule of law while Mr Mugabe was abroad, only to have them reversed when he returned. Shortly before returning from Abuja, Stan Mudenge, the Foreign Minister, reiterated Zimbabwe's commitment to the document which obliges it to "take firm action" against lawlessness and violence and to carry out a legal and sustainable land reform programme.
Andrew Ndlovu, the head of one of the main factions of the so-called war veterans who have led the campaign of violence in the country, said he had not seen the agreement, "but we have no doubt that whatever they are, our governnment, led by Comrade Mugabe, has protected the interests of the majority" The opposition Movement for Democratic Change, dismissed the Government's assent as an attempt to "repackage itself in lipstick that would allow it to regenerate itself on the international arena". Mr Mugabe's sincerity was demonstrated by past experience, said Tendai Biti, the shadow secretary for foreign affairs. "It is hard to imagine that a Government which has failed to respect binding treaty agreements such as the United Nations Charter can be trusted now."
The Commercial Farmers' Union said it was "encouraged" by the agreement, but wanted to examine the document before commenting. Its scepticism is understandable. Soon after Zimbabwe gained its independence in 1980 Mr Mugabe winked at a group of white farmers and said: "Don't listen to what I say, watch what I do." The farmers chortled knowingly. Mr Mugabe was really on their side, whatever racist threats he uttered. For the next 21 years he continued to give his best assurances, in confidence and in public, broke them soon afterwards and got on with the business of abusing power. And like the farmers, people - some of the best minds and most senior international figures - believed him.
He has lied repeatedly to President Mbeki of South Africa in the past 18 months of state-driven violence, asserting that he would ensure that the rule of law would be applied. On one occasion last year, with Mr Mbeki by his side, he declared that squatters would be removed from white-owned farms they had invaded. The next day he denied he had said it. In April this year he assured a delegation of the International Bar Association, made up of former Commonwealth chief justices and senior barristers, that he would not "pack" the Supreme Court with ruling party functionaries to ensure rulings in his favour. The delegation said it was very relieved to receive the assurance. Two months later he packed the Supreme Court with party functionaries. On the strength of repeated assurances that he would carry out a legal and sustainable land-reform programme, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund provided many millions of dollars in loans. In 1999 the IMF finally caught the Government lying about its expenditure on the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The publication of the agreement in Abuja has brought no outpouring of joy in Zimbabwe. The response has been, at best, a wistful: "Oh, wouldn't that be nice", but more commonly it has been derisive laughter. The widespread opinion in Harare is that the ministers in Abuja fell for Mr Mugabe, like many before them. The Commonwealth foreign ministers presented Zimbabwe with a document with no deadlines, vague obligations to "commitment" and which is no more binding than a gentleman's agreement.
Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition leader, has built up a deep longing for political change across the country and Mr Mugabe has unleashed a murderous attempt to crush it. He has ignored the courts, parliament, his own Government, most of his party and his Cabinet in their attempts to check him, as well as the outrage of the rest of the world, including fellow Africans.
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