Posted on 02/16/2002 2:13:30 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
An open letter to Schori published Saturday in The Herald under the pseudonym "Robin C. Hood" accused him of abusing Zimbabwean hospitality.
"As an invitee you may enter someone's home. But the occupant will not invite you if you ... are a notorious neighborhood bully ... You are indeed not a friend of Zimbabwe. I certainly would not invite you to my house," the letter said, using similar language to comments made by government media during the week.
HARARE, Zimbabwe - Europe's top election observer on Saturday said he did not plan to leave Zimbabwe immediately despite government threats to throw him out for violating the terms of his visa.
The government also hardened its stand Saturday, threatening Pierre Schori with "stern action" and accusing him of trying "to cheat his way into being recognized as an accredited observer" for sharply the contested presidential election March 9-10.
Zimbabwe has been wracked by political violence for the past two years that opposition supporters, human rights activists and many international officials blame on the ruling party.
Zimbabwe has said it would not accredit Schori, other Swedish observers or representatives from Britain, Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler, Denmark, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands.
It accuses those countries of bias toward the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, the biggest challenge to President Robert Mugabe's 22-year hold on power.
The EU is demanding free and fair elections and unhindered access for observers and international journalists.
Zimbabwe has refused to recognize Schori as head of the 150-member European observer mission, and only granted him a two-week tourist visa to enter the country.
The state-run Herald newspaper said Saturday the government had warned Schori that as a tourist he must stop making political statements about the weeklong standoff on his status.
Schori, Sweden's ambassador to the United Nations said he was visited by immigration authorities to discuss the status of his Zimbabwe visa, which was not revoked Friday, contrary to reports from the Swedish foreign ministry.
Schori told reporters the EU General Affairs Committee, comprising its 15 foreign ministers, was scheduled to discuss a report he submitted on the situation in Belgium Monday.
"They will then decide upon the EU observer mission in Zimbabwe. They will take a decision based on that report," he said.
He said he did not intend to leave Zimbabwe "right now."
Home Affairs Minister John Nkomo said the government would not hesitate to take action if Schori continued to flout the terms of the visa he was granted when he entered the country Sunday, The Herald reported.
"Mr. Schori can move around the country and do sightseeing and enjoy the scenery but may not engage in other issues including making political statements," Nkomo said.
"We take serious exception to Mr. Schori's continued political utterances. He is obviously trying to cheat his way into being recognized as an accredited observer. He must desist from making political statements or anything remotely connected to the presidential election," he said. "We have laws in Zimbabwe which must be observed by everyone."
Schori said the 30 European observers who have been accredited by the government would stay in Harare and its surroundings for the weekend "doing their work as normal."
"I am afraid I cannot say any more because this is the situation," he said.
On Friday, Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh announced in Norway that Schori's tourist visa had been revoked and he was to be thrown out of the country.
Such a move would "prove that Zimbabwe does not want a free and fair election," she said.
If Schori were forced to leave, the remaining election observers probably would be withdrawn as well, and sanctions, including cutting off foreign aid and freezing the assets of Zimbabwe's leaders, would likely be imposed, Lindh said.
An open letter to Schori published Saturday in The Herald under the pseudonym "Robin C. Hood" accused him of abusing Zimbabwean hospitality.
"As an invitee you may enter someone's home. But the occupant will not invite you if you ... are a notorious neighborhood bully ... You are indeed not a friend of Zimbabwe. I certainly would not invite you to my house," the letter said, using similar language to comments made by government media during the week.
That's pretty amusing, coming from the Home Affairs Minister. I wonder which laws he is referring to? The speed of light? The law of gravity (what goes up must come down) ? Perhaps he means Murphey's Law!
Exactly!
I'm sure they will agree that Mugabe is evil just as soon as they can find a way to blame the US for his behavior.
This Euro-baiting is all just dumbshow. Whether farmers or diplomats, the whites in this circus are just hate-puppets. The real target is the black MDC, and everyone in Zimbabwe probably realizes it. Mugabe is just using whatever whites are available to whip up his werewolves.
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