Posted on 08/23/2002 4:23:22 AM PDT by kattracks
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe denounced US and other western criticism of his government as a racist campaign to undermine his nation's independence.
"Today, Britain, America, New Zealand and Australia, what color are they, most of the people there? White," Mugabe said in a speech in southern Zimbabwe, quoted on national television Thursday.
"They are the ones leading in the fight against Zimbabwe, the fight of resisting the completion of the independence process that began in 1980," Mugabe said.
"We are not made as a government in Washington. Let Mr. Bush know that. We are made as the government by our people here. Let foolish Blair also know that," he said.
Those remarks came two days after senior US officials said the United States did not consider Mugabe the legitimate leader of Zimbabwe and that Washington was working with other governments to try to isolate him.
And within hours of Mugabe's speech the US State Department reaffirmed that it was working with other nations to foster democratic change in Zimbabwe and assist the Zimbabwean people as they deal "with the excesses of the (President Robert) Mugabe regime."
"The United States continues to consult with countries in the region and throughout the world on how we can work together to foster development of democratic processes and institutions in Zimbabwe and encourage free and fair elections there," State Department deputy spokesman Philip Reeker said.
He added that Washington was actively engaged with "a wide range of organizations and groups involved in civil society in Zimbabwe to help strengthen democratic institutions and respect for human rights and the rule of law."
"We're going to continue to work with these groups to ensure that the voices of the people of Zimbabwe are heard as they deal with the excesses of the Mugabe regime," Reeker said.
Mugabe's regime has become increasingly isolated since the March presidential elections, which independent and foreign observers condemned as severely flawed, citing widespread claims of vote fraud and violence against opposition supporters.
US President George W. Bush's administration and British Prime Minister Tony Blair have spearheaded criticism of Mugabe, in particular his land reforms which they say are worsening already severe food shortages.
The government has ordered 2,900 white farmers to leave their land which is to be handed over to landless blacks but many have ignored the order. Some 215 white farmers had been arrested and many others are said to have taken flight.
The two State Department officials said in Washington Tuesday that Mugabe's policies amounted to "madness" because they were exacerbating the country's drought and threatening six million Zimbabweans with famine.
Andrew Natsios, head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), said Mugabe was condoning a "disgusting" land grab.
Most western nations have slapped sanctions on Mugabe and his inner circle, while the Commonwealth suspended Zimbabwe from its council meetings.
South African President Thabo Mbeki said Thursday he agreed with Australian Prime Minister John Howard that the Commonwealth had to take a tough stance on the chaotic situation in Zimbabwe.
"I agree with Mr Howard that the troika of the Commonwealth needs to address the present state of affairs in Zimbabwe," said Mbeki as he received the credentials of the incoming Australian High Commissioner Ian Wilcock, along with other new ambassadors, in Pretoria.
Howard and his New Zealand counterpart Helen Clark agreed at the weekend that the situation in Zimbabwe was "very unsatisfactory."
Howard heads a Commonwealth troika, which includes Mbeki and Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, that is tasked with taking action on Zimbabwe following the controversial elections and the violence-wracked land redistribution programme.
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First it was Rhodesia then SA now America paying the price of silence.
-A Capsule History of Southern Africa--
ZWNEWS.com - linking the world to Zimbabwe
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Title: "Cry, the Beloved Country" - Topics: World/South Africa
Ignorance is bliss.
What a puke! The only thing we would like to undermine is his goat stinkin administration.
"As such, they must DIE!"
Political drollery, Mugabe I'm sure is laughing.
If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)
Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.
Regards, Ivan
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