Voice from the Commonwealth
Commentary, World Views and Occasional Rants from a small 'l' libertarian in Massachussetts

"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest for freedom, go home and leave us in peace. We seek not your council nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams
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Tuesday, May 13, 2003

Opposition leaders in Zimbabwe want the EU to adopt a boycott of the country.

In addition to cutting essential financial backing for his regime, Ms Holland says a similar move by the EU would help turn the screws on Mr Mugabe, whose grip on power appears to be weakening. But the MDC is also fighting to get Zimbabwe on the world's agenda.

With growing involvement from regional power brokers, South Africa and Nigeria, and some European policy makers asking for 'African solutions to African problems', "the fear", says Ms Holland, "is that the EU will start to backslide". There may be evidence to back this claim.

Despite the travel ban, a technicality coupled with political manoeuvring allowed the French government to invite Mr Mugabe to travel to Paris earlier this year, infuriating the MDC and some European capitals, most notably London.

Similarly the Zimbabwean Trade Minister, Samuel Mumbengegwi, who is also on the EU's list of undesirables, is to attend an ACP-EU ministerial meeting in Brussels this week, according to a spokesperson for Harare.


First France, and now Belgium have deemed travel sanctions against Mugabe's murderous regime not quite worthy of following. Both countries, once great Colonial Empires, now find they only have sway among the despots and tyrants of Africa and the Middle East (and of course, Castro) so they overlook the nature of these thugs in the hopes of regaining their lustre.

< email | 5/13/2003 03:16:00 PM | link




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