Zimbabwe

[Cobalt]

The rumour mill says that ex-Scouts and Rhodesian SAS are training groups of militia on ranches in Botswana. Perhaps Mugabe is soon to recieve his just deserves.

[Midshipman786]

If the people of Iraq had to be liberated by the mighty Dubya then is not the same true of the people of Zimbabwe.

Is the reason for no invasion, a land locked country, no oil, just a few billion leaves that people dry, roll up and set fire to and if anyone did invade they would have the wrath of the African Congress to contend with.

I wonder what Peter Hain, a Zimbabwean by birth, thinks of the system over there now, perhaps he ought to do us all a favour and offer his services by digging up cricket pitches in Harare.

EBAGUM MUGABE

exactly. its the selective nature of this so-called war on terror that exposes it as the sham that it is. no economic or other gain to be had so why bother eh?

[Jason The Argonaut]

Mugabe party wants to quit Commonwealth
Sun 7 December, 2003 16:03

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party has said it wants to leave the Commonwealth, shortly after a six-nation panel agreed at the Abuja summit to extend Zimbabwe's exclusion from the 54-member group.

"We have heard the news, but it doesn't matter or mean anything to us any more because we have already made a decision that we were leaving the Commonwealth," ZANU-PF external affairs secretary Didymus Mutasa told Reuters on Sunday.

The cabinet must meet to vote on whether to quit the organisation, which groups mainly former British colonies.

"The Commonwealth is being abused by the former colonial power and the other white members of the Commonwealth to settle political scores. These same members are bullying the weaker members of the Commonwealth to endorse their decisions and we don't think we want to be part of them any more," Mutasa said.

"Over the last two years, we have not benefited from the Commonwealth in any way. It has actually been a source of trouble for us and our party has made a decision that we should leave."

The Commonwealth suspended Zimbabwe early last year on the grounds that President Robert Mugabe had rigged his re-election and persecuted his opponents.

The Commonwealth summit in the Nigerian capital Abuja, divided over whether to maintain the suspension, appointed a six-member panel to resolve the issue, and Britain said it would recommend Zimbabwe's continued exclusion.

Bye Bye then Mugabe

[Spannerman]

Some people bemoan the fact that the British Empire civilised some 3rd World Countries, well after a few decades the chickens come home to roost, I wonder if Mr Peter Hain wishes in his heart of hearts that he had supported Ian Smith on UDI or not. I can sure see Harare going the same way as Havana and that is another dictator that has screwed up a once decent country.

[old scaly back]

Im a bit thick on this one.
If Tony Blair still wants to exclude him why did he invite him over here.
Was it so Mugs wife could do some shopping.
It was on the T.V that she has a plane to fly her all over the place and she spends thousands.
A bit sick being as the rest of there people are starving to death.
O by the way Cobalt im available after Christmas,prefer anytime between Feb(my birthday)and June (my holidays).
Do i need a change of underware.

[Smilie-man'81]

Zimbabwe now has 80% unemployment and 70% of the people rely on food aid.

[Spannerman]

I wonder how long the IMF will keep funding this little lot then. I expect UNICEF, WHO and all the other Aid Agencies are there too, shame to see a once prosperous country go to the dogs like his.

[owdun]

Let's not be P.C. about this, name one African country that is in better nick now than it was under Empire rule, and by that I mean its people, not the bandits who took over when we ran out.


Aye Owdun.

[spitz]

If the people of Iraq had to be liberated by the mighty Dubya then is not the same true of the people of Zimbabwe.

Mugabe hasn’t spent the last twelve years playing games with the UN for a start, and any move on Zimbabwe would be illegal under international law and viewed as neo-colonialism, no matter how vile Mugabe is.

African nations could sort this out themselves but, seeing that half of them are as corrupt as Mugabe, they won’t because they could be next in line. The Commonwealth could remove him, but again the African nations in the commonwealth don’t want to admit ‘one of their own’ is a complete pile of sh#t. The UN is a toothless debating chamber with no planes, ships or soldiers to do the job, and a large proportion of it’s members are third-world degenerate regimes themselves.

[Rogue Chef]

Ahoy there!
And another thing, what is this commonwealth melarkey?
It is THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH!
AND DON'T FORGET IT!

[Spannerman]

Sorry RC you are wrong it is NOT the British Commonwealth its title is The Commonwealth of Nations whose head is the Queen with the next most important person being the Secretary General and no other Prime Minister is more important than any other

Further reading

www.thecommonwealth.org/

[spitz]

I always refer to Empire and Commonwealth in generic terms - obviously British. It’s those other inferior Empires and Commonwealths that need prefixing, Roman Empire, Russian Empire, American Empire, European Commonwealth, . . .

Just like Kaffir Wars, Maori Wars, Sikh Wars etc. don’t need to be prefixed with Anglo, lets face it who else could it be?

Is that arrogant? You bet. :fadein:

[spitz]

It was formerly known as the British Commonwealth, don’t know when or why it changed though, probably had it changed after a sensitivity training course at the FCO.

[kwew]

you cant call it the british commonwealth there may be some PC plonkas out there who would think that its offensive to the other nations
I think this all boils down to a race issue, white people cant go in and remove a black government who is persecuting whites, its just not the done thing, remember a black man cant be racist.
Can anyone explain to me why its a bad thing hes leaving the commonwealth? his country sucks it got nothing to offer the other commonwealth countries its just a burden on aid agencies, why should we continue to help those who say they dont need us?

[Spannerman]

I think the term 'British' Commonwealth is a misnomer.

The Commonwealth of Nations was formed out of the old British Empire, I believe that most British think that it is their Commonwealth but it is an independent organisation although its HQ is at Marlborough House in London. The name says it all, Common Wealth and to be a member certain criteria has to be met, currently Zimbabwe and Pakistan are barred from membership due to its human right abuses.

There is much activity behind the scenes and people working in the Corps Diplomat would be only too aware of the activity in fostering friendship and trade.