[This is good. Clearly something is happening… very slowly… but something is afoot. The MDC seems to have lost its credibility. The comments of Lord St John about an uprising are pretty much on the money. I think his insight is pretty good. In the end, I still say, Mugabe will have to be shot out of power… and if he dies before then… then Zanu(PF) will have to be shot out of power. Jan]

Yea! Now we’re getting somewhere! MH, USA

Exert More Pressure on Mugabe, Lords Tell Labour Government
By Sandra Nyaira

LONDON “ Debate on the crisis in Zimbabwe took centre stage in the House of Lords yesterday with Lord Blaker of Blackpool raising the need for the incoming United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to visit Zimbabwe as soon as he assumes his new post to help deal with problems afflicting the country.

Lord Blaker also initiated debate in the House of Lords to urge the British government to boost the campaign for democracy in Zimbabwe, which he said was being vigorously conducted.

During debate various Lords called on their government to take up resolutions from the upper House recommending the UK start a campaign œfor the referral of Robert Mugabe to the International Criminal Court for his manifold and monstrous crimes against the people of Zimbabwe.

They also want Zimbabwe™s police officers to be left out of U.N. policing missions in troubled spots around the glob.

Lord Blaker said it was sad that President Robert Mugabe had successfully blocked a planned visit by outgoing secretary general, Kofi Annan saying it would clash with a nomination Benjamin Mkapa, the former Tanzanian leader, mediate between Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom.

Applauding the British government for œcorrectly rejecting œthis ridiculous proposal, Lord Blaker said the people of Zimbabwe were suffering and the UN Security Council could use its powers to protect the masses being ruled by the Zanu PF government.

œIn April 2006, the Security Council decided in a resolution that it should have the power, œto use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means … to help protect populations from … crimes against humanity.

He adds this would mean possible intervention with the approval of the Security Council in the internal affairs of other countries™ as the international community would take œresponsibility to protect. œThe words I have used are distinct from any dealing with military action”I am not talking about that; it is not relevant to what I am saying. Her Majesty™s Government could take a lead with like-minded countries, to work out how to apply this part of the Security Council resolution usefully in the present situation in Zimbabwe. There is no doubting the massive crimes against humanity there, said Lord Blaker.

œNoble Lords may think that Mugabe would respond to such a move with his usual accusations of imperialism. Would they be so effective now that we would be on the side of the black trades unions in Zimbabwe and the United States? We have, of course, no imperial ambitions, as he would allege, and as much right as any other country to rely on the duty to protect, as given in this new proposal, in relation to Mugabe™s actions.

Telling the House events in Zimbabwe were now moving a little, he said the UK was Zimbabwe™s biggest provider of aid with more Zimbabwean exiles living here than in any other country, œand we have more knowledge of Zimbabwe than any other country does.

Lord after Lord praised Vauxhall MP, Kate Hoey for being brave enough to visit Zimbabwe secretly recently to see what the situation was on the ground. They also attacked the recent brutal beatings by police officers of trade union leaders during a protest.

Baroness D’Souza said now was the time to use the full array of legal, diplomatic and other measures open to the UK and the European Union to create a critical mass of international opinion and to support those in Zimbabwe who bear the unspeakable brunt of repression in Zimbabwe.

œThe UK Government, who have had to withstand charges of wishing to re-colonise Zimbabwe, have nevertheless made strong statements against President Mugabe™s regime and have supported strong actions, but more can now be done. In particular, the EU, which passed a resolution condemning human rights abuses in Zimbabwe in September, is due to revisit both official and personal travel sanction in January 2007, she said.

Baroness D’Souza said Mugabe should be referred to the ICC because torture in Zimbabwe was widespread, systematic and severe and therefore constituted a crime against humanity.

Baroness Park of Monmouth said it was sad œMugabe, the great liberation leader, thinks in terms of command operations and people were suffering as a result.

Others like Lord St John of Bletso think Mugabe will remain in office until he dies because of the indictment of Charles Taylor, the former President of Liberia, for human rights crimes. œThe incident scared Robert Mugabe into believing that the same fate might await him. He therefore prefers to cling to power.

He said some observers continue to believe that the people of Zimbabwe will rise against their leaders, in much the same way as the people of Romania rose against Ceausescu, and the Ukrainians staged their Orange Revolution.

œSadly, I believe that such an uprising in Zimbabwe is extremely unlikely. It did not happen when the Zimbabwean Government launched their cruel operations to bulldoze the stalls and shacks of street traders in Harare in areas where their political opponents are strong. It also did not happen when the opposition MDC recently called for mass action.

He added: œThere are two reasons why the people will not protest. First, unfortunately, there is a lack of plausible opposition in the country. The MDC seemed credible in the past but is now deeply divided between those who support Morgan Tsvangirai, a man with charisma but doubtful judgment, and those who support Arthur Mutambara, a man of great intellect but less popular appeal. Secondly, a remarkable 70 per cent, if not more, of Zimbabweans live in rural areas where they remain largely unaware of the government excesses in the urban areas.

œAs a result, it is probably true that if a general election was held tomorrow, ZANU-PF would be the clear winners. In fact, the next presidential election is scheduled for 2008, with the next parliamentary election to follow in 2010. There are rumours that the Government intend postponing the presidential election until 2010, giving Mugabe another two years in power. Perhaps the Minister could inform us whether Her Majesty’s Government are taking steps to ensure that the presidential election is held in 2008.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Lord Triesman, said in response to the peers his government was doing all it can to mobilise international pressure, including African leaders, against Harare. He said the crisis in Zimbabwe was caused by bad governance and bad policies.

œThe crisis is between a dictatorial regime and a subjugated people, and it can only be reversed by significant political reform, including the repeal of damaging legislation on human and property rights, as noble Lords have said, together with a comprehensive economic reform package as already set out by the IMF.

He said he did not think that Zimbabwe would ever go off the international radar screen.

His parting short commenting on a statement by President Mugabe in which he warned the United States and Britain at a UN meeting that œevery Goliath has its David, Lord Triesman said: œHe (Mugabe) has continued to use his political weight in the country to oppress and bully his people into apparent submission, but he should heed his own words: let this David tell him that his policy is creating millions of Davids within Zimbabwe and millions more in the Diaspora. He should reflect on that. The time for his regime has gone.

To read full debate, please go to our Downloads Section.

Source: Association of Zimbabwe Journalists
URL: http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com/story.php?…br>
VERENA Replied:
Talk, talk, talk. Do something!!!!