SW Radio Africa (London)
Violet Gonda
24 November 2008
Former US President Jimmy Carter has spoken out about the events surrounding the humanitarian mission to Zimbabwe by the group of Elders.
Carter confirmed he was refused entry into Zimbabwe, together with former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and rights activist Graca Machel, despite denials by the Mugabe regime that the prominent figures had been barred.
Carter said the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe is extremely serious and they should have been allowed into the country to assess the extent of the situation first hand. "Apparently the government has very little concern for the suffering of the people but obviously their number one goal is to remain in power."
He also criticised leaders in Southern Africa for not taking bold action against the 'illegitimate' government of Zimbabwe. He said regional leaders won't even use their influence to encourage Robert Mugabe to comply with the power sharing agreement in a manner that reflects the will of the people.
The former US President spoke to SW Radio Africa on Sunday and said the group had been told they would be granted visas for Zimbabwe on entering South Africa. But once there they received a message through former South African President Thabo Mbeki, that Mugabe had said they were not welcome and would not be issued visas.
Instead the Elders stayed in South Africa where they were given first-hand accounts of the disturbing conditions in Zimbabwe from refugees at the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg. They also met Prime Minister Designate Morgan Tsvangirai, and leaders from the business and financial sectors, churches and civic groups, who described the worsening crisis in where at least 300 people have died in hospitals as a result of the cholera epidemic, while an unknown number have died in their homes. Hyper-inflation has crippled the economy, there are severe food shortages, massive power and water cuts and a complete collapse of the health and education sectors.
In parts of the country there is total lawlessness and mass murder, such as in the diamond mines of Manicaland, while at least 20 people die each day in Zimbabwe's prisons.
Carter said the group of Elders wanted to get first hand information to enable them to publicise the suffering and also to help work out a better 'accommodation' between the government of Zimbabwe and those who are trying to help.
He said there is clearly no indication on the part of Mugabe that he has any intention of sharing power with rival parties. "There is very little doubt in my mind that Tsvangirai actually won the election back in March. But of course after a five week delay the election authorities - controlled by Mugabe - revealed that Tsvangirai got the minimal vote. Then with the intimidation of the people and the political punishment of Tsvangirai and his party members, the run-off made it impossible. So it's an illegitimate government imposing their will on the people of Zimbabwe."
Carter said the lack of political progress is the cause of the humanitarian disaster in Zimbabwe and that there is no question that the two are connected and inseparable. He said African leaders have the responsibility to help resolve the crisis "but they have been completely ineffective and very timid in encouraging or forcing Mugabe to accept the result of the negotiations that he himself approved back in September."
The Elders said that from the feedback they received from Zimbabweans and foreign Ambassadors, Mugabe has retained complete power and there is no indication that he has any intention of letting go.
Carter said the key to SADC's power and influence in Zimbabwe is through South Africa. But he said that Thabo Mbeki had not performed his duty as a negotiator:"We have met with him but I don't think he has shown any inclination or desire to put real pressure on Mugabe."
The Elders also met with Botswana's President Ian Khama and South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, who pledged to help break the Zimbabwean political impasse.
The Elders concluded their mission in South Africa on Monday, saying the SADC region needs to acknowledge that the crisis in Zimbabwe is affecting neighbouring countries and it is in the interests of all, that it be addressed immediately. They said humanitarian agencies must have unimpeded access, to assess needs and deliver humanitarian assistance without restraint. They also appealed to political parties to implement the Global Political Agreement as a matter of urgency, and work to form a truly inclusive government to tackle the humanitarian and economic crisis.
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South Africans and Exiled Zimbabweans need to support this call from Ex-President Carter. Despite the Feeds and Blogs on the humanitarian situation inside Zimbabwe....nobody seems to grasp the scale of the catastrophe.
There is a whole generation of Children destined to have their lives cut short by this "Regime"
Make your voices heard...Lobby your Governments.. and most importantly...stop Zanoids from defending these gross activities on any Blog you enter.
God Bless...
C'mon! Even Jimmy Carter is coming out against ZANU-PF/Mugabe! Didn't he go to North Korea (as a stooge) to meet with Kim Jong Il? Is Zimbabwe locked in such a straight-jacket as North Korea was? When a government is so truly afraid of it's position they won't even let in a limp-wrister like Jimmy Carter into the country (Friend of Kim Jong Il, Hugo Chavez, Yasser Arafat, etc.......)
When you bar Jimmy Carter from the country, you must be really f@&%'ing things up - he usually shows up to denounce the imperialist, capitalist, West - I'm glad he's in Africa, so he can't be here.............
When you decide that Jimmy Carter, of ALL people, is dangerous to your situation, then, "you got bigger problems than we thought!".
Just what sort of "company" do you want ZANU-PF?". If you can't stomach Jimmy Carter, then you aren't liable to do much better with any other "visitor".
"Total Empowerment!"
No, Jimmy Carter is wrong to make such strongly partisan political statements when his mission was supposed to be apolitical and humanitarian. He has confirmed that Mugabe's suspicions were justified. Why does he not make the obvious observation that the MDC is as much to blame as ZanuPF - they asked for SADC to arbitrate and now they do not want the arbitrator's decision. And what is their power base? The people's suffering!
Carter helped create the situation in Zimbabwe in the 70's when he refused to accept a government of moderates , insisting that Mugabe be included despite Mugabe's anti peace stance ! Who can take this moron Carter seriously , serves him right that Mugabe refused him entry . Elder statesman ? I think not ! Carter has the blood of 28000 Matabeles from the gukhurundi on his hands !
Time will take care of Mugabe.The most germane question now is what can be done for the people in the form of food,medicines,shelter and diease prevention.Rhodesia is a failed state.The U.N. perhaps is ineffectual in this situation simply because there are several large humanitarian diasters being unfolded on the world stage///RIGHT NOW.Carter,by his elogent speeches, may have made the country beginning --Right Now --inacessable to any type of aid.The next step for Carter and his friends is to approach the UN.Carter has made it appear to Mugabe just what Mugabe was suspecting ----The council of elders had a political agenda. that came out when carter lashed out against the present ruling body.I dont beleive that carter should pontificate from South Africa his views on Rhodesia.Quo Vidas---The UN should be asked to intervene by the council of elders and this would mean humanitarian relief would be sent.Most NGOS are ineffectual(thats another pandoras box) but in this instance all NGOS should be asked to assist by sending humanitarian aid only.This is the wrong time of the year to ask for aid fron the first world countries simply because of the money situation world wide.Mugabe may one day soon face the world court for wilful mis governance.I wonder if Mugabe has got an age associated brain dysfunction
When will you give up the goofy notion that there is an entity on planet earth called "Rhodesia"?
You are on the money on one point though: "Rhodesia [was] a failed state." The xenophobic and brutal structure was smashed by the guns of Mugabe and others.
Not a bad payback for the thief and British IMPERIALIST CECIL RHODES.
Cheers
Notice that jallohlaw says Rhodesia was a failed state - agreed. What he fails to mention though, (of course) is that Zimbabwe has failed beyond epic proportions.
He, and other house boys of coward Mugabe, will never admit that as least in Rhodesia, people ate, the average life span for the population was higher, the infrastructure was solid, the land yielded a rich harvest and people were employed.
I am obviously not saying that I agreed with the politics of Rhodesia, and I partied that night in 1980 when I knew we would all have equal rights. I was wrong about that. It turns out that no body has rights in Zimbabwe.
You see, the problem with jallohlaw and his kind is that, no matter how desperate and failed Zimbabwe has become, and no matter how much Zimbabweans suffer, they will never criticize coward Mugabe.
They are his stooges...his accomplices in this crime against humanity. They fear democracy, because that would mean accountability, and they never want to be held responsible for all the crimes they have committed against the Zimbabwean population.
So, when you read their propoganda posts on here, understand their motive, but also understand that ultimately, they will be held accountable, and democracy and justice will one day prevail.
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