Published by the government of Zimbabwe
3 December 2008
(Page 2 of 2)
"Such manner of proceeding might earn you prominent media headlines. However, I assure you that it will do nothing to solve the problems of Zimbabwe. As you secure applause because of the insult against us that we are 'cowards', you will have to consider the reality that our peoples have accepted into their countries very large numbers of Zimbabwean brothers and sisters in a spirit of human solidarity, prepared to sustain the resultant obligations.
"None of our countries displayed characteristics of cowardice when they did this. All of us will find it strange and insulting that because we do not agree with you on a small matter, you choose to describe us in a manner that is most offensive in terms of African culture, and, therefore, offend our sense of dignity as Africans, across our borders."
This is how Mbeki reacted to Tsvangirai and MDC's attitude, arrogance, lack of humility, lack of respect for others, and lack of gratitude to their African neighbours. Tsvangirai's excessive dependency on Western Europe and North America for political and financial support will backfire.
What Tsvangirai should not forget is that for all that life has dealt them, one thing that Africans have not abandoned is hatred for colonialism, neo-colonialism and imperialism in general.
The Zimbabwean campaign is the biggest Western Europe and North America have ever mounted in an independent African country.
We have had problems in Kenya, Uganda, Congo, but we have never seen Western Europe and North America do what they are doing in Zimbabwe.
Why?
Tsvangirai shouldn't mistake the African people's commitment and desire for democracy as an acceptance of Western European and North American political domination.
If he is not careful, the tide of African public opinion may soon shift against him, and with it a decline of his political fortunes.
There is no sensible alternative for Tsvangirai and MDC outside negotiated political settlement as expressed in (an inclusive) government.
This may not be the ideal political arrangement, but for now it seems to be the most sensible option.
Moreover, the ways in which we achieve our goals are bound by context, changing with circumstances even while maintaining steadfast in our commitment to our vision.
In conclusion, we can only say that intervention only works when people concerned seem to be keen to come together and work together in unity.
If they want to be sweepstake winners where there can only be a collective winner, then there is a problem.
We hope Tsvangirai and MDC will see sense in what Mbeki is saying and make amends.
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Mmm...lets see if I understand this? Prior to the SADC summit zanu-pf and the Herald went to some length to let us know that whatever was the decision by SADC it only amounted to a recommendation and that the parties were not obligated to accept that recommendation. Now, all of a sudden, this decision is treated as something sacrosanct.
Subsequently,the judicial tribunal of SADC, which has the authority of a court,has ruled that the confisfaction of 78 farms from white farmers in Zimbabwe breaches the civil rights of these farmers and should be rescinded. To this ruling Zanu-pf has said get lost, we will do what we want to do.
No. Sorry I'm still confused. Obviously I need to have a brain like 'hollowjaw'or whatever his name is to make sense of this.
Unfortunately many of the people who post these comments are fanatical loyalists who either worship Mugabe or Tsvangirayi and see nothing wrong in their hero or anything good in their opponent. In the process the silent majority remains voiceless. The truth is that both Mugabe and Tsvangirayi have let the people down - Mugabe by betraying the people's revolution through greed and incompetence and Tsvangirayi through abuse of the change mandate he is refusing to use for the people's good. Mercifully history is on the side of the ordinary people - they shall govern as the ANC's famous slogan goes. We see hope in the democracy now prevailing in South Africa.
The truth is, neither Mugabe nor Tsvangirayi can stop the decline and coming fall of Zimbabwe. The "liberation heroes," including but not limited to merely Mugabe, engineered it, and even if Mugabe himself repudiated every single action he took on national TV tomorrow, and even swore to give back all the farms to the Rhodesians, the other "liberation heroes" would just kill him and continue destroying Zimbabwe without hesitation. If Tsvangirayi was made god-king of Zimbabwe tomorrow, he could not stop it either, because the infrastructure that once supported Zimbabwe and is now being ripped apart by the "liberation heroes" took 120 years to build, and will take 120 years to rebuild, and the only choice the long-suffering people of Zimbabwe will have in the interim is to starve and die until their population is reduced to what it was 120 years ago, before all the supporting infrastructure was built.
Mugabe and his other idiots never cease to amaze me.They want Tsvangirayi to accept what they would not accept shame on them Zimbabwe shall be free whether Didimus Mutasa likes it or not he will go with his old man all the way enough is enough.
In my opinion mr Mbeki wants to use his position as the leader of the SADC commission to solve the Zimbabwian crisis to pay a moral debt to Mugabe! Liberation mouvements and progressive groups did not have any legitimate mandate to represent their people otherwise they would not have faced oposition from within the same people,as such whether who suported them it does not matter!By trying to choose the MDC party's friends,you are clearly showing your camp! I do not think being the president of Zimbabwe today is a lucky deal for a real patriotic Zimbabwian!It is hell!Those of you who look at power from the stand point of what you will put in your pockets can say the MDC leader is trying his luck as if elections in Zimbabwe is lottery!You do not even respect the mandate that Zimbabwians gave to Tvsangarai which Mugabe with the complicity of some neighbours stole it! You will aggree with me that even within SADC,voices are being raced as to Mbeki's hornesty as a mediator in these crisis,does this mean any thing to you?!Some of you will want a rubber stamp arrangement so that Zimbabwe so sick and in comma as it is should die in the hands of the MDC leader,the patient should be handed to the new doctor under proper conditions!Do not forget that if the elections that took place in Zimbabwe are anything to go by then the legitimate president of the Zimbabwian people is the mdc lader!Who has to bow down now to who ?the winner or the looser?Who legitimately represents the people now?Tsvangarai is not just a normal person in Zimbabwe but the embodiment of a people!It will be a historic mistake for SADC to seat and see a different organisation solve the problem in Zimbabwe!Diplomacy is not philanthropy it is a game of interests; do not tell us that you are working free of charge for share pitty of your sick neighbour!Lies! some of you have huge business interets and are making arrangements (noctunal) as i would say with the desperate Mugabe who is more than ready to sell his country in other to survive politically! History will judge all of us!
Zimbabweans in neighbouring countries are not mere economic migrants they are refugees running away from oppression and destitution. People are running away from a country where people are killed for voting for or being in the opposition, a country where your journalisim is supervised by the barrel of the gun. So dont write trash.
When you last in Zimbabwe? I have spent the last four weeks in the Midlands and MatesNorth ....Nkai, Silobela, Shurugwi etc. After my visit,l am seriously wondering why the MDC-T bother enter into negotiations or even let their members become MPs. WHY? The MDC dont care about the ordinary Zim but are only interested in the one thing they have always focused on....handing the country back to the Rhodesians and their European (white) backers....SHAME ON YOU, sons of the soil. Nyika iri kuparara takatarisa
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The herald is trumpeting the issue of acceptance by MDC with respect to the SADC decision.Would ZANU-PF had accepted the same decision if it was against them?I guess not becoz even before the meeting was held, Mugabe and his hench men were saying any decision from SADC is not a mandate but a mere recommendation which might or might not be implemented.It is this same people that are now giving this decision the kind of strength they had earlier on questioned.Go to hell ZANU-PF!!! It is not MDC who are pushing their luck but you.Morgan will stand to his gun and you go hang.