Mugabe Hears Little Rebuke From Neighbors

Zimbabwe's President Attends African Union Summit Day After Being Sworn In After Dubious Re-Election

(CBS/AP)  Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe joined an African summit Monday looking for a boost of political legitimacy after a re-election condemned by world leaders. His fellow African leaders appeared unlikely to strongly criticize him, hoping to quietly find a resolution to the crisis.

The African Union summit got under way in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik a day after Mugabe was sworn in as president for a sixth term after a widely discredited runoff in which he was the only candidate. His main rival has dismissed the inauguration as "an exercise in self-delusion," and many world leaders have called the runoff a sham.

Though Zimbabwe was expected to be one of the main focuses of the AU summit, African leaders were not expected to publicly denounce Mugabe and instead gently urge him to engage in some sort of power-sharing agreement.

A draft resolution written by AU foreign ministers during two days of talks before the summit did not criticize the runoff election or Mugabe. The draft, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, condemned violence in general terms and called for dialogue.

But harsher words were spoken by U.N. deputy secretary-general, Asha-Rose Migiro, who called the situation an "extremely grave crisis."

"This is the single greatest challenge... in southern Africa, not only because of its terrible humanitarian consequences but also because of the dangerous political precedent it sets," she told delegates during an opening address.

Mugabe has threatened to point fingers at African leaders if they speak out against him. The Zimbabwe government newspaper The Herald reported Monday that Mugabe "was prepared to face any of his AU counterparts disparaging Zimbabwe's electoral conduct because some of their countries had (a) worse elections record."

African Union Commission chairman Jean Ping told delegates that Africans should "shoulder the responsibility" of helping Zimbabwe - but he did not criticize Mugabe or speak harshly about the crisis.

Africa should "do everything in its power to help the Zimbabwe parties to work together in the supreme interests in their country so as to overcome its current challenges," he said.

Electoral officials said Sunday that Mugabe won 85 percent of the vote in Friday's runoff, which observers said was marred by violence and intimidation. Opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai had dropped out of the runoff after a campaign of state-sponsored violence against his supporters.

Just hours after he was declared the winner, Mugabe, who has been Zimbabwe's leaders since independence in 1980, sounded a conciliatory note.

"Sooner or later, as diverse political parties, we shall start serious talks," he said in a speech following his swearing-in Sunday. He also had promised talks on the eve of the vote.

Many world leaders have condemned Friday's runoff. On Monday, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said France had "decided that this government is illegitimate" and called the re-election of Mugabe a "farce."

President Bush has said the U.S. was working on ways to further punish Mugabe and his allies. That could mean steps against his government as well as additional restrictions on the travel and financial activities of Mugabe supporters. The U.S. has financial and travel penalties in place against more than 170 citizens and entities with ties to Mugabe, the White House says.

Mr. Bush also wants the U.N. Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Zimbabwe as well as travel bans on Zimbabwe government officials.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in Beijing on Monday, urged China to back U.N. Security Council action to punish Zimbabwe's leaders, saying the time for mere statements was over. But Beijing showed little sign of being prepared to support upcoming U.S. proposals.

Chinese officials have offered little to prompt optimism in Washington for planned tough new action over Zimbabwe, a Chinese ally and trading partner in Africa.

Rice said Washington agrees with China that African nations need to play a bigger role, but said additional action is needed.

"We'd like the Africans to take the lead but it is not an African issue alone. It is also an issue for the Security Council," she said. "When we go to the U.N. we're going to need something that is not just another statement."

China holds a veto in the Security Council and its backing, along with that of Russia, will be essential to any move to penalize Mugabe and his top aides for allegedly instigating political violence.

After meeting Rice, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Beijing favors negotiations between Mugabe.

"The most pressing path is to stabilize the situation in Zimbabwe," Yang said at a news conference with Rice on Sunday. "We hope the parties concerned can engage in serious dialogue to find a proper solution."

Rice says the U.S. plans to introduce a resolution in the council this week. The U.S. holds the council's presidency until July 1, but appears to face an uphill battle in getting several important members to agree to any penalties against Zimbabwe.

[cyberus-2009]

Rebuke from his neighbors?

More likely they are taking notes ... like Bush and Cheney

[terrorislami]

LEFT WINGNUT KOOL AID DRINKING BARKING MOONBATS LEAD THE CHORUS OF USEFUL IDIOTS,,,

"Zimbabwe: Leftists to blame for Robert Mugabe''s blood-letting"

"...So it is infuriating to hear some Leftists and liberals saying, through the teeth of their post-imperial guilt, that perhaps an armed intervention is the only way to rid the world of this brute. Had this been done years ago, when they took the opposite view, how many lives might have been saved? How many productive people, black and white, would have felt able to stay in Zimbabwe, rather than flee with their talents abroad? Would it still be a country with a life expectancy in the low thirties, something not heard of in Europe since the early Middle Ages? How proud does the Left, with its stupidly romantic notions of the inviolate nature of "black freedom fighters", feel about what it has so ably helped Mugabe achieve?"
http://crusader-rabbit.blogspot.com/2008/06/zimbabwe-leftists-to-blame-for-robert.html

[terrorislami]

MUGABE/HUSSEIN IN 08

hmmmmmmm fascist nazi terrorislam backs mugabe/mug-me/bug-me,,, and fascist nazi terrorislam back husein,,,

COULD THIS BE A WARNING???

Islamic terrorists back Mugabe

Zanu-PF plots with a South African outlaw group to bring more terror to the country.

Four members of the military junta now ruling Zimbabwe in Mugabe''s name are holding secret meetings with representatives of PAGAD, the notorious Islamic terrorist organisation based in Cape Town, South Africa.
http://www.zimbabwetoday.co.uk/2008/06/islamic-terrori.html

[terrorislami]

typical and predictable,,, anytime you allow communist or fascist nazi terrorislam take over you will have a communist/terrorislam induced famine,,, it is happening in venezuela now,,, they also used to export food,,, now they too have to import food,,,

Zimbabwe suffers from an 80 percent unemployment rate and, according to the International Monetary Fund, an inflation rate exceeding 150,000 percent. Since 1994, the average life expectancy for women in Zimbabwe has fallen from 57 years to 34 years; among men it has dropped from 54 years to 37 years. Some 3,500 Zimbabweans die every week from the combined effects of HIV/AIDS, poverty, and malnutrition. Half a million Zimbabweans may have died since 2000, while some 3 million fled to South Africa alone.

A country that used to be called the %u201Cjewel%u201D and the %u201Cbreadbasket%u201D of Africa is now an Orwellian nightmare. With the economy in ruins and political freedom eviscerated, Zimbabwe%u2019s state-run media rail against a phantom international conspiracy consisting of Western powers and led by %u201Cliar%u201D George Bush, %u201Cgay%u201D Tony Blair, %u201Cuncle Tom%u201D Colin Powell, and %u201Ca slave to white masters%u201D Condoleezza Rice.
http://www.american.com/archive/2008/may-05-08/botswana-and-zimbabwe-a-tale-of-two-countries

[drinuk]

terrorislami, Time you took your pills and had a little rest, the nurse will be getting very annoyed with you otherwise, you know your brain melts when you get excited.

[drinuk]

Of course there will be no rebuke, they are despotic from the top of Africa to the bottom.

The real fools are those who give to their charities, money for starving children only buys guns, rocket launchers and mansions abroad. Stop Giving, Not Another Penny should be given to help their greed and Genocide, they are all rotten to the core.

[hungry1968]

"Mugabe Hears Little Rebuke From Neighbors"





Bush hears little rebuke from his neighbors too. What does that tell you?

I wonder if Mugabe has "earned political capital" in this election, and is now getting ready to spend it.

[ozonmojo]

This is the inevitable result of "liberation " of the African continent in all its obscene nakedness.The oppressed,given the chance,always turn into the oppressors.

[jackie0428]

African leaders are useless. This meeting today was a prime opportunity for other leaders to condemn and shame Mugabe. Instead, they stay silent. This silence is the same tactic they have been practicing with Mugabe for over 25 years, and it''s obvious this method doesn''t work. Mugabe cannot be ousted without other African leaders being involved, and it''s obvious by now is they''re NOT going to step up. If we want change we will have to wait for Mugabe to die naturally, because if Africa won''t help itself, they are not deserving of outside help either.

[drinuk]

The National wealth of the people of Zimbabwe has been spent by Mugabe and his crooks on Corporate American Franchises, Hotels, Fast Food and Oil Futures. Mugabe is the largest franchise holder in the world of one particular hotel group.

The American Government know this so why don''t they simply seize these investments on behalf of the real owners until such time that they can be handed over.

[ajaxtheleast]

Sound familiar?

The leaders of African nations dont criticise
Mugabe for the same reason that European leaders
dont criticise the American war criminal , , ,
he''ll "point fingers" and or
bring the hammer down.

It''s nice watching two men professional
in their work.

Mugabe is second best though.

But give Bob the ability to call in
air strikes, some night vision goggles,
a couple Abram tanks and a few dozen
co-illusion of the willing forces and the
gap between their performances will lessen.

[hot4real]

Pink "white" countries think The African people are their slaves therefore must do us like they want.

Pink countries have too much disrespect for the African people that should warrant a savage attitude toward them.

I want to make it clear here that former enslaving countries meddling in the African people affairs is seen as a devilish attempt to re-colonies africa using a puppet. Therefore will be resisted in the must brutal manner possible;

All the noise made by the USA and UK are nothing new but their attempt to install neo-colonialism in Zimbabwe.

i call on president Mugabe to cut all ties with the USA and teach the little kids to hate pinks "whites" more than death, so that once they are grown they can be ready to defend Africa against this satanic race that call itself white even when we all can see that they are pink.

[hot4real]

Bush an evil man who has killed more than 2 million people both in IRAQ and afghanistan and who has concentration camp in quatanamo bay and abu-ghabi prison with secret jails and torture chambers in both IRAQ and europe want to open his terrorist mouth and satabic mouth about the legend of the African people.

Rice that slave of Bush, was so much traumatised by the devilish race that call itself white she now think it is normal for pinks "whites" to supress us and dominate us the way they want.

pinks are a virus we must protect africa from. you little evil beings stay out of Africa, or we will get you wherever you put your evil feet on the continent.

we want to live in peace without any meddling from your evil race, if you cannot listen the time you animals will feel unsafe on the continent is not far.

soon coming to Africa will be like going to afhanistan in the taliban strong- hold.

you will soon open a new front in Africa, with the hate we have for you, we wil be happy to make you feel like in hell right here.

tell your evil government to stay out of zimbabwe and africa. tell them their evil race meddling is seen as an attempt to enslave us therefore we will kill for our freedom.

[secundus2]

The African Union, the EU and the UN are as worthless to Zimbabwe as they have been to Darfur or Somalia.

These dog-in-the-manger organizations yap about US unilateralism. But unless the US intervenes directly, nothing is done.

Pres. Mugabe knows that there is no power or political will on his continent or in Europe or at Geneva or at the Security Council to oppose his tyranny.

He can remain absolutely defiant, and the world''s gutless diplomats and statesmen start pandering to him with suggestions for "power-sharing".

For openers, this thug and his wife and their cabinet ministers should never be allowed to set foot outside their own borders. Second step, hit Zimbabwe''s generals in any way possible (weapons embargo, first off) until they realize where their long-term interest lies. Third step, indict him and offer a big reward for his arrest.

Bet your eye teeth that neither the Africans nor the "international community" will do a thing.

[steeepe]

Why can''t they criticize Mugabe? He''s wrecked the country and is even worse than Bush. More stupid politics....

[whitemale08]

Condileeza Rice needs to go to the U.K. and demand more then a statement from Tony Blair on why he renig on his promise to help Mugabe get back all of that stolen property from the IMF.

Western leaders are useless when they admit that they use the IMF and the intertional credit union Standard & Poors to blow out economies of these countries.

How dare some of these white-folks blame black Africans for their condition when they use such an evil financial system to steal their precios resources and labor with wrthless Federal Reserve Notes.

[tmn]

This whole situation certainly says something about Africa in general, doesn''t it?

[whitemale08]

tmn123- No...it says something about the West''s financial system and the IMF.

[ramos937]

That settles it. If Mugabe does not hear anything negative from his neighbors, he has no incentive at all to change and he will not. Since they do not care to get involved, then all that can be done is wait for him to expire someday.

[soldat44]

Terminate this POS with ''extreme prejudice''.

[rushlimpdrug]

tmn123- No...it says something about the West''''s financial system and the IMF.

Posted by whitemale08 at 07:33 PM


like tmn123 said . .

[feelfree4u]

Bush/Mugabe in ''08!

[ausus-2009]

FeelFree4U,

Yet another stupid statement from you. President Bush did not have Senators Gore and Kerry beaten up, repeatedly jailed and forced out of the country. He did not take over all media (or else you and I would not be able to be on this blog). He did not take away the property of Democrats and give it to members of his family. Learn more about Zimbabwe and its brutal dictator before you try to make comparisons.

[feelfree4u]

Re: "President Bush did not have Senators Gore and Kerry beaten up, repeatedly jailed and forced out of the country. He did not take over all media (or else you and I would not be able to be on this blog). He did not take away the property of Democrats and give it to members of his family."

Posted by ausus

That''s exactly why I feel that Mr. Mugabe would really round out the ticket.

Bush/Mugabe in ''08!

[drinuk]

Oh! God, there are some stupid comments on here from people who know nothing.

For over 20 years Mugabe spent the millions he recieved in Aid from the people he now calls Imperialists to fund a North Korean Army regiment, who on his orders slaughtered over ten thousand Matabele people in the South of Zimbabwe.

The rest of the countries wealth has been spent around the World on Property and Franchises so that come the day it all falls apart his followers will apply for asylum to all the countries where investments have been made with our money and Guess where they will come ???? The American government knows which American Corporates have taken the cash belonging to the people of Zimbabwe, They should confiscate it NOW, prior to Mugabe''s death or downfall.

[demwatcher]

"Posted by FeelFree4U at 10:52 PM : Jun 30, 2008"

Disregard this little Liberal troll. He brings no intellectual weight to the table.

Mugabe is what you can get in America if the Left takes over. Want proof? Try reading the Fairness Doctrine in it''s entirety. That is a VERY good example of the Left''s attempt to stifle opposing views.

[feelfree4u]

Re: "Disregard this little Liberal troll. He brings no intellectual weight to the table....That is a VERY good example of the Left''s attempt to stifle opposing views."

Posted by DemWatcher

Looks like you are the one attempting to stifle debate here, with weightless intellect.

[ringading3]

This is Africa, let them kill one another, it is none of our business.

[randynason]

For Bush to call Mugabe a dictator and the election a farce is something Bush should know plenty about. Rather than a criticism, the statement comes across more like a roast at a special dinner party. Maybe Mugabe will be McCain''s choice for VP pick.

[ausus-2009]

RandyNason,

There is a difference between a dubious result in Florida where nobody was beaten up, jailed or killed and what happened in Zimbabwe. In the recent "election" in Zimbabwe there was ONE candidate running. To link an honorable man like Senator McCain with Mugabe is a disgusting slur.

[harpoot]

A lot of these African leaders are crooks themselves so of course they wouldn''t make any waves. It''d be like Congress investigating legalized bribing aka lobbying. Ain''t gonna happen.

[terrorislamj]

HUSSEIN BELONGED TO A CHURCH THAT DIVIDES US RATHER THAN UNITE US,,,

HUSSEIN STAFFS HIS CAMPAIGN WITM MEMBERS OF THE NEW BLACK PANTHER PARTY THAT DIVIDES US RATHER THAN UNITES US,,,

HUSSEIN STAFFS HIS CAMPAIGN WITM MEMBERS OF THE NATION OF TERRORISLAM THAT DIVIDES US RATHER THAN UNITES US,,,

HUSSEIN IS A RACIST WHICH DIVIDES US RATHER THAN UNITES US,,,

[juwboy]

What is the non-African world expecting?

Do they really believe that this collection of dictators, tyrants, genocidal maniacs and products of rigged voting are going to pass a resolution expelling Zimbabwe from the African Union until it holds free and fair elections?

Dream on!!!

[keithle1]

The black man does not want to criticize another black man. You see that here in the USA.

[keithle1]

hot4real is the funniest comedian working in show business today. I love him.

How do you like your white person? Pink on the inside?

[keithle1]

The stuff that goes on in Zimbabwe & lots of other two-bit, going-nowhere-fast African countries will be going on 100 years from now. It''s never going to change.

Q: How long can sub-Saharan Africa keep blaming the white colonials for all of your problems?

A: Forever

[milesbrown49]

drinuk: Are you kidding??? Everytime a black leader takes controll, you call him a tyrant. He killed hundreds of thousand''s of people, he cut off arms legs and hands, he tyrant, he dictator.

Shut the hell up. Where and when did these North Koreans kill these Africans? Shut up liar. Sick of you lying low lifes trying to controll the resources of Africa. If North Korea killed the Zimbabewians, they are our ally now. Mugabwe threw the racist white minorty out of Zimbabwe and thats why he is under attack. China does worst to their people and we alow them to get rich and poisen us at the same time. You are such a liar!!!

[mairesa]

To say Zim is faced with a ''humanitarian crisis'' is a pathetic joke .. it is criminal for this situation to be ALLOWED to continue as it has since Mugabe came to power .... it''s also criminal for world powers to turn away and not do anything http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/bhekinkosimoyo

[mairesa]

my link got cut off:
http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/bhekinkosimoyo
* Zimbabwe Violence reminiscent of Gukurahundi massacres

[keithle1]

How many non-dictators can you name in sub-Saharan Africa? The selfless leaders who put the people of their countries first.

What has the great, noble Mugabe done for the people of Zimbabwe since he "threw the racist white minority out of Zimbabwe" 30 years ago, milesbrown49?

Inflation rate = the highest in the world.
Unemployment = 80%.
Life expectancy = 36.

Starvation.

I guess milesbrown49 is Black. He has that disease that lots of Black have. Refusal to criticize a black person no matter what. They''d rather poke out their eyes than do that.

You know, a lightning bolt won''t come down & strike you if you criticize a Black person. You''re allowed to do that. Try it. Mugabe & his thugs won''t be able to track you down. Feel free to speak your mind.

I know you don''t really think Mugabe is the greatest thing since sliced bread. He''s not paying you to come on here is he? A trillion Zim dollars per paragraph.