euro|topics - Zimbabwe on the verge of civil war

Main focus of Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Zimbabwe on the verge of civil war

The situation in Zimbabwe is coming to a head: after repeated acts of violence by supporters of President Robert Mugabe, the leader of the opposition Morgan Tsvangirai has withdrawn his presidential candidacy and sought refuge in the Dutch embassy. The threat of civil war looms ominously. How should Europe react?

Financial Times - United Kingdom

Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs columnist at the Financial Times, calls on the international community to intervene in the crisis in Zimbabwe: "It is urgent that action is taken now – while the political situation is still in flux. ... Zimbabwe is still a member of important international organisations and economic sanctions on the country have been limited. International isolation of Mr Mugabe - combined with tougher, targeted, economic sanctions - might still force change. Britain, the US and the European Union need to cut off the access to hard currency and international banks that allows Mr Mugabe and his cronies to float above Zimbabwean hyper-inflation. ... But the biggest source of new pressure on the Mugabe regime has to come from its southern African neighbours. ... If, by contrast, the main regional organisations – the African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) – took the unprecedented step of expelling Zimbabwe, they would strip the Mugabe regime of its last fig-leaf of legitimacy." (24/06/2008)

Elsevier - Netherlands

The political weekly Elsevier demands that the United Kingdom, a former colonial power, play a more active role in ending the crisis in Zimbabwe. "What now? One politician demands that the UN Security Council speak out against Mugabe; another calls for a boycott. Many say the African neighbouring countries, and above all South Africa, must finally denounce Mugabe. But will Mugabe suddenly start caring about what the UN says or does? No, and a boycott would only hurt the people. ... But why don't the British take action? ... The British, in contrast to the French, who simply send in a foreign legion whenever the situation in Africa calls for it, are always overanxious about being accused of neo-colonialism. As long as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is unwilling to free Zimbabwe of Mugabe or seek another solution, the long-suffering Zimbabweans face a pitch-black future. Perhaps the time has come to crank up the pressure on Brown." (24/06/2008)

Göteborgs-Posten - Sweden

For the newspaper Göteborgs-Posten, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's withdrawal puts pressure on Zimbabwe's neighbour South Africa to act: "South Africa's president Thabo Mbeki can force Robert Mugabe to resign, saving Zimbabwe from famine and terror. It is high time Mbeki assumed this responsibility. As a mediator for neighbouring countries he can push Mugabe to accept free elections. As president of South Africa he has the necessary authority and power to do so. Until now Mbeki has not put these to use, and has even protected Mugabe. Speculations as to why generally conclude that the old revolutionaries are backing one another. But South Africa has enough of its own problems with poverty to shy away from its role as a regional power." (24/06/2008)

Diário de Notícias - Portugal

The daily Diário de Notícias accuses Europe of not intervening in Zimbabwe because it has no strategic interests to defend there: "Javier Solana, the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, has said the withdrawal of Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai from the presidential runoff vote was understandable. Solana ... also explained why: 'In view of the systematic use of violence, intimidation and sabotage by Zimbabwean authorities over the past few weeks'. But the violence in Zimbabwe has been going on for much longer! ... And what has the West done about it? Very little or nothing. A bit of criticism and a few sanctions which no one observes anyway. But the most important step, that of stripping Robert Mugabe of his power, has not been taken. ... It is an outrage that Europe continues to welcome this dictator ... as it did only recently at the FAO's conference on world food security in Rome. An outrage because the Zimbabwean people have the misfortune of living in a country which has no crude oil and is therefore unimportant for Europe and the rest of the world." (23/06/2008)

» To the complete press review of Tuesday, June 24, 2008

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