EU, US plot hits snag

<a href=www.herald.co.zw>The Herald Online Last Updated: Friday, 18 April 2003 Herald Reporters

THE United Nations Human Rights Commission has rejected a European Union and United States-sponsored resolution to condemn Zimbabwe for alleged human rights abuses while the UN secretary-general Mr Kofi Annan said the world body was heartened by the continued leadership, commitment and support of the country.

Out of the 53-members of the commission, 28 countries — mostly from Africa and Asia — rallied around a South African proposal for a "no action" motion while 24, mostly EU members, voted against Zimbabwe.

In a congratulatory message to President Mugabe yesterday on the occasion of Zimbabwe’s 23rd independence anniversary today, Mr Annan said: "It is heartening to know that the United Nations can count on the continued leadership, commitment and support of Zimbabwe."

Mr Annan said there should be efforts in the world to fight against threats and forces seeking to divide humankind.

"There is no time to lose if we are to translate into reality the agenda of peace and development.

"From poverty to pollution, from Aids to armed conflict and terrorism, the international community must redouble its efforts if we are to bequeath to our children a world of choices, not constraints," he said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cde Stan Mudenge, yesterday told journalists that attempts by the EU and the US for action to be taken against Zimbabwe failed because the majority members of the UN Human Rights Commission supported Zimbabwe.

"We are grateful to the 14 countries from Southern Africa and the rest of countries from Asia, including also such countries as Cuba, Venezuela and Russia," said Cde Mudenge.

He said the majority in the UN Human Rights Commission expressed solidarity with Zimbabwe despite pressure from the US and Britain to do otherwise.

Zimbabwe was last year elected into the influential 53-member UN human rights body, amid protests from some Western countries led by Britain.

The US last month stepped up its demonisation of President Mugabe and the Government and led a campaign to condemn Harare for what it called flagrant and ruinous human rights abuses.

The US State Department produced a glossy 16-page report entitled "Zimbabwe’s Man-made Crisis" documenting what it described as a litany of abuses committed by the country’s leadership since 1980.

The booklet was widely distributed at the annual meeting of the UN human Rights Commission.

The aim of the Americans was that the booklet would have a strong impact and "stir vigorous debate" against Zimbabwe.

It painted a gloomy picture of life in Zimbabwe, from alleged torture of members of the opposition to the land redistribution programme and food availability.

But all this failed to work as Algeria, Bahrain, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Cuba, the DRC, Gabon, India, Kenya, Libya, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Venezuela and Vietnam, all voted against the resolution.

The countries that voted for the resolution are Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Germany, Guatemala, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Republic of Korea, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom, the US and Uruguay.

Last year, a British-sponsored resolution by the EU to call for an investigation into alleged human rights violations in Zimbabwe was thrown out before debate by a top UN human rights forum in Geneva.

Nigeria managed to rally support from 14 African, Asian and Middle East countries to thwart the British move.

On the Sadc Ministerial Task Force which is scheduled to come to Zimbabwe, Cde Mudenge insisted that the task force was coming at the request of the Government.

"It is at my request and not an inquisition by my brother (Angolan Foreign Affairs Minister) but an act of solidarity," said Cde Mudenge.

Cde Mudenge said he needed to meet with the Angolan Foreign Affairs Minister first before the Sadc Taskforce visits Zimbabwe.

He dismissed reports that the Government intended to thwart the Sadc ministers from undertaking independent assessments of the situation prevailing in the country, saying the ministers were free to come up with their own itinerary.

He said the Sadc ministers, through their ambassadors in the country, were well informed about the situation currently prevailing in Zimbabwe.