New Zealand wants more sanctions against Zimbabwe
August 13, 2002, 04:00
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark
Helen Clark, the New Zealand Prime Minister, has called for tighter sanctions against Zimbabwe and its expulsion from the Commonwealth. Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has quashed hopes among white farmers for a reprieve from an order to turn over their properties to landless blacks.
Clark told journalists Tuesday she was "very, very shocked" by the latest events. "I am as outraged as I was when I went to Chogm (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) earlier this year in Australia," she said. "As it stands many Zimbabweans are facing starvation (due to a regional drought) ... But Zimbabwe's situation is made significantly worse by the fact that is has a government which cannot function properly and is frowned on by much of the rest of the world."
Zimbabwe would be on the agenda when she meets Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon at the South Pacific forum meeting in Fiji at the weekend. Clark said she was angry the world was being asked to help out an "outrageous" government.
No serious action had been taken by the Commonwealth and it should now put Zimbabwe back "under the spotlight". "They should have been suspended quite some time ago and I would be very happy to see them suspended now."
New Zealand, like many countries, has already put in place targeted sanctions in place against Zimbabwe, though trades very little with the country.
Clark's comments came as Mugabe told white farmers in a fiery speech yesterday that he would stick to the August deadline for giving their lands to blacks. The warning, delivered during ceremonies for Zimbabwe's liberation war dead, came four days after 2900 white farmers were supposed to leave their homes to clear the way for blacks. - Sapa-AFP
|
|
You can make a difference
|
|
 |
Make a donation |
|
Support Zimbabwe at an event |
|
Lobby your local Government member |
|
Become a member of the ZIC |
|
