As MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, seeks refuge in the Dutch Embassy in Harare, the sound of hand-wringing and tut-tutting from neighbouring countries becomes ever louder.
South African President, Thabo Mbeki, had been designated as mediator in the crisis by the African Union (AU). He has not been an effective mediator to date as the Mugabe regime grows ever bolder in its use of violence against Mugabe's political opposition. Mbeki's ineffectiveness is to some extent understandable as Zimbabwe's neighbours have put very little pressure on the Mugabe regime to behave differently. Perhaps they would not be able to effectively enforce any sanctions anyway and do not want to set themselves up to fail.
President Mbeki's apparent unwillingness to be critical of his old friend Robert Mugabe, never mind take any action action, is having a negative effect on perception of South Africa's own stability and integrity.
The deterioration in Zimbabwe has seen the South African rand falling in value as the chaos in Zimbabwe has increased. That can't be good for South Africans already struggling with rising rising food and fuel prices.
How sad it would be if President Mbeki's apparent confusion over what is right and wrong lead to similar problems developing in his own country.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
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