16/11/2001 00:00
TW
0
Zimbabwe nearer the brink Has the international community given up on Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe? Admittedly there are distractions at the moment from what is happening in Africa but this should not mean that Mugabe is left entirely alone to flout the rule of law and ruin the economy of his country. Has South Africa lost interest in what is happening to its neighbour? Refugees from Mugabe's rule are flowing across the border, adding to South Africa's own problems. President Mbeki's “Marshall Plan” for Africa's economic recovery cannot get far when its claims of growing political stability in the continent are made to look empty by Mugabe's antics. Has the Commonwealth lost interest in Mugabe's total disregard of the agreement reached with his foreign minister for orderly land reform in early September? In the absence of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, cancelled because of the events of September 11, what action is being taken to suspend Zimbabwe's membership of the Commonwealth?

Has the European Union lost interest in Mugabe's refusal to respond to its approaches about the monitoring of Zimbabwe's forthcoming presidential elections at which Mugabe will ensure his re-election by whatever fraud and intimidation may be necessary. Has Britain lost interest in its residual responsibilities from the constitutional conferences of the 1970s for facilitating a fair land reform programme through financial support? If Britain, South Africa, the Commonwealth and the European Union have indeed all lost interest in what is happening in Zimbabwe, it will condemn all those in Africa who fight for reform to defeat and worse.

RAY FLEMING