Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Mugabe admits Zim a "laughing stock"

from the UKTelegraph:

Zimbabwe a laughing stock, says Mugabe


By Sebastien Berger, Southern Africa Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:50am BST 09/10/2007

Zimbabwe a laughing stock, says Mugabe
President Robert Mugabe confiscated
farms from white owners

The malnutrition that afflicts millions of Zimbabweans has reduced the country to a "laughing stock", President Robert Mugabe has admitted.

Distributing equipment to black farmers resettled on land seized from white owners, he said: "We have become the laughing stock because of hunger. We all need to eat, whether you are Zanu-PF or MDC. Let's unite."

Since Mr Mugabe began confiscating farms Zimbabwe has gone from being an agricultural exporter to a country where millions need food aid. He blames supposed Western sabotage for the situation, rather than his own actions.

An international court is to be asked to rule on the seizure programme. Papers filed with the Southern Africa Development Community Tribunal accuse Mr Mugabe's regime of illegal racial discrimination and violations of human rights...

---------------

Actually, I agree with land reform. But there are ways to do it that compensate families. Here in the Philippines, my husband's ancestral land was given to the workers, but we kept small farm plots. And his family were paid: not much, but enough to help pay school fees in university

No comments:

 
Free hit counters
Free hit counters