A couple weeks ago, the African Union finally got around to releasing its report blasting Zimbabwe for human rights violation. So what are African nations going to do about the report? Nothing.
As the Johannesberg Sunday Times reports,
Southern African ministers are to recommend that no action be taken against Zimbabwe despite a recent African Union report detailing human rights abuses committed by President Robert Mugabe’s government.
It’s a bit sad to see African leaders hide behind the same arguments that people used to make against sancations on apartheid South Africa,
We remain opposed to sanctions as we believe that they impact negatively on the poor… We are committed to work within SADC organs to help the Zimbabweans find a solution to their situation.
Right, because the poor are much better off starving under Mugabe’s tyranny than facing economic sanctions which would also hit Mugabe supporters.
Source:
SADC Won’t Punish Zimbabwe. The Sunday Times (Johannesberg), August 15, 2004.