Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Harare (Agenzia Fides) – The pressures are intensifying from other Western nations regarding the President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe. The United States has presented a resolution proposal from the United Nations Security Council, to sanction 12 members of the African regime and place an arms embargo on the country.
The United States, Great Britain, and France, three of the UN Security Council’s permanent members, are carrying out a diplomatic activity to convince the other members of the Council, especially the other two permanent members (Russia and China) to adopt a harder line in relation to Mugabe. British Premier Gordon Brown affirmed that he was considering sending an international peace keeping force into Zimbabwe in order to protect the people from the violence of the Mugabe regime and its supporters. In exchange for the Chinese and Russian support in the Zimbabwe matter, the Western powers would be willing to offer their support in other parts of the world.
An eventual resolution from the UN Security Council would oblige Zimbabwe’s neighboring countries, such as South Africa, to interrupt or reduce diplomatic and trade relations with Zimbabwe. This would in turn lead to a lack of fuel, electricity, and other important goods that Zimbabwe imports from foreign countries.
Zimbabwe is already suffering from pressures on the part of its neighbors, especially Botswana and Zambia. Mozambique has not intervened until now and has limited itself to simply observing the situation, while Angola is gradually changing in its position regarding Zimbabwe, as a result of the pressures it is receiving from the Western countries who have important investments in the country.
The resolution draft presented by the United States affirms that Mugabe must not be allowed to travel anywhere in the world and the freezing of his assets, along with those of his spokesman George Charamba; Patrick Chinamasa, the Justice Minister; and Emmerson Mnangagwa, the Rural Housing Minister, in addition to other members of the armed forces and security services. The resolution also mentions am embargo on arms-selling in the country.
In the meantime, over 200 people are camped out in front of the United States Embassy in Harare seeking refuge, claiming to be victims of the regime’s political persecution. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 04/07/2008)
