Posted on 06/24/2005 4:49:22 PM PDT by Paul Ciniraj
LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - The United Nations should arrest Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and put him on trial, Pius Ncube, the outspoken Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo, said on Friday, warning of a potential massacre.
Ncube compared Mugabe to Cambodian dictator Pol Pot whose reign of terror killed millions of people by forcing them from cities into the countryside -- an act he said was being repeated in Zimbabwe as the government bulldozes thousands of homes.
"The United Nations should arrest Mugabe, bring him to trial, insist on free and fair elections," he told Britain's Channel 4 News from the Vatican. "There's a peasant-ification drive here, something like Pol Pot did."
"These people, they are being kind of forced to go to the country but in the country there was a drought this year and there isn't enough food -- Zimbabwe only produced a quarter of the food they produced formerly, five years ago," he added.
Inflation in the former breadbasket of Africa is more than 500 percent, unemployment is over 80 percent and starvation is rife as white-owned commercial farms that formed the backbone of the agrarian economy are seized by the state and broken up.
Ncube, a defiant critic of Mugabe who has been in power since the former Rhodesia won independence from Britain in 1980, said 1.5 million poor Zimbabweans were being forced from their city homes as they were razed to the ground.
The government says they are all illegal buildings and it is simply reasserting the rule of law.
However, analysts note that urban Zimbabweans voted for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in elections earlier this year that returned Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party to power but which were widely regarded as rigged.
"They're revenging, going against the MDC which has won the relations in the town," Ncube said.
He accused African leaders of standing idly by while Mugabe destroyed his country and millions faced poverty and starvation.
"You must understand there is an African club here. They will support one another come what may because they feel that the western world is at an advantageous position economically," he said.
"They feel that we Africans we must support one another, not embarrass one another by criticising one another," he added.
Ncube said South African President Thabo Mbeki was the worst offender.
"The South African government...have done nothing but support Mugabe...Mbeki has lost all reputation in Zimbabwe for supporting a dictator who is killing his own people," he said.
Ncube raised the spectre of the 1994 massacre in Rwanda when the outside world did nothing to prevent the slaughter of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in just 100 days in spite of clear signs it was brewing.
"We've seen what happened in Rwanda. People are standing around, the UN standing around, the African countries did nothing about it," he said. "We want another Rwanda to take place due to a mad man who's just after power?"
Ncube, who said his telephone was bugged and he was often followed by Zimbabwe's intelligence service, said he had no choice but to speak out.
"I am aware of the dangerous situation of speaking up but that is the only thing I can do to speak up for the people. I'll go back there. I am so angry. I am ready to stand before and gun and be shot," he added.
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Pastor Paul Ciniraj
Yeah. The UN and what army?
Wonder why.
Maybe the U.N. can declare eminent domain on Zimbabwe. Where's Anthony Kennedy when you need him?
Wouldn't it be nice if each continent could just take care of themselves?
Is that too much to ask?
I hope this Bishop doesnt try holding his breath waiting for Kofi and his gang of rapists to act.
Sir, with all due repect, guns work better when you're on the other end.
I have a better idea: the UN should pass a resolution! That'll show him!
Blessings and aid for this man of God.
Send the French. All they need to do is raise their arms and everything will pass out.
Zimbabwe could use a little "democracy", no?
Mugabe's been place for twenty years? Nah! Really?
So many despots, so little time (sigh).
Yes, hmmm, very interesting, and, um, how many divisions has the Pope again?
" Wouldn't it be nice if each continent could just take care of themselves? "
Do you really have that much faith in penguins?!?!?!
Unfortunately the UN is more likely to bestow some type of honor on Mugabe.
As a matter of fact I do. Imagine squatting on those eggs and keeping them warm in Antarctica?
Those penguins are doing a better job than some of the Africans.
Yes because they can get around to arresting President Bush, the real tyrant.
Why do you ask? If we'd believed that, we would not be in half the wars we've been in. Also, US has interests in Africa and has a vested interested in stability.
You have always got one of THE BEST homepages on FreeRepublic.
Thanks :-) I'm sticking with that one for a while.
NO CAN DO, PARD!! First, Annan owes Mugabe money (yeah, BIG bucks) and, second, Mugabe is not white nor Christian! Nuff said?
Hmmmmm. Hell hasn't frozen over has it?
Rotsa ruck waiting for the UN to do something. Sudan's been going on for how long? Rwanda got how much UN attention?
Not gonna happen in the lifetime of THIS universe!
Ask the french to stop him.
Oh yeah. they'll fete him at the Elysee Palace instead.
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