Posted on 09/04/2002 4:57:42 AM PDT by Clive
"This rubbish about neo-colonialism. That is merely a cloak, a cover for what is a corrupt, ruinous regime that is damaging, most of all, poor black people in Zimbabwe"
Zimbabwe is facing a potential humanitarian disaster at the hands of a "corrupt and ruinous regime", Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned.
He fiercely rebuked Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's criticism of Britain's colonial past, claiming it was "nonsense", stressing that most African leaders would disassociate themselves from the comments.
Mr Blair insisted that Mr Mugabe had refused to take up cash available for land reform through a UN programme.
He said the situation was "a terrible, terrible tragedy".
The prime minister was speaking at a presidential style press conference in his Sedgefield constituency just hours after returning from the world summit at Johannesburg, where Mr Mugabe had launched his attack on Britain.
Mr Blair told reporters on Tuesday: "It is a shame that people think that Mugabe speaks for Africa - he doesn't. The vast majority of African leaders would totally disassociate themselves from what he said yesterday - this rubbish about neo-colonialism. That is merely a cloak, a cover for what is a corrupt, ruinous regime that is damaging, most of all, poor black people in Zimbabwe."
Mr Blair said the international community should be considering what it could do about the crisis in Zimbabwe. But he said: "The trouble is the number of levers we have in our hands are limited. There is a potential humanitarian disaster there."
Mr Blair told how he had watched grain being off- loaded from a ship in Mozambique that was destined for Zimbabwe. "Zimbabwe is potentially one of the richest grain nations in the world but because of the way he (Mugabe) has ruined the country it is having to import grain for its people," the prime minister said.
It was "nonsense" to say that the UK had "held up" land reform.
"The money is there for land reform. He could get that money and use it for land reform - because land reform is necessary - at any point in time he wanted," said Mr Blair. "The only demand that has been made is that it is done through the UN programme in order to make sure that the money goes to the poor people that actually need it and not into the pockets of him and his henchmen and the other people running the show."
During his speech at the summit, Mr Mugabe defended his controversial land reform policies and warned Mr Blair: "Keep your England and let me keep my Zimbabwe."
Mugabe isn't interested in the poor people, he's mad that he can't get his own sticky fingers on the money.
Let's collect enough dough for airline tickets for all those here demanding $$ for slavery to send them to Bobby Mugabe's African paradise.
Those who are NOT descended from AMERICAN slaves need to sit down and shut up. Under even the most tortured, leftist, idiotic (redundant!) logic (oxymoron!), these people have no standing. And those who ARE descendants of slaves now calling for reparations need to remember a few things:
They should not only be glad to be in America, they should be glad to be ON THE PLANET! Had their forebears NOT been sold to the slave traders, the blood of their ancestors would have run into the earth over there several centuries ago. Their ancestors would have been killed outright or worked to death by the OTHER black who captured them in one of the interminable tribal wars still raging on that sad continent. These modern day would-be "plaintiffs" would not even exist.
And should the great-great-great grandchildren of the approximately 3,000 SLAVE OWNING BLACK plantation owners in this country also be subject to PAYING reparations?
If so, how do we find THEM?
Robert Hitt Neill tells of attending a Tennessee Mountain Writers Conference years ago with several other authors. Among them was Alex Hailey, celebrated author of Roots. Watching a TV news show, a group of them watched a demonstration in a Southern state against the Rebel flag incorporated into that states flag. The very next report covered a famine in Africa. Graphic images showed dead bodies, starving children with distended tummies and runny noses and dying people covered with flies, too weak to brush them away.
Mr. Hailey intoned in a low, serious voice:
Every time an American black sees a story like that, they should find a Confederate flag and kiss it. He then pointed to the TV screen and continued, Because these would be me and my descendants, except for American slavery. I thank God that my family and I are here instead of there.
What about the millions STILL living in slavery, held there by members of THEIR OWN RACE in Africa and elsewhere today?
Do you suppose THEY are NOT targets of these reparations whores because they have little or nothing of value for which they can be EXTORTED?
And how about the MILLIONS of WHITES and ASIANS who have slavery in their backgrounds?
Next problem!
Once Mugabe has destroyed local agriculture, the only way for people to avoid starvation is to get imported food, which will be under the control of Mugabe
Mugabe is after absolute power, using starvation as a weapon to kill off all who ever opposed him
I agree with you completely, but he's 78 years old. Does the old bugger think he's going to live forever? Who will be his successor when he finally gets his just reward?
You see, if we can get everybody in America suing everybody else then nobody has to actually work making anything anymore and we can all live in paradise!
The thing about Communist-like regimes is that, no matter how old the people on top are, they need the support of their juniors. If the people at the next lower level are not assured that there will be continuing loot for THEM, they're going to look for the exits
We have largely emptied the public trough, burst through its rotted bottom and tussle in the mud and slime beneath as we thrash about wildly in search of a PRIVATE trough to plunder.
And it may be too late to turn this thing around.
Pray for our grandchildren. We're leaving them a MESS far worse than that we inherited from OUR parents and grandparents.
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