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Botswana calls on SADC to isolate Mugabe

By danaimurehwa
for ZimEye.org

Published: November 26, 2008

commentComment        

By Vusi Moyo & Tandiwe Jenje

 

Harare(ZimEye)The Botswana Foreign Affairs minister, Phandu Skelemani has called for Zimbabwe’s borders to be closed.

 

Speaking on BBC’s HardTalk programme today (Wednesday), Skelemani urged for isolation on Mugabe in order to press for his departure as Zimbabwe’s president. In an address to the SADC body, he stated,

 

“The rest of us should own up and say ‘Yes, we have failed’. Call upon the international community and tell Mugabe to his face, ‘Look, now you are on your own, we are switching off, we are closing your borders’, and I don’t think he would last,” he said.

 

Skelemani pressed on, “If no petrol went in for a week, he can’t last.”

 

This follows last Friday reports that President Kgalema Motlanthe of South Africa and his Botswana counterpart, Ian Khama met the at the Presidential guest house in Tswane to unlock the deadlock in the Zimbabwe crisis.    According to a statement from the Global Zimbabwe Forum, the issue of Cholera that is spreading from Zimbabwe into neighbouring countries had also trigged these talks. Cholera patients from Zimbabwe are crossing into neighbouring countries seeking treatment which the country’s health institutions are failing to give. The two leaders’ meeting was also to discuss ways to put pressure on the Zanu PF and the MDC for the two to quickly agree on cabinet posts which have stalled the GNU’s formation.  This was the first official visit to South Africa by president Khama since he took office.

 

The South African government announced a few days ago that it would be withholding aid to Zimbabwe in an attempt to put pressure on Zimbabwe to increase the pace of the formation of government

 

 

In a related development, Zanu PF and MDC parties are meeting in South Africa on Wednesday to hold talks to try and end the political deadlock in Zimbabwe.  They will discuss the amendment of the draft agreement for the Unity Government that they signed in September.

 

The meeting which will be mediated by Former President Thabo Mbeki comes amid reports that Mbeki wrote a letter to MDC Tsvangirai and accused him of not respecting decisions made by AU leaders; to which MDC responded stating that they would not be forced into a compromise about Zimbabwe.

 

While the outcome of the meeting is pending AP reports that Cholera, a disease that occurs through ingesting food or water that is contaminated, continues to spread in many areas of Zimbabwe.  The U.N. humanitarian coordination office in Geneva said 8,887 cases have now been recorded and the disease has spread to more than half of the country.

 

With more than 50 deaths reported on Monday the toll on Tuesday, according to the United Nations was 366.  Most cases were reported in the capital, Harare, but the U.N. said it has received reports of suspected cases in neighbouring Botswana and South Africa. [ZimEye, Zimbabwe]

Tagged with: Botswana calls on SADC to isolate Mugabe


WPSN comments

6 Comments on "Botswana calls on SADC to isolate Mugabe"

  1. Mutengesi on Wed, 26th Nov 2008 10:20 am 

    Ngaachibva mhanhi Bob Murderer,

  2. Tom on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 2:27 am 

    I don’t understand Botswana’s attitude to Zimbabwe. At times it’s all bravado to get rid of Mugabe, but at the SADC ‘crisis’ meeting with all parties present, including Mugabe, Botswana went along with everyone else in trying to force a deal that stipulated sharing the home affairs portfolio. Does Botswana find it easier to go along with the mob when he’s with them abd then rattle the sabre from afar. Make up your mind, Ian!
    Tom

  3. Kelly on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 7:22 am 

    I don understand why all the so called powerful African leaders dont implement but rather keep condeming Zimbabwe. I feel time for condmnation is over we are in a situation where we need to act. Drastic action has to be taken for the sake of the innocent Zimbabwens. If need be lets send in troops to rescue the situation.

  4. Criss Cross on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 11:11 am 

    The mission is to bring democracy and freedom to the people of Zimbabwe.
    Back room diplomacy only achieves the silencing of opponents to the regime by making them complicit partners of the regime..
    One mans freedom fighter is another mans terrorist.
    One mans back room diplomacy is another mans back street abortion.
    Failure to resolve this crisis WILL bring war to the entire SADC region.
    We need to liberate Zimbabwe from tyrany before Zimbabwe liberates us all from freedom itself!

  5. Tom on Fri, 5th Dec 2008 10:43 pm 

    I’m with Kelly. Drastic action is the answer, although (and I’m sure Kelly will agree) SADC and action are as about oxymoronic as you can get. Maybe with Mbeki a fading nightmare, South Africa can become a little more responsible as the region’s leader.
    Tom

  6. botswana hiv on Tue, 16th Dec 2008 11:06 am 

    botswana hiv…

    Well spoken. I have to research more on this as it is really vital info….

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