Mugabe succumbing to pressure?

[Atomic_Piggy]

The rival claimants to victory in Zimbabwe's widely criticised presidential elections - Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai - have agreed to immediately begin intensive talks aimed at establishing a "new government".

At their first meeting in more than a decade, Zimbabwe's president and the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change yesterday signed a five-page "memorandum of understanding" that envisages a fortnight of secret talks by representatives dealing with an array of issues from political violence against the opposition to constitutional reform.

Mugabe, who only a few weeks ago was ruling out any deal with Tsvangirai but has been forced to give ground under myriad pressures including an imploding economy, described the memorandum as a "serious matter". "We sit here in order for us to chart a new way, a new way of political interaction," he said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/22/zimbabwe

 

[Nemesis6]

Just pathetic... It won't change anything because Mugabe will still be there screwing everything up, and in turn, it will corrupt the opposition into colluding with Mugabe and his cronies, and I think that's what the goal is with this stunt. Think about it: Now they're gonna work with the same people who've been killing, abducting, torturing, and just screwing up the country for so long. I really don't put it above Mugabe to do this, knowing that this will bring the opposition down to a manageable level which can then be "handled".

 

[Dynasty]

Problem is, nobody will touch him politically because he's not actually doing anything that threatens the neighbouring countries, so nobody will fight their way in to try and take him down.

What he IS doing is of course wrong, but its his country and nobody has the right to dictate how he runs it unless he turns 'hostile'.

 

[nurizeko]

Thats understandable, respecting sovereignty is an important ideal to international relations, but sometimes its just obvious when someone needs to be brought to justice.

 

[15357]

**** sovereignity.


edit: **** zimbabwe's sovereignity.

 

[Raziaar]

"No regime should ignore the will of its own people and calls from the international community without consequences,"

Wow...

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Sorry, I just choked on my coffee because your avatar is dancing to the music I am listeneing to. Creepy.

 

[Nemesis6]

Looks like he's gonna be ousted very soon now -

THE president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, has been warned by Thabo Mbeki, the South African president, that he faces prosecution for the crimes he has committed during his 28 years in office unless he signs a deal to give up all effective power.

Mbeki, who has done all he can to shield and support Mugabe for the past eight years, has come under overwhelming western pressure and has had to tell Mugabe that he could no longer protect him and his key cronies from being charged by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The power-sharing talks between Mugabe?s Zanu-PF and Morgan Tsvangirai?s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) are shrouded in secrecy. But The Sunday Times has learnt that Mugabe, who has vowed that Tsvangirai will never be in government and that ?only God can remove me from power?, faces humiliation over the terms of the deal that he will be forced to sign next month.

He will remain as president in name only and all real power will be held by a 20-member cabinet under Tsvangirai as prime minister. The opposition MDC will have 11 cabinet posts to nine for Mugabe?s Zanu-PF.

All Mugabe?s senior officials in the army, police and intelligence services, who have unleashed a campaign of terror since the MDC won a disputed victory in the elections held in March, will be dismissed.

Observers caution, however, that bringing Mugabe to justice could be protracted since Zimbabwe does not recognise the jurisdiction of the ICC. Any investigation would require a referral from the United Nations security council, which would probably be blocked by China or Russia.

The transitional government will have close ties to a group of western donor nations known as the Fishmongers Group, set up a year ago on Britain?s initiative. It includes the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Sweden, Holland, Norway, Canada and Australia. China declined an invitation to join.

The decisive showdown came last week when Mugabe realised that his power was broken. On Monday Mbeki?s emissary, Sidney Mufamadi, a South African cabinet minister, arrived in Harare to read the riot act to Zanu-PF officials.

More here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article4406837.ece

 

[15357]

Cool.


So that's the end to that. Remember kids, if you become the dictator of a country, remember to make sure that your people love you and other countries can't mess with you.