ZAMBIA: Southern African leaders satisfied with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's human rights record

Southern African leaders say they're happy with the way negotiations on reforms are going with Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe despite international criticism. Southern African leaders say they are satisfied with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's human rights record. And at a regional summit in Zambia they did not urge him to enact reforms in his country. Western diplomats interpreted this as another sign that Southern African nations do not have the resolve to influence Mugabe, who has drawn international criticism by cracking down on opponents and failing to ease Zimbabwe's economic meltdown. Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, the new chairman of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), said the group of countries had relied on a report submitted by South Africa on Zimbabwe's crisis and had not raised the issue with Mugabe. South African President Thabo Mbeki has been mediating between the Zimbabwean government and the opposition. Mwanawasa said they were satisfied with the report and that the talks are "on a sound footing". Asked if the SADC had pressed Mugabe on widespread human rights accusations during the summit, Mwanawasa said the issue had previously been raised, they'd discussed the allegations and were satisfied with the answers given. Western powers have slapped sanctions on Zimbabwe and have stepped up criticism of Mugabe. He remains defiant and a divided and weak opposition at home and the SADC's apparent unwillingness to pressure the 83-year-old leader has given him room to manoeuvre and stifle dissent as an economic crisis ravages Zimbabweans. Mugabe, who has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980, denies accusations that his controversial policies, such as the seizing of white-owned farms to resettle landless blacks, have destroyed Zimbabwe's economy.

ITN Source | August 18, 2007

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