Tragic leadership failure in Zim: Mandela
Nthambeleni Gabara
27 June 2008
Former South African president Nelson Mandela has added his voice to the growing chorus of world leaders condemning the situation in neighbouring Zimbabwe.
Mandela spoke out against the violence in the country during a dinner to celebrate his 90th birthday at Hyde Park in London on Wednesday night. The event was attended by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and former US President Bill Clinton, among others.
Mandela said world remains beset by human suffering, poverty and deprivation, adding that it was in everyone's hands to make the world a better place for all.
"We look back at much human progress, but we sadly note so much failing as well," Mandela said. "In our time we spoke out on the situation in Palestine and Israel, and that conflict continues unabated. We warned against the invasion of Iraq, and observe the terrible suffering in that country. We watch with sadness the continuing tragedy in Darfur.
"We have seen the outbreak of violence against fellow Africans in our own country, and the tragic failure of leadership in our neighbouring Zimbabwe."
The Nelson Mandela Foundation also recently signed an open letter from leaders, organisations and individuals in Africa calling for an end to the current political violence in Zimbabwe, and for a free and fair presidential run-off election.
The letter was published as a full-page advertisement in a number of newspapers, including the Financial Times of London and Business Day of South Africa.
"We are profoundly concerned by the situation in Zimbabwe and would like to join all freedom-loving people who have added their voices to the growing worldwide call for true democracy there," said Nelson Mandela Foundation CEO Achmat Dangor.
Among the signatories of the letter were former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano; Graca Machel, Mandela's wife and the widow of Mozambique's first president, Samora Machel; the two former UN secretaries-general from Africa, Kofi Annan and Boutros Ghali, and Nobel laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and Wangari Maathai of Kenya.
Source: BuaNews
