Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Tony Leon is to meet Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon in London later in the week to discuss Zimbabwe’s status within that organisation, the DA said on Wednesday.
This would form part of an effort by the DA ”to urge a united stand against Zimbabwe’s continued membership of the Commonwealth”, acting DA leader James Selfe said.
This follows a decision on Monday by a troika of Commonwealth leaders, including President Thabo Mbeki, President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Prime Minister John Howard of Australia, not to impose tougher sanctions against Zimbabwe or suspend the country fully from the Commonwealth.
The troika was earlier nominated by the Commonwealth to deal with the Zimbabwe crisis. Howard had pushed for Zimbabwe’s full suspension while the two African leaders said the country’s status within the Commonwealth should be reviewed after another six months.
Selfe said on Wednesday the DA had begun to contact political parties and governments in every Commonwealth member country on the issue of Zimbabwe’s continued membership of the organisation.
Party leaders had already discussed the matter with Charles Kennedy, leader of the British Liberal Democrats, and intended to discuss it with Michael Ancram, shadow secretary of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs with Britain’s Conservative Party.
”The Commonwealth’s integrity as an organisation that respects, defends and promotes principles of human rights, rule of law and democracy is under threat. Unless the Commonwealth is prepared to take action against member states that are in violation of these principles, it serves little useful purpose,” Selfe said.
The Australian government earlier came under pressure from its opposition Labour Party to impose unilateral sanctions against Zimbabwe.
Howard repeatedly suggested his government would impose its own targeted sanctions against Mugabe’s regime, but given the limited impact of such action, he has held back.
Leon is due to meet McKinnon on Friday. – Sapa