Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe signalled on Monday he had dug his heels in against international and local attempts to bring his government and the opposition to talks to end the country’s crisis.
In an emotional address at the annual Heroes’ Day commemoration of the fallen in the war against white minority rule, Mugabe said: ”There cannot be unity with the enemies of the people.
”Those who seek unity with us must not be enemies. Those who would go together with our enemies abroad cannot want to march alongside us as our partners.
”No, we say no to them,” he said, repeatedly banging the podium at Heroes’ Acre where hundreds of ruling Zanu-PF party faithful had gathered.
He made no direct mention of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, or its leader Morgan Tsvangirai. However, he has repeatedly denounced the party as ”the enemy” and claims it is controlled by the British and American governments, who he says are trying to recolonise Zimbabwe.
Mugabe also commended president Thabo Mbeki and Nigeria’s president Olusegun Obasanjo for refusing to ”pander to the whims of America and Britain to cause commotion and instability” in Zimbabwe.
”Zimbabwe has received outstanding support and greater solidarity from our African brothers, notably Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, and we really commend them for that,” said Mugabe.
Mbeki and Obasanjo are the two main brokers seeking to bring Mugabe’s Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to negotiate.
Talks between the two parties stalled last year as Mugabe demanded that the opposition, which rejected his re-election in March last year, acknowledge his legitimacy as the president.
Mugabe also extended his gratitude to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union for their ”unwavering support for Zimbabwe.”
”We also appreciate the SADC’s efforts and that of the African Union to reject attempts by Britain and the United States to destabilise our country and we want to thank them for their support.”
Mugabe’s land reforms, in which the compulsory seizure of white-owned commercial farms without compensation took place, have been condemned by Britain.
In a reference to the chaotic and violent land reform, Mugabe urged the newly resettled farmers to take farming seriously and help resuscitate the declining agricultural sector.
Zimbabwe is currently grappling with shortages of food, fuel and other essentials.
Mugabe’s remarks follow optimism for negotiations, after Mbeki and Olusegun’s mediation efforts and the country’s leading church organisations have led mediation efforts to start discussions.
However, there have been indications in the last two weeks that the attempt has foundered. – Sapa