African leaders slam West on democracy

GRANDE BAIE, Mauritius – Southern African leaders rounded on Western powers on Monday, backing Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe and saying Africans were tired of preaching from countries who denied them democratic rights under colonial rule.

Mugabe’s controversial seizure of white-owned farms for landless blacks and his contested re-election in 2002 were a major focus of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit held in Mauritius this week. Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa launched a stinging attack on Western countries, pressing SADC to ensure democracy.”We are tired of being lectured on democracy by the very countries which, under colonialism, either directly denied us the rights of free citizens, or were indifferent to our suffering and yearnings to break free and be democratic,” Mkapa told fellow heads of state at the summit’s opening ceremony.Mkapa said the region should develop electoral laws in line with its political, social and cultural background.The summit aims to adopt common electoral rules across the SADC region, proposals Mkapa said were not directed at any one country or group of countries in a reference to media reports that the proposed reforms were designed to rope in Mugabe.”In democracy as in all other things, no one size fits all,” he said.”Multiparty democracy and its attendant elections must never be a cover for the destabilisation of our countries.”Mkapa spoke after the chairman of SADC’s key politics, defence and security body painted a glossy picture of democracy.”I am happy to report that democracy is not just well, but is thriving,” Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili said.Mauritian Prime Minister and new SADC chairman Paul Berenger praised Mugabe and said polls next year would be free and fair.Mkapa said SADC had agreed earlier this year to establish a technical committee to advise on land reform as it was crucial for the development of one of the world’s poorest regions.”Let SADC speak with one voice, and let the outside world understand, that to us Africans land is much more than a factor of production; we are spiritually anchored in the lands of our ancestors,” he said.”Time has passed.We forgive those who did this to our ancestors, but now that we are in power, we cannot run away from our historical duty to set right these historical wrongs and injustices.”Mkapa said reform must be fair “to help new land owners become productive in the quickest way possible, on lands over which they have secure property rights.”Domestic and Western opponents accuse Mugabe of destroying Zimbabwe’s once prosperous agricultural base through seizing farms and rigging his re-election in 2002 to hang on to power.Mugabe denies the charges, and says his country is being undermined by enemies led by former colonial power Britain.Analysts say fellow leaders in the 13-nation bloc are in any case unlikely to break ranks and will maintain their traditional public approval of Mugabe.- Nampa-ReutersTanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa launched a stinging attack on Western countries, pressing SADC to ensure democracy.”We are tired of being lectured on democracy by the very countries which, under colonialism, either directly denied us the rights of free citizens, or were indifferent to our suffering and yearnings to break free and be democratic,” Mkapa told fellow heads of state at the summit’s opening ceremony.Mkapa said the region should develop electoral laws in line with its political, social and cultural background.The summit aims to adopt common electoral rules across the SADC region, proposals Mkapa said were not directed at any one country or group of countries in a reference to media reports that the proposed reforms were designed to rope in Mugabe.”In democracy as in all other things, no one size fits all,” he said.”Multiparty democracy and its attendant elections must never be a cover for the destabilisation of our countries.”Mkapa spoke after the chairman of SADC’s key politics, defence and security body painted a glossy picture of democracy.”I am happy to report that democracy is not just well, but is thriving,” Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili said.Mauritian Prime Minister and new SADC chairman Paul Berenger praised Mugabe and said polls next year would be free and fair.Mkapa said SADC had agreed earlier this year to establish a technical committee to advise on land reform as it was crucial for the development of one of the world’s poorest regions.”Let SADC speak with one voice, and let the outside world understand, that to us Africans land is much more than a factor of production; we are spiritually anchored in the lands of our ancestors,” he said.”Time has passed.We forgive those who did this to our ancestors, but now that we are in power, we cannot run away from our historical duty to set right these historical wrongs and injustices.”Mkapa said reform must be fair “to help new land owners become productive in the quickest way possible, on lands over which they have secure property rights.”Domestic and Western opponents accuse Mugabe of destroying Zimbabwe’s once prosperous agricultural base through seizing farms and rigging his re-election in 2002 to hang on to power.Mugabe denies the charges, and says his country is being undermined by enemies led by former colonial power Britain.Analysts say fellow leaders in the 13-nation bloc are in any case unlikely to break ranks and will maintain their traditional public approval of Mugabe.- Nampa-Reuters