Mugabe says UN envoy pressured over report

HARARE – Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe says a special UN envoy told him she was under pressure to produce a damning report on the demolition of illegal homes and businesses, the official Herald newspaper reported yesterday.

Anna Tibaijuka, sent by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to assess the crackdown, said in a report made public last Friday that the campaign had destroyed the homes or jobs of at least 700 000 people and affected the lives of another 2,4 million. “She told me (while in Zimbabwe) that her hands were tied and that the report was going to be negative,” the Herald quoted Mugabe as saying during a visit to China to garner support for his crisis-ridden southern African state.”Comrade Mugabe said Mrs Tibaijuka told him that certain people had been planted in her assessment mission to ensure that the report was damning,” the paper added.UN officials were not immediately available to comment.Harare, estranged from Western countries mainly over its controversial land reform programme and accusations it has rigged elections since 2000, has dismissed Tibaijuka’s report as biased and unfair.But the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in neighbouring South Africa – a close ally of Zimbabwe which is considering taking on a portion of Harare’s US$4,5 billion foreign debts – backed Tibaijuka’s recommendations.”The recommendations provide a basis for further engagement by stakeholders in Zimbabwe and the international community to address some of the matters raised in the report,” the ANC said in a statement.On Tuesday former colonial ruler Britain challenged the UN Security Council to openly address Zimbabwe’s bulldozing of slums, threatening a rare public clash with council members like China which has blocked the move under its policy of opposing council intervention in other nations’ internal affairs.- Nampa-Reuters”She told me (while in Zimbabwe) that her hands were tied and that the report was going to be negative,” the Herald quoted Mugabe as saying during a visit to China to garner support for his crisis-ridden southern African state.”Comrade Mugabe said Mrs Tibaijuka told him that certain people had been planted in her assessment mission to ensure that the report was damning,” the paper added.UN officials were not immediately available to comment.Harare, estranged from Western countries mainly over its controversial land reform programme and accusations it has rigged elections since 2000, has dismissed Tibaijuka’s report as biased and unfair.But the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in neighbouring South Africa – a close ally of Zimbabwe which is considering taking on a portion of Harare’s US$4,5 billion foreign debts – backed Tibaijuka’s recommendations.”The recommendations provide a basis for further engagement by stakeholders in Zimbabwe and the international community to address some of the matters raised in the report,” the ANC said in a statement.On Tuesday former colonial ruler Britain challenged the UN Security Council to openly address Zimbabwe’s bulldozing of slums, threatening a rare public clash with council members like China which has blocked the move under its policy of opposing council intervention in other nations’ internal affairs.- Nampa-Reuters