Archbishop Tutu calls for intervention in Zimbabwe
Sunday, 29 Jun 2008 10:02
Archbishop Desmond Tutu wants intervention in Zimbabwe
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has called for the international community to take action in
Zimbabwe as criticism of the recent presidential run-off mounts.
The senior clergyman from Cape Town is seen as one of the leading moral voices on the continent and is renowned for campaigning against Apartheid.
In an interview with Channel Four, Archbishop Tutu stated that the international community no longer had to pay heed to the Zimbabwean government's sovereignty as he claimed it was working against the interests of its own people.
He said: "A government has the obligation to protect its citizens. If it will not protect them then or it is unable to do so then the international community knows now that it has an instrument to intervene to ensure that a situation does not deteriorate further."
The South
African bishop also called for countries to prevent flights of the country's state airline from landing in the country, so that government leaders "would not be able to escape the rigours of their own policies".
Meanwhile, incumbent Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has said his party had won a convincing win in the opposition stronghold of Harare, the country's capital.
The independence leader, who has ruled the country since 1980, is almost certain of re-election as he was the only candidate standing in the presidential run-off.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who withdrew his name from Friday's ballot due to attacks against his supporters, has told the Daily Telegraph that his party, which has the most seats in parliament, was considering forming a national unity government which could include his rival Mr Mugabe.
Mr Tsvangirai said: "The broad principle is how can the two parties coexist, for a short duration, through a transition that will allow us to make a new constitution and a fresh election.
"I don't think it's inconceivable for such an arrangement to include him [Robert Mugabe], depending, of course, on the details of what is being proposed and what are the arrangements," he added.
Members of the United Nations (UN) security council have expressed "deep regret" over the holding of the presidential run-off in Zimbabwe.
The 15-member panel, which is the international organisation's highest body, said yesterday that conditions for the poll were not conducive for a fair result, adding that elections should have been delayed. The US has announced that it is drawing up sanctions against the government of Zimbabwe while the EU has called the election a "sham".
The presidential run-off held on Friday took place after elections in March failed to produce a clear cut winner. Opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai won the most votes in the presidential election but he failed to win over 50 per cent of the ballot, thus necessitating a run-off.