Mbeki castigates Tsvangirai

Mbeki castigates Tsvangirai
Written by George Chellah in Harare, Zimbabwe
Monday, December 01, 2008 3:40:12 AM

THABO Mbeki has castigated Morgan Tsvangirai over the MDC's attacks on SADC's recent ruling on the Zimbabwe power-sharing deal, reminding him that Zimbabwe's burden is not carried by Western countries but the region. And the MDC leadership will this week meet to chart the way forward on the recently agreed draft Constitutional Amendment Number 19 Bill.

According to a lengthy letter, addressed to Tsvangirai dated November 22, 2008, former South African president Mbeki expressed surprise over a letter written to him by MDC secretary general Tendai Biti.

"Today, I received the letter dated 19 November 2008, which was correctly communicated through the South African Embassy in Harare, written to me by your secretary general, the Honourable Tendai Biti, MP, concerning Constitutional Amendment No 19. I must confess that the contents of this letter came to me as a complete surprise, causing me grave concern.

As you know, Mr Biti's letter describes the decisions on Zimbabwe, taken by the November 9 SADC Extraordinary Summit Meeting held in South Africa, as "a nullity"," Mbeki stated. "The letter goes further to say that "it is then difficult for any of the parties to move in any direction for fear of legitimising the SADC Summit "ruling"."

The first point I would like to make with regard to the foregoing is that, as you know, we were appointed as facilitator of the Zimbabwe Dialogue by the SADC. This position was later endorsed by both the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN), both of which expressly rely on SADC to facilitate the Zimbabwe Dialogue, and thus contribute to the resolution of the Zimbabwe problem.

"You will, therefore, understand that it is absolutely impossible for us as the SADC-appointed facilitator contemptuously to dismiss solemn decisions of a SADC Summit Meeting as "a nullity". Indeed, and necessarily, all such decisions serve as a binding mandate on the facilitator."

He stated that what Zimbabweans, the region and Africa now need is the sense of patriotism among the leaders of Zimbabwe.

Mbeki reminded Tsvangirai of the burden the region was facing due to the Zimbabwean crisis.

"You know this, too, that the rest of southern Africa, your neighbouring countries, has also had the unavoidable obligation to carry much of the weight of the burden of the Zimbabwe crisis, in many ways.

You know that, among other things, various countries of our region host large numbers of economic migrants from Zimbabwe, who impose particular burdens on our countries.

Loyal to the concept and practice of African solidarity, none of our countries and governments has spoken publicly of this burden, fearful that we might incite the xenophobia to which all of us are opposed," Mbeki stated.

"Nevertheless, the leaders of the people of Zimbabwe, including you, dear brother, need to bear in mind that the pain your country bears is a pain that is transferred to the masses of our people, who face their own challenges of poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment. This particular burden is not carried by the countries of Western Europe and North America, which have benefited especially from the migration of skilled and professional Zimbabweans to the north."

Mbeki stated that in the end when all is said and done, Zimbabwe would have to exist in peace and productive collaboration with its neighbours in southern and the rest of Africa.

"Realistically, Zimbabwe will never share the same neighbourhood with the countries of Western Europe and North America, and therefore secure its success on the basis of friendship with these, and contempt for the decisions of its immediate African neighbours.

I say this humbly to advise that it does not help Zimbabwe, nor will it help you as prime minister of Zimbabwe, that the MDC-T contemptuously repudiates very serious decisions of our region, and therefore our continent, describing them as "a nullity"," Mbeki stated.

"It may be that, for whatever reason, you consider our region and continent as being of little consequence to the future of Zimbabwe, believing that others further away, in Western Europe and North America, are of greater importance.

In this context I have been told that because leaders in our region did not agree with you on some matters that served on the agenda of the SADC Extraordinary Summit Meeting, you have denounced them publicly as "cowards". Such manner of proceeding might earn you prominent media headlines. However, I assure you that it will do nothing to solve the problems of Zimbabwe.

"As you secure applause because of the insult against us that we are "cowards", you will have to consider the reality that our peoples have accepted into their countries very large numbers of Zimbabwean brothers and sisters in a spirit of human solidarity, prepared to sustain the resultant obligations.

None of our countries displayed characteristics of cowardice when they did this. All of us will find it strange and insulting that because we do not agree with you on a small matter, you choose to describe us in a manner that is most offensive in terms of African culture, and therefore offend our sense of dignity as Africans, across our borders."

In his letter to Mbeki dated November 19, 2008, Biti stated that: "Given the fact that the SADC resolution is a nullity and has not been rescinded, it is then difficult for any of the parties to move in any direction for fear of legitimising the SADC Summit "ruling". It means then that the negotiators cannot meet and work on the draft of Constitutional Amendment No 19," read the excerpt from Biti's letter.

"There is a total meltdown in Zimbabwe and indeed a complete collapse of the state. Put simply, the state has lost any capacity to provide the basic amenities to the people in the form of food, education, health, transport.”

"This situation, if left unresolved, will explode or implode and indeed such explosion or implosion will have a contagious multiplier effect in the region."

Mbeki's response to Biti's letter angered Tsvangirai who in turn called on him to step down as SADC mediator on the Zimbabwean crisis, accusing him of being biased towards ZANU-PF.

Recently, the extraordinary SADC summit that was convened in Johannesburg decided that both MDC and ZANU-PF should co-manage the Ministry of Home Affairs and that the Constitution amendment bill number 19, which will pave way for the establishment of the unity government be addressed by both parties.

The summit was convened after Tsvangirai called on the regional bloc to intervene as political parties in Zimbabwe had failed to share ministries equally.

And MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said the party leadership would convene this week to decide on the draft Constitution amendment bill 19.

Zimbabwe's three political parties last week reached an understanding on draft Constitutional Amendment Number 19.

However, Chamisa said the remaining outstanding issues include the sharing of Cabinet positions, the appointment of provincial governors and other senior government positions.