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(ZIMBABWE GUARDIAN) Britain should keep quiet on Zimbabwe: Mandela's wife

Britain should keep quiet on Zimbabwe: Mandela's wife
By: TG-TZG
Posted: Friday, April 16, 2010 8:28 pm

Graça Machel, who has criticised Britain's 'big brother' attitude to Zimbabwe and other former colonies, with her husband Nelson Mandela in parliament. Photograph: Schalk Van Zuydam/EPA

ONE of Africa's most eminent political figures has condemned Britain for taking a patronising "big brother" attitude to its former colonies, especially Zimbabwe.

Graça Machel, a founder member of the Elders group of world leaders and the wife of Nelson Mandela, warned British politicians to "keep quiet" about countries such as Zimbabwe and let African diplomacy take its course.

Machel, 64, is a former first lady of Mozambique, where she served as education minister, and has won numerous international awards for her advocacy of women's and children's rights.

In an interview with the Guardian newspaper in Johannesburg, she indicated that the crisis in Zimbabwe has revealed the shortcomings of a persistent imperialist mindset.

Listen to the interview below

She said the inclusive Government is a good opportunity for Britain to re-engage Zimbabwe.

"Can I be a little bit provocative?" Machel said. "I think this should be an opportunity for Britain to re-examine its relationship with its colonies. To acknowledge that with independence those nations will want to have a relationship with Britain which is of shoulder to shoulder, and they will not expect Britain to continue to be the big brother.

"When a nation is independent, there is no big brother. They are partners. Part of the reason why Britain finds it difficult to accept Zimbabwe is precisely because that relationship of a big brother is influencing [efforts] to try to understand."

Britain, along with the EU and US, has imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe. It has defied calls from South Africa to end these measures for the sake of the power sharing agreement between President Mugabe's Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations.

Earlier this year David Miliband, the foreign secretary, said the UK would be "guided by what the MDC says to us about the conditions under which it is working and leading the country".

He also said the MDC-T party "controls" some of the sanctions.

Machel added: "I'm not saying things are OK, they're all fine in Zimbabwe. I'm saying a different kind of dialogue, a different kind of bridge to try to understand the other side could have produced a different result from what it is.

"The more the British shout, the worse the situation will be in terms of relationship with Zimbabwe. That's why sometimes I really question, when something happens in Zimbabwe and Britain shouts immediately. Can't they just keep quiet?

"Sometimes you need just to keep quiet. Let them do their own things, let SADC (Southern African Development Community) deal with them, but keep quiet, because the more you shout, the worse [it is]."

Asked if Britain's attitude is patronising to its former colonies, Machel replied: "I'm afraid so. And what I'm saying is they have expectations which do not always coincide with what are the aspirations and expectations of those who are their former colony.

"When you change the relationship, you just have to give yourself to take the humility to stop and listen.

"And when you listen, then you take into account the other side. You put your case, then you take the other side. In a way, you harmonise interests of both sides."

Zimbabwe will mark 30 years of independence this weekend.

Machel, who became Mandela's third wife in 1998, also accused developed countries of double standards on CO2 emissions and climate change.

"This has been very clearly stated at the negotiations to Copenhagen. They know – the developing world, including China – that Africa has very small responsibility in the impact of climate change, but Africa is the one paying the highest price."

Labels: GRACA MACHEL, NEOCOLONIALISM, SANCTIONS, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 8:57 PM