THE DADDY PARTY--GLOBAL DIVISION:

Is Zimbabwe the new South Africa? It depends what colour you are: Analysis: Plans to further ostracise President Mugabe have dominated the summit, and risk dividing the community in a way not seen since apartheid. (Trevor Royle, 07 December 2003, Sunday Herald)

How ironic it is...that the main proponent of re-admitting Zimbabwe is President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa. Together with the leaders of Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique he preferred a southern African solution which would use carrot and stick to persuade Mugabe to mend his ways. Quiet diplomacy and not strident political point-scoring is their motto and it was not without its takers, especially among older members who still value the idea of belonging to an exclusive club. Far better to keep Mugabe inside the fold where he might be persuaded to mend his ways than keeping him outside where, unchecked, he could do even more damage without fear of retribution.

Against that, Australia and New Zealand came up with a more drastic solution. Once the period of suspension had ended, Zimbabwe should be drummed out completely until such time as it reforms itself from within. That meant no more corruption, no more vote-rigging, no more breaches of human rights and no more trousering dosh from the national exchequer.

To a lesser extent Britain went along with that proposal, but Tony Blair has always fought shy of appearing to be too hard on Zimbabwe for fear of being accused as a colonial oppressor.

You won't hear this in your post-Colonial Studies class, but the reason the West is so paternalistic is because the rest of the world needs adult supervision.

Posted by Orrin Judd at December 7, 2003 10:50 AM