Mugabe: "Human rights here are better than those of the United States."

[oblivious]

Al-jazeera Interview: Robert Mugabe

Wednesday 05 April 2006

Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's president, hits back at Western critics, saying that human rights in his country are better than in the United States and that Iraq will not have peace until US-led troops are withdrawn.

...Friction with the West openly began in 2000, when Mugabe ordered the seizure of commercial farms owned by descendants of white settlers, ...But Mugabe said problems had surfaced three years earlier, when Britain and the US ended support for a programme intended to distribute land to black peasants.

...Since the confiscations started, the agricultural economy has been disrupted and there have been shortages of food, fuel and imports. Inflation has sky-rocketed and in February reached 780%.

Mugabe acknowledged difficulties with the land programme, but blamed problems with agricultural production on a drought and difficulty in training and getting equipment for new commercial farmers.

...He insisted that the land is distributed fairly. "The land is given to anyone who wants it and can use it. It doesn't matter whether he’s an official or he’s a banker or he's a professor," he said.

..."If Europe would want to engage Africa, and indeed engage the Third World, including the Arab countries, China, India, Latin America, they must cleanse themselves of the past colonial theories … that they alone are superior, they alone are thinkers, they alone are intelligent," he said.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/DB684554-D300-44BB-B056-2E3B7B3C05B9.htm

[Ignacio Upton]

1. Mugabee would be like Stalin pointing out Hilter's atrocities

nt

[marmar]

3. He's indeed a psycho...

but a lot of his points in this article make some sense.

[malaise]

5. Sometimes I wonder if

people know the promises made to Mugabe by Britain and the US at independence in 1980 re said land reform and the promises broken by both countries. From where I sit, most leaders are scum and Mugabe is merely one of them.
Forget not how the Brits stole the land of his people. It might be useful to read the history of Cecil Rhodes and his merry band of thieves and of course the role of the British Privy Council is legalizing the loot.

[Warpy]

6. It's like reading Qadaffi in the 80s

you knew he was a total lunatic (not to mention a very bad guy) but some of his points made a whole lot of sense. Then he'd lapse back into lunacy and you'd exhale in relief and move on, safe in your former assessment of him.

"Blessed be the cracked for they shall allow in the light" is a good phrase to remember. Sometimes crazy people have brilliant insights. I worked in a lot of psych units, so I know that firsthand. Just always be aware that they are indeed crazy and be very careful how you assess those insights.

[Faygo Kid]

2. I need a shower.

The "Third World" has had some great, underappreciated leaders. This AIN'T one of them.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Any rattlesnake speaks with a forked tongue.

nt