AU slams Zimbabwe vote as Mugabe faces peers

[maddezmom]

Source: AFP

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AFP) - African Union observers condemned Zimbabwe's one-man election as undemocratic on Monday, intensifying pressure on Robert Mugabe as he faces his peers after a vote much of the world has dismissed as a farce.

Mugabe was attending an African summit in Egypt a day after being sworn in amid growing calls for the continent's leaders to act to resolve the crisis which some fear could destabilise southern Africa.

"The vote fell short of the African Union's standards of democratic elections," monitors from the pan-African bloc said in a statement issued in Harare as their leaders met in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.

"The African Union observer mission is however encouraged that both parties have shown willingness to engage in constructive dialogue as a way forward for ensuring peace, stability and development in Zimbabwe," the observers said.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080630/wl_afp/africanunionsummitzimbabwe

[Zynx]

1. I'm waiting for the Mugabe apologists here to say the AU is full of British stooges.

[David__77]

4. I'm not a Mugabe "apologist," but I do oppose any military intervention.

It would simply convert Mugabe, yet again, into a national hero and engulf the country in seas of blood that make like now seem positively idyllic.

[ohio2007]

6. You must be pro genocide then bc when sanctions are imposed,

the surplus population will feel the pinch.

Then again, maybe not. Mugabe may accept exile in Idi Amins old compound in the land of the house of Saud

[David__77]

9. I oppose sanctions against Zimbabwe.

I do not support diplomatic measures that may negatively impact common people's living standards.

[ohio2007]

13. So you choose too ignore it knowing the people of that country will overcome alone.

I myself see the Saudi's making an offer like the one made to Saddam.
Buy him off with opulent splendor like Idi Amin

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. I don't think that any countries are suggesting that military intervention is an option

[David__77]

11. The Zimbabwe MDC leader has called for a foreign invasion.

They certainly have some pull, like the Iraq National Congress did. I think it's important to be prepared for such a contingency.

[sudopod]

2. This is a pretty big deal.

Elder statesmen tend to be held in very high regard among AU nations. It would take a serious fuck-up for a guy like Mugabe to get a public rebuke.

[mainegreen]

3. AU rebuked him?

His time is limited then.

[ohio2007]

7. Last week I heard Mugabe speak on an NPR radio news segment

He said:
"They can all KISS - MY - ASS ! "


So he definitely has it hanging out there.

[LeftishBrit]

5. Good.

The African Union may have far more influence in this case than other nations of the world.

[otherlander]

8. I hope this actually does something.

[ohio2007]

14. He may be exiled in his own country as stepping outside his little world....

...the worlds journalists are pushing him back ;)


http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d72_1214938575

"Congratulations on stealing the election "


LOL

[otherlander]

15. I don't care what happens to him.

It's his enemies who I'm worried about.

[anakie]

12. The AU will do nothing

as a sizable proportion of it's members tend to be on the dictator/single party state side of the fence. eg Egypt, which is holding the summit, Libya, Algeria is hardly known for free and fair, Sudan, many of the west African states etc. Even South Africa is approaching one party statehood.

They may not welcome Mugabe but they will not do much about it.


Peace