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Development Committee voices concern over Zimbabwe
European Parliament
June 21, 2005

http://www2.europarl.eu.int/

Despite sanctions imposed by the European Union on Zimbabwe's top leaders since 2000, the situation in the country is still deteriorating. The government's operation Restore Order is trampling civil rights under foot. Food aid is channelled to those who enjoy the government's favour, making the humanitarian situation even worse, and the destruction of people's homes has thrown many Zimbabweans onto the streets. This was the picture painted by Grace KWINJEH, representative in Belgium of the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Derek MATYSZAK, head of the Amani Trust, and Alain DELETROZ, vice-president of the International Crisis Group, when they addressed the European Parliament's Development Committee on 21 June.

What can be done? This was the question asked by MEPs, including Margrete AUKEN (Greens/EFA, DK), who organised the hearing. Anne VAN LANCKER (PES, BE) thought that Europeans need to find allies in Africa who will condemn the regime. All speakers pointed the finger at South Africa.

President Thabo MBEKI is not putting enough pressure on his Zimbabwean counterpart, Robert Mugabe, and "South Africa is thereby losing credibility", said Eoin RYAN (UEN, IE). And yet, pointed out Michael GAHLER (EPP-ED, DE), South Africa is affected by its neighbour's plight, since many Zimbabwean refugees have ended up living on South African territory. Mr Deletroz suggested that MEPs try to forge links with their South African counterparts. Mrs Kwinjeh emphasised the gulf between South Africa's elite and its civil society, which was showing strong solidarity with the Zimbabwean people. The European Parliament could find scope for intervention at this level, she believed. !

The Commission representative assured the meeting that President José Manuel Barroso would use his next visit to South Africa to urge Mr Mbeki to put pressure on Robert Mugabe.

The ambassadors of Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mauritius were invited to today's meeting, in the case of Mauritius on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), but all declined.

In the chair: Max van den BERG (PES, NL), Vice-chairman

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