Madam, - The decision by British prime minister Gordon Brown to boycott the forthcoming EU/Africa summit to be held in Lisbon on December 8th and 9th because of the attendance of Robert Mugabe is to be welcomed. I believe our own Taoiseach should follow suit.
The brutal regime in Zimbabwe over which Mugabe presides has been roundly condemned by human rights groups throughout Africa and further afield.
According to United Nations officials it is estimated that the government's 2005 Operation Murambatsvina, or Drive Out Trash, has left more than 1.5 million people without homes and livelihoods. Catholic Church leaders in Zimbabwe have stated that the "innate human dignity given to us by the Creator Himself was gravely violated by the ruthless manner in which the operation was conducted and. . . cries out for vengeance to God." Zimbabwe is closer than ever to complete collapse. Inflation is between 7,600 per cent (official figures) and 13,000 per cent (independent estimates). Four out of five of the country's 12 million people live below the poverty line and a quarter have fled, mainly to neighbouring countries. Mugabe stands accused of ruining Zimbabwe's economy, rigging elections and violently suppressing opposition.
A clear message needs to be sent to Mugabe and his regime in advance of elections in March of next year. While the world looks to the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) to provide a solution, there is little evidence that this is happening as their initiative to facilitate a negotiated political solution appears to be becalmed. By a clear statement that Mugabe is a persona non grata, EU leaders would send a powerful message to SADC that it is in their members' interests to press into retirement this despotic 83-year-old president.
Gordon Brown has shown commendable leadership; it appears that only the Czech prime minister is minded to join with him. It is time for Ireland to also stand up and be counted. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL O'DOWD, Drogheda, Co Louth.