President Slams West Over Gaza

President Mugabe jokingly grips Sulumani Chimbetu to illustrate his “Batai Munhu” hook off a
hit by the same name as he introduces the musician to guests during Zanu-PF’s election
victory first anniversary celebrations at State House in Harare yesterday.
– Picture by John Manzongo

August 1, 2014
Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe Herald

Incoming Sadc chairman President Mugabe yesterday condemned Western silence over wanton killing of innocent people in Gaza by Israel, yet the same countries claimed to be champions of human rights and defenders of civilians in the world. President Mugabe, who will assume the chairmanship for the regional bloc at the 34th Sadc Summit in Victoria Falls set for the 17th and 18th of this month, also expressed dismay over some African leaders who are supping with the erstwhile colonisers to defeat the cause of liberation.

The President, who was speaking at a party he hosted at State House to celebrate the first anniversary of Zanu-PF and his resounding victory in last year’s harmonised elections, rapped the Israelis for killing defenceless women and children.

The death toll in the four-week Israeli bombardment of Gaza has risen to over 1 400, with more than 40 people dying after another day of intense Israeli bombardment from air, sea and land yesterday.

Over 90 percent of the Palestinian casualties were civilians, according to local non-government organisations and the UN.

Palestinian officials in Gaza yesterday said 8 200 people had been wounded.

Three civilians on the Israeli side and 56 soldiers have been killed so far.

“The Palestinians today are not just being harassed by small action here and there, they are being bombarded recklessly by Israel and they say more than 93 percent of people who have died comprise of women and children – civilians,” he said.

President Mugabe said the reckless and brutal killing of civilians in a small place such as the Gaza Strip exposed the West which recently murdered Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya under the pretext of protecting civilians.

He described Western insensitivity to such callousness as a spoiler to international peace, saying the West’s human rights mantra only applied in cases where they had vested interests.

“If yesterday it was civilians – the need to protect civilians in Libya which caused the Europeans and Americans to mount NATO forces in Libya, what prevents them now from going where 93 percent of civilians have been killed?” President Mugabe asked.

“Is there one conscience for a country like Libya and another for a small country like Gaza or is it the same conscience that rises only when the national interest of a country is threatened or when that country is in search of a resource then the conscience is faded and it rises to attack a country and when you have real suffering of civilians from a small country like Gaza where Europe and America think they derive no resource and where there may be in fact on the other side, offending side, does their conscience go to sleep and is that sleep so deep as not to be awakened?

“When is their justice and injustice, we ask? So, they should not tell us about human rights. They are violating them day in, day out,” President Mugabe said.

President Mugabe said though Hamas of Gaza might have fired missiles, reaching Israeli territory, but that could have been resolved amicably without mounting heavy military campaigns.

He said the Israeli military campaign had destroyed hospitals, schools and United Nations offices in Gaza and the West had remained mum.

“No voice of chiding and restraining (Benjamin) Netanyahu has been heard,” he said. “(Barrack) Obama is silent, Cameron (British Prime Minister) is silent. The whole of Europe is silent and these Israelis are day in, day out in a very brutal way bombarding the unarmed, innocent Palestinians.

“Small, small Gaza with Palestinians who have for a long time looked for a home must be allowed to perish and the world is just looking on and not raising a voice. Ban Ki-moon (United Nations Secretary-General) is trying his best, perhaps, but Ban is not even supported.

“Where is the Security Council? Surely, we should not allow that. Really that is a spoiler to international relations.”

The United Nations Human Rights Council recently resolved to launch an international inquiry into human rights violations committed during Israel’s barbaric military offensive in Gaza saying there was a possibility that war crimes were committed.

On African politics, President Mugabe said it was unfortunate that some leaders were departing from the virtues and principles of the continent’s founding fathers.

He said some African countries were over relying on Western countries to fund their budgets and in the process were uniting with the enemy against their African brothers.

“I am looking at Africa as a whole, you go back to the same people we kicked out of Africa yesterday and say we want help,” President Mugabe said. “Yes, of course, they will say we will give you help provided you say yes to them.

“So there is no longer the thinking of Nkrumah in most of Africa, sad. The reliance on the resources of Europe, funding by Europe and even our civil service let alone small projects and so on, reliance in some cases 60 percent on foreign aid.”

Turning to Zimbabwe, President Mugabe said unity was important for national development.
He said divisions almost cost the country its independence in the harmonised elections in 2008.

President Mugabe said the correction of the 2008 mistake put opposition parties and their Western masters into disarray.

He said up to now, the West still claimed that the 2013 elections were rigged without giving any explanation.