Comments on: Miliband’s questionable decision

By: Kubatana.net speaks out from Zimbabwe » Blog Archive » Britain gags on human rights

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:19:45 +0000

[...] In January I wrote critically of England’s intention to ban the Zimbabwe cricket team from touring that country in 2008. I’m again completely astounded at the hypocrisy of the British government when it comes to sport and politics. Get your head around this – Britain wants to bar the Zimbabwean cricket team in an effort to send a strong message of rejection and criticism to Mugabe’s totalitarian regime. On the other hand the British Olympic Committee will insist that British athletes sign a gagging order prohibiting them on speaking out on political issues whilst participating in the Olympic Games so that they don’t offend the Chinese government’s sensibilities. Globally there is widespread condemnation of China’s poor human rights record. Olympic Watch cites several key areas of concern including freedom of speech, democratic opposition and torture/death penalty. Both the Zimbabwean and the Chinese regime are subject to strong criticism in these areas. Again, spot the difference. The British government stands accused of out and out hypocrisy and should be held accountable for their fair weather concern for justice. Clearly its a case of trade before fair play when it comes to the Olympic Games in China. Makes you wonder if Zimbabwe was a strong trading partner of Britain whether Flash Gordon would be kissing Bob’s bum? [...]

By: Global Voices Online » Zimbabwe: Questionable decision

Global Voices Online » Zimbabwe: Questionable decision — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:29:52 +0000

[...] Bev Clark discusses the move to ban Zimbabwe cricket national team: “David Miliband, Britain’s Foreign Secretary has joined Flash Gordon in stating that Zimbabwe must not be allowed to tour England in the summer of 2009…Now what if we substituted Zimbabwe for Pakistan in this argument?” Share This [...]

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 10:04:01 +0000

I think its important for any, and all steps to be taken to show that there is an awareness of the situation in zimbabwe, by the English. Understandibly there are concerns of Pakistan, but they are nowhere near the economic disaster that Zimbabwe is facing, nor are their ruling party committing such huge humanitarian offences as are being brought upon Zimbabweans whose government chooses to line their own pockets instead of taking care of the business of running a country. Yes the opposition is being beaten down in Pakistan as well as Zimbabwe, but what we want is reform to come to Zimbabwe, by any means possible. This peaceful protest, and similar ones [Australian student visas refused to the beneficiaries of the zimbabwe regime], are small steps towards liberation for our country.