PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe lacks moral authority to slam US over global refugee crisis when he has forced millions of Zimbabweans into economic exile, MDC-Welshman Ncube has said.
Mugabe, the country's only president since independence from British rule in 1980, told the UN General Assembly that the US is to blame for the refugees, who are mostly from Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria, swarming its borders and Europe.
He cited Washington's use of the Responsibility to Protect doctrine as a guise used by the superpowers to destabilize Third World countries in pursuance of selfish interests.
In a statement signed by the party's spokesperson Kurauone Chihwayi, MDC described Mugabe as a hypocrite who wants to lecture others on human rights issues he has failed to uphold.
"President Mugabe's remarks at the 71st UN General Assembly in New York where he accused some states of fuelling the refugee crisis worldwide for selfish interests are unfortunate and smack of a leader totally removed from reality on the ground in his own country," Chihwayi said.
He added, "This is the same Mugabe who has caused the migration into other countries of millions of Zimbabweans through bad politics that has plunged the country into an economic crisis. Millions of Zimbabweans are living like slaves in other countries and are too scared to return home to face an uncertain future under the ZANU PF regime.
Recently three of the estimated 3 million Zimbabweans living in South Africa (according to MSF) died in a disused mine while hundreds more were trapped. Several others also lost their lives in sporadic incidences of xenophobia over the last few years. Over hundred thousand more Zimbabweans are in America and United Kingdom--most of them are in exile either because of economic difficulties or fleeing political persecution.
"This is glaring testimony to the fact President Mugabe have completely failed the people."
An estimated two thirds of the 13 million Zimbabweans still in the country are living below the poverty datum line with only 20 percent in formal employment. The worsening economic situation has, of late, pushed the impoverished masses to the streets to demand that government create an environment for self-development.
The demonstrations, which were supposed to be peaceful, always ended-up violent as police reacted brutally assaulting and arresting the protestors. Many are still appearing at courts across the country answering to various charges.
From that background, Chihwayi said Mugabe's remarks at the assembly on the need for peaceful conflict resolution to avert lawlessness are "laughable".
"He (Mugabe) therefore does not have the moral authority to lecture anybody on conflict resolution or anything for that matter," said Chihwayi adding, "It is astounding that despite the chaos in the country he has the audacity to stand on an international platform and accuse others of fuelling the refugee crisis."
"President Mugabe has lived up to become one of the biggest hypocrites of our times. Given his manifest failures, we expect a bit of humility from Mugabe instead of his chosen route of hypocrisy and arrogance. We advise the international community to stop taking him seriously and dismiss his cheap stunts with the contempt they deserve."
