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07/04/2008: "West condemns Mugabe, ignores other Africa despots"

South Africa - Nigeria. Rwanda. Uganda. Ethiopia. Gabon. Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe has plenty of competitors for the title of "least democratic in Africa."

But while he has been singled out for condemnation by the West, leaders of other autocratic states in Africa have largely been able to avoid sanctions and isolation. Many have friends in Western capitals. Or play a strategic role in the war against terrorist groups. Or sit on oil.

With corrupt and authoritarian governments close to the norm on the continent, it is not surprising that African leaders ignored Western demands that they censure Zimbabwe's president at a summit this week and some welcomed him with hugs.

While some African leaders have condemned Mugabe, many admire him for thumbing his nose at the West and pointing out its perceived hypocrisies, like the Bush administration appealing for human rights in Zimbabwe while facing criticism over the U.S. prison at Guantanamo.

[ That is hypocrisy indeed. Mugabe is unfairly singled out. He is a horrific tyrant - but only one of many. ]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080704/ap_on_re_af/africa_s_silence;_ylt=Ag4RyHKiyCGe7mYDabGI0pis0NUE

Replies: 1 Comment

on Saturday, July 5th, woody said

Mugabe wasn't really a problem to Western leaders while he was killing off the whites. With the white farmers gone and a lack of food production, the West provided food assistance. But now Mugabe has turned his violent thugs towards his black opponents. Suddenly western leaders are condemning him. Advice to mugabe, open the borders to millions of whites, then start slautering them and watch the western aid roll in by the billions.