Simply ridiculous
Via Reuters
Zimbabwe, widely criticised for mismanaging its economy, was elected on Friday as head of the Commission on Sustainable Development, the main U.N. inter-governmental body on the environment.
Despite objections from Western nations, the 53-nation commission voted Zimbabwe’s environment and tourism minister, Francis Nheme, as chairman to replace oil-producer Qatar.
The post rotates among regions and Africa nominated Nheme as chairman of the commission.
One of the practical considerations will be how will Zimbabwe manage to attend meetings in the EU given the number of travel restrictions against Mugabe’s government because of his government’s disregard for human rights. And how did Zimbabwe’s UN ambassador Boniface Chidyausiku respond to this problem? Like this: “What has sustainable development to do with human rights?”
It’s looking like a success already… NOT!
May 13th, 2007 14:16
How did this happen? Sustainable development needs a host country which can lead by example, surely other African nations can see Zimbabwe was not right for this position of responsibility? Were there any African politics behind this? (western countries aside)
May 13th, 2007 21:33
At least in Zimbabwe there are oppositions parties and an opposition news paper,elections are held,no matter what one think of them.What about in China,a member of the security council.Who is protesting And in China a whole town is forced demolish for industrial developement,poor farmers demonstarting against such act of barbarism are killed,where is the Austrilian preminister,white hypocritesd all of them
May 14th, 2007 15:01
Looks like the farmer (UN) has left the fox (Mugabe) or in the case, (the worlds idiot) in charge of the henhouse.
Time to wake up Zims.
May 14th, 2007 23:02
All this does is confirm the general opinion that Africans, or at least their governments, are idiots.
It may be true that China is even less free than Zimbabwe. Certainly China was Hell under Mao. That in no way makes the situation in Zimbabwe acceptable. If Mugabe is slightly less brutal than Mao, that is not for want of trying. Marxists are Marxists, and all have contempt for ordinary citizens.
May 15th, 2007 13:37
This is the best – do not get offended! If you want to humiliate a fool – do not argue with him/her. Give him to the longest rope to hang himself/herself. That is what is happening in Zimbabwe. Truth.
My advise to you is do not take these issues seriously – but organise yourselves. The moment of truth is just round the corner and you do not want to be caught unprepared. ‘Hlalani lilindele’ and in the meantime agitate and organise!
With you in Spirit! African Spirit Arise!
May 15th, 2007 18:35
couldn’t Francis Nhema be challenged on the state of the farm he acquired? A tiny delegation from the UN to go and have a look?
They’d all have the Zim situation sussed in a nutshell.
May 16th, 2007 21:49
the Useless Nobodies have once again proved they are a self serving body, a great big racket.
May 18th, 2007 16:53
its a simple game of politics.why bother voting for some poliTRICKAL party that deserts you soon after elections and then tries to buy you towards elections.THIS PARTY IS AFRAID OF THE WEST COLONIZING AGAIN SO THE ONLY OPTION IS ALLOW THE EAST TO DO JUST THAT.COME ON MAN robert (in small letters).COMMUNISM DOES NOT WORK SHOULD NOT HAVE HUNG WITH THE CHINESE AND THE CUBANS AND THE RUSSIANS AND SENT SCHOOL TEACHERS THERE FOR TRAINING WHAT WAS YOU THINKING.I HAVE AN EQUATION FOR YOU.WAR VETS THEN 50 000 THEN TRACTORS THEN LAND = DISASTER
WAR VETS THEN LAND THEN TRACTORS THEN 50 000 = BENARD CHIDZERO BUDGET
on the other end how can the same party divide into two when the goal to achieve is the same.me,my father and my mum can argue but still we share the same name and house.MDC WAKE UP AND SET YOUR PRIORITIES RIGHT.
May 18th, 2007 17:02
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY DOES IT MEAN OUR ECONOMY HAS SOMETHING TO WRITE ABOUT SINCE THE SO COLD DIAMONDS HAVE BEEN FOUND SOMEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
I WONDER?
FRANCIS NHEMA SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF ACCEPTING THAT POST BUT THEN AGAIN ITS HIS NAME THAT MATTERS THE MOST THAN THE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE.TYPICAL OF ALL AFRICAN POLITICIANS ALL OVER AFRICA.
I MISS FATHER ZIMBABWE FOR SURE
May 22nd, 2007 17:09
The lunatics have definitely taken over the asylum. That is the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard – it would be funny if it were not so tragic and dangerous. Dangerous because it continues to give a veneer of normality and respectability to a country where the government is run my a dangerous madman intent on taking out his frustrations on his own people and allowing his own country to be raped by China. Africa needs to wake up anc understand that they cannot just side with anybody who opposes Europe and the US, without any logical reason. Yes, these countries have a lot to answer for in terms of what they did to Africa and her people previously, but the argument that anything emanating from the EU/US is bad and anything emanating from Africa is good simply is not based on reason. Calling Mugabe a dictator and a tyrant and withdrawing support does not mean you want the West to re-colonize Africa – it simply means you have the courage to stand up for what you know is right. Besides, if the Mugabe regime hates the West so much, why do they care whether they are on UN structures at all?!
June 2nd, 2007 21:27
Guys, all I can say to Zimbabweans is WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF “WESTERN DEMOCRACY”.
All these years of being comfortable, knowing whos in power, what the issues are, who’s funding what, are only the signs of a young democracy which was only given a honeymoon period(the same as South Africa is). The average “westerner” or whatever that is, enjoys no democracy whatsoever most of the time; they disagree with Iraq with their borders being flooded by people, with their leaders CONSTANTLY lying to them and screwing them. THE FRANK ISSUE WITH ZIMBABWE right now is that we are seeing the country through their eyes.
I.e. nothing will ever be good with human rights until the white farmers reaquire “their” land. I was there when white farmers were blissfully raking in a MILLION US$ a HECTARE, and mass human rights were being perpetrated.
But these western media baron’s eyes, Mugabe was WONDERFUL and ELECTIONS were RIGGED in his favour. Just ask Ndebeles in the south if they were happy that westerners knighted Mugabe after the Matebele massacres, because they were done to protect white interests, against scheming South Africans in the south!!!
Zimbabweans and English people were never closer than at that moment.
All stakeholders should be prepared to therefore bare whatever brunt comes from veering of this path.
April 20th, 2008 14:28
it is very interesting how a small country like zimbabwe is more in the news than any of the other 3rd worl countries, could it be because the white colonialist who had to give back the land to the righful owner is not ready to accept defeat, why is it when the ethiopian government arrested deported and killed the oposition rihtfully elected by the people , the world kept qiet, why the double standard tactics