This is not worth the virtual paper it is not really printed on. That area has been long disputed and different charts show different borders. The SOP in such cases is to stay outwith the disputed area but we (USA/UK) have been deliberately entering it. Hence the "attack" on the US warship that was not an attack at all.

I do not like the present regime in Iran but I would expect them to protect the border which they claim is theirs whilst the claim is still open.

We should have supported the Shah when we had the chance.

Hi Acorn.

I agree with what you say in particular the supporting of the Shah.

We should also have supported Ian Smith and the government of Rhodesia in the bush war of the late 1960's and the 1970's and then perhaps there wouldn't be the problem of the despotic bastard Mugabe in Zimbabwe at the moment.

Early political correctness at its stupidest "Let the African rule Africa". I agree if the African is capable but not under the tyranny of the likes of Mugabe.

Faugh-a-ballagh

OC, I agree and i think a lot of older black Zimbabweans would too! I read omewhere that there are some wanting British rule!

Zimbabwe: The Role of the British Government in Zimbabwe


The Zimbabwe Guardian (London)

OPINION
3 April 2008
Posted to the web 3 April 2008

Martha Nyenyedzi, PhD


I watched yesterday with shock Tendai Biti announcing the results of the elections in Zimbabwe at a press conference which was televised at the same time as British foreign minister's special address in the House of Commons.

I thought such an announcement was the prerogative of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) in conformity with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Act, which means Biti broke the law by pre-empting the role of ZEC and making such an announcement.


In essence, this is taking the law into their own hands. One could conclude that they are no longer a political party, but a pressure group. Surely the MDC should respect the law that they intend to use if they assume power, and not break that law.

The Chief Elections Officer of ZEC is responsible for the execution of electoral operation (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Act Chapter 2:12, 11) â"- including the announcement of election results â"- not the MDC.

David Milliband, the British Foreign Secretary said that "He committed himself to following Zimbabwean law providing all the more reasons for the results to be announced promptly."

I do not know what he means by this statement. Results should not be published promptly, but only when they are ready to be published; not when Milliband or the British government wants them published.

Milliband was referring to the fact that Tsvangirai had promised not to pre-empt the announcement process by announcing the results of the poll himself.

We now know that the MDC went on to announce their version of the results, even though they had vowed to respect the law of the land.

In one campaign speech that I listened to MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai accused the Zimbabwean government for not respecting the rule of law. How then can they be law breakers themselves and expect civility on the part of the government?

David Miliband should retract his statement that he committed himself to following Zimbabwean law as the British government is in connivance with the MDC in illegally claiming a win?

A government that respects democracy and the rule of law would not use unofficial results to comment on the future of a country. What happened to Britain respecting our own institutions and their independence?

I have always found the British government's role suspicious in Zimbabwe. Mugabe's regime change mantra is now beginning to make sense and this situation is very disturbing. We voted for change, but do not want that change brokered by the British. We want it to be homegrown so that it makes sense to us.

The huge interest in Zimbabwe is very concerning and the blatant sidelining of ZEC by both the British government and the MDC seems suspicious, to say the least.

As a lawyer, Secretary General of the MDC, Tendai Biti should respect ZEC -- the only organisation legally and constitutionally mandated to issue the results.

Relevant Links

Southern Africa
Europe and Africa
Zimbabwe



ZEC has not yet declared a winner, let alone the winner of the presidential contest.

And why did the MDC not announce the result of the Senate?

Martha Nyenyedzi Zimbabwean Attorney writing from Dallas, TX



Recent comments on Zimbabwe: The Role of the British Government in Zimbabwe. Click here to write your own.
Author: Zimpat
I read this article with interest. Initially because of the opening sentence which expressed the author’s “shock” at Tendai Biti announcing the results of the elections in Zimbabwe and then because I noticed that the author was writing from the very far-away Dallas Texas - quite safe from any possible impending violence which may occur due to the unexplained delays in announcing results.

I suggest that, if the author had been closely following what has transpired in the Zimbabwe elections, she would look to the highly irregular manner in which the ZEC has been behaving, instead of spewing vitriol... [Read Full Text]

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Author: Tiger Tiger
Is this woman Zimbabwean?

The ZEC are hand picked by Mugabe's regime and therefore far far from Independent.

Right now they are drip feeding results that were known by Saturday lunchtime.

This is of course to buy time whilst they (Mugabe and his cronies) buy amnesty for their crimes and ill gotten wealth. The Hague is waiting for them all.

Zimbabwean exile waiting to return to rebuild my country.

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Author: zimdav1
I find the article by Martha Nenyedzi ridiculous and a one-sided parody of serious consideration.

She makes such a big case of the MDC announcing their win, as a serious breach of the 'rule of law'. Yet she neglects to say that Mugabe and the ZANU-PF has been blatantly trampling under foot the rule of law for many decades now. This includes the attempted murder of Morgan Tsangvirai, and totally illegal brutal physical assault made upon him in the recent past, by members of the ZANU-PF. And there are so many other examples of the illegality of the Mugabe regime,... [Read Full Text]

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Author: cliff zinyemba
Her opinion is as void as the opinion of someone who never went to school, yet she, without any shame, has decided to add the title "Phd" in front of her name. We, unfortunately for her, can not respect her opinion simply because she has a doctorate. The Mugabe cabinet full of Phds, "technocrats" only achieved to mis-manage the country and destroy what poor rural farmers and poor urban enterpreneurs had worked for all their lives. She is also a zimbabwean "attorney". this means that for years she has also been in the 'system' and she only fled when she... [Read Full Text]

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Author: fjnjn2000
I cannot believe such utter pettiness, and blinkered bias from a person who supposedly has a PhD. First thing, how on earth does Dr Nyenyedzi manage to bring the British into this? I was watching, live, Mr Miliband's address, and nowhere at all did he say that he endorsed the MDC, or took their version of the results to be authoritative. He merely urged that the issue be soon resolved! If anything - and his exchanges with the Conservative benches during this address bear this out - he showed sensitivity to the possibility of appearing to be "meddling" in Zimbabwean... [Read Full Text]