DATE: 30 June 2008

Time for African Australians to speak out on Zimbabwe’s sham election

The African Resettlement Conference 2007, held at The University of Melbourne, was privileged to have as speaker and a guest of honour, Mrs Okhola Rudd, the Botswana born sister-in-law of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Australia’s linkage to Africa, via large scale African immigration and Australian investment throughout Africa, has been further enhanced by Mrs Okhola Rudd’s place in Australia’s first family, and her strong professional contribution to academia in Australia.

With Africa so close to increasing numbers of hearts and minds in Australia, it is with great regret that we receive daily news of the political turmoil crippling Zimbabwe, manifesting in gratuitous brutality and crises in housing and food; and overflowing into human rights’ tragedies in neighbouring countries, especially South Africa.

“The prospect of civil war in Zimbabwe is extremely serious,” says Dr Berhan Ahmed, Chair of the African Think Tank. “The Zimbabwean people are good world citizens. They are calling out for support in an increasingly critical situation, but their cries are falling on deaf ears in Africa and around the world.”

“Are we prepared to sacrifice the Zimbabwean people in their hour of need?” Dr Ahmed asks. “If so, this is a very strong message from African governments and leaders globally, that anti-democratic rogue rulers will not be challenged. We must live with that dangerous precedent and its legacy.”

The African Think Tank supports Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmon Tutu’s condemnation of Robert Mugabe’s ‘failure of leadership.’ The African Think Tank calls Australian government and international communities to take action to support and alleviate against Mugabe and his cronies. We also call all governments and world powers, including all African leaders, to act decisively, strongly and swiftly to support the Zimbabwean people and to prevent any further destabilization and avoidable mass suffering on the African continent. With the Horn of Africa destabilized by the brutal aftermath of the Cold War proxy wars, and other post-colonisation power struggles, the world stands by the ignition of southern Africa at great peril, not least to the battle for life of a large swathe of the human family.