Blair backs 'softly, softly' approach to Zimbabwe

Whilst Blair is in the middle of conducting the slowest exit from the stage ever witnessed in British politics, I had rather hoped he might redeem himself in South Africa when - with the weight of office soon to be removed from his shoulders - he might have the opportunity to speak candidly to Mbeki about South Africa's shocking abdication of her responsibility towards the people of Zimbabwe, and her continuing support for the government of Mugabe whilst Zimbabwe teeters towards complete financial collapse.

However, Blair, for reasons best known to himself, has decided to do the complete opposite and support Mbeki's scandalous stance on this issue.

Asked if they had reconciled Britain's "loud diplomacy" on Zimbabwe and South Africa's "quiet diplomacy", Blair said his views and Britain's were well-known but were not the important thing. "In the end, what is important is to improve the lives of the people of Zimbabwe. The obligation of Britain is to do everything it can to help. But in the end the solution is an African solution for Zimbabwe and that's why I welcome the work that President Mbeki has undertaken on behalf of the southern African regional grouping.

What's to welcome in Mbeki's stance? Mbeki's government are backing a man who is beating up opposition leaders whilst his country - once known as the bread basket of Africa - is unable to feed itself and inflation heads for 2000%. Zimbabwe is heading for total collapse and the refugees fleeing the nightmare that Mugabe has created must be causing problems for all surrounding countries.

Mbeki is in a unique position to speak out and his silence has been little short of scandalous. Why is Blair now backing this man's inaction? Indeed, why is he now attempting to portray this inaction as if it is the opposite?

"The change has to come from within Zimbabwe ... and we will try to support those like President Mbeki who are trying to bring about that change."

The Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has said that, "Quiet diplomacy has failed to help solve the political chaos and economic meltdown in Zimbabwe," he said.

I have to say that I am in agreement with Mwanawasa, quiet diplomacy has indeed failed; which is why it is so shocking to find Blair, as he finally bows from office, appearing to back Mbeki's utterly failed policy.

It was Mbeki's quiet diplomacy that led to Zimbabwe being placed in charge of a key United Nations committee on the environment, despite the country's political repression and economic chaos.

Indeed, even Mbeki's own brother has condemned his "softly, softly" approach and said that "South Africa's political elite" is the main "obstacle" to any efforts to save Zimbabwe from collapse.

Mugabe continues to murder Zimbabwean journalists, to beat up members of his opposition and even, bizarrely, to threaten a British Embassy political officer through the pages of an official Zimbabwean newspaper.

Gillian Dare, a British diplomat, was threatened in the pages of the Herald newspaper which suggested that she could be welcomed home "in a body bag" if she continued to "play night nurse to arrested MDC hooligans."

"It will be a pity for her family to welcome her home at Heathrow Airport in a body bag just like some of her colleagues from Iraq and Afghanistan said an article on the newspaper's front page.

Dare, "labelled in some sections of the media as a British spy, could one day be caught in the crossfire as she plays night nurse to arrested MDC hooligans," the newspaper said.

This is the reality of Mbeki's "softly, softly" approach to Mugabe's Zimbabwe. It is a criminal regime which shames the rest of Africa. It's people deserve the support of her neighbours in overthrowing this vile dictator and, instead, they have been forced to listen as Mbeki and other African leaders continue to give legitimacy to a man who makes a mockery of the democratic process.

Even Catholic Bishops have given up their usual stance of practised indifference to label the Mugabe regime as "racist, corrupt and lawless" and compared the struggle to remove him from power with the struggle to free the country from white rule.

Even American diplomats have taken to marching out of meetings where they have basically been told to "shape up or ship out" of Zimbabwe for daring to criticise the regime.

And yet, against that backdrop, Tony Blair has decided that - on the verge of leaving office, when he has literally nothing to lose - that he will lend his support to Mbeki's utterly failed policy.

Mugabe had the final word. The Zimbabwe government described Mr Blair's imminent departure from office as "good riddance".

I feel, after Blair's shocking embrace of Mbeki's utterly failed stance, that the people of Zimbabwe might actually share Mugabe's sentiment.

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Tags: Blair, Mbeki, Mugabe, South Africa, Zimbabwe