25/05/2004

Blair must crackdown on Mugabe regime, say Tories

The Tories have called on the government to crackdown harder on Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe.

In a recent interview, the 80-year-old president accused the UK of treating Zimbabwe like a colony, charged Mr Blair with arrogance and of refusing to take part in dialogue. Mr Mugabe also said that the seizure of white-owned farms could reinvigorate his nation's economy.

Deputy leader Michael Ancram said: "Either he is living in a different world, or he is a pathological liar. Mugabe, like all tyrants, holds onto power by oppressing those who oppose him."

The Shadow Foreign Secretary continued his call for free and fair elections to be held in Zimbabwe, so the people of the southern African state can have a proper their say over who rules them.

"We also believe more should have been done by the British government, to freeze the assets of those who assist Mugabe in his brutal and corrupt regime," Mr Ancram added.

He went on to accuse the Zimbabwean leader of withholding food aid to famine struck areas of the country where opposition to his government is strong.

"There is every indication that if the people of Zimbabwe got to chose they would not chose Robert Mugabe - a man who is deliberately using a lack of food to try and put political pressure on the people of Zimbabwe," he said.

(gmcg)

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