- Zimbabwe lurched towards dictatorship yesterday as President
Mugabe defied international criticism by preparing to assume sweeping new
powers.
Tough laws curbing the press, limiting election monitors and allowing the
police to clamp down on political opponents could be enacted as early as
today.
President Mugabe: anyone who ridicules the president's rule could be jailed
for two years
As 10 opponents of the ruling Zanu-PF Party were arrested and more white-owned
farms were seized, Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, threatened to have
Zimbabwe thrown out of the Commonwealth.
"If the situation continues to deteriorate, Britain will argue for
Zimbabwe's suspension," he told MPs. But there was no clear indication
that he had the necessary backing for the threat from members of the 54-nation
organisation.
Suspension would have to be discussed at the next heads of government meeting
in Australia in March.
The European Union has already threatened economic sanctions against Zimbabwe.
Jonathan Moyo, the Zimbabwe information minister, said: "Britain is
going a step further from funding the opposition," repeating a long-standing
claim that the Government finances the opposition Movement for Democratic
Change.
With the presidential election in Zimbabwe likely to be held early in March,
it is unlikely that the threat of suspension will influence Mr Mugabe's
attempt to secure a further six-year term.
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- http://www.portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/index.jhtml
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