Rt Hon Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs

12 March 2007
Media statement

Peters calls for release of Mugabe opponents

Foreign Minister Winston Peters today called on Zimbabwe Prime Minister Robert Mugabe to immediately release opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his colleagues from captivity.

Mr Tsvangirai, head of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was arrested by police on Sunday as part of a violent crackdown on a planned demonstration in the capital Harare.

One activist was killed and scores of others were arrested, including five other senior MDC officials. Tsvangirai and his officials have been denied access to legal advice since being taken into custody.

“This latest incident is another sign of the desperation of the Mugabe regime, which has banned all political rallies,” Mr Peters said.

“The situation in Zimbabwe is appalling. Many Zimbabweans cannot feed themselves in a country that was once the food basket of Africa.

"Mugabe’s regime, through its mismanagement, is responsible for this tragedy, and its answer to legitimate and understandable political protest continues to be violent repression.

“It is time for Robert Mugabe to act in the interests of all Zimbabweans. It is quite clear that while he maintains his current course the disaster he has imposed on his country will only deepen,” Mr Peters said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media