GOVERNMENT OP-ED CRITICIZES BUSH PLAN TO

UNCLAS HARARE 001567

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAO ZI
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OP-ED CRITICIZES BUSH PLAN TO
VISIT AFRICA



1. An op-ed published in the June 27 edition of the
government-controlled daily "The Herald," dismisses
President Bush's planned visit to Africa next year as
a "non-event." Under headline "Bush's visit a non-
event: West should stop meddling in Africa's internal
affairs," the newspaper's special assignments writer,
Tim Chigodo, reports:


2. "Very few Africans will find excitement and joy
in the proposed visit to the continent by American
President George W. Bush following his hard-line
stance on Third World states. . . Analysts say the US
and Britain cannot lecture Africans on democracy.
Both countries were too directly involved in the slave
trade to be capable of selfless contribution on the
subject. They have their hands, historically,
dripping with the incalculable suffering of black
people. . . Observers say the US as the most powerful
nation in the world, should concentrate on various
aspects of poverty reduction, debt relief,
globalization and war against HIV/AIDS which is
reducing life expectancy in Africa instead of meddling
in the internal affairs of the country. . . There is
no doubt that most Africans, including Zimbabweans,
will treat the visit by the American leader as a damp
squid. It is very clear that the West still holds
paternalistic and imperialistic attitudes towards
Africa."

SULLIVAN