MEDIA REACTION AU SUMMIT; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 001369 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR NEARY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION AU SUMMIT; HARARE ¶1. Under headline "AU must make a stand" the independent daily "The Daily News" dedicated its July 3 editorial to urge the African Union (AU) - meeting in Maputo, Mozambique, next week for its second summit - to "publicly and firmly denounce Harare" for human rights abuses, the erosion of the rule of law and bad governance in Zimbabwe. Excerpts: ¶2. "The AU will next week have another chance to put its high ideals to the test by boldly condemning Harare's naked abuse of power and flouting of internationally accepted norms of good governance. . .Next week's Mozambican summit coincides with the first visit to the continent of American President George Bush, who has not minced his words in condemning the blatant repression of its people by a government that is determined to hold on to power at all costs. It would be a shameful act on the part of Africa's leaders if they failed to take a stand on the basic issues that have been highlighted by those bodies that have been voluble in their criticism of the rights abuses in Zimbabwe. . .They are especially crucial for the AU, which has adopted as its economic program the New Partnership for Africa's development (NEPAD),which is anchored in the observance by African governments of the rule of law and good governance to reverse the continent's economic decline, endemic poverty and costly civil wars. African leaders will best serve their own cause and the cause of democracy in Zimbabwe if they publicly and firmly denounce Harare for failing to live up to the principles espoused by the AU and NEPAD. . .If the AU fails to vigorously meet the challenge presented by Zimbabwe, it will merely become another albatross around the continent's neck." SULLIVAN