PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Libertarianz Party

Zim Corruption Just the Start

The election in Zimbabwe is over but, said Libertarianz Party leader Peter Cresswell "the real story is just beginning."

"What happened is Zimbabwe was blatantly corrupt and fraudulent, and no nation that respects human rights will think otherwise, " said Cresswell, renewing his call for the Clark government to fast-track political asylum for refugees from Robert Mugabe's brutality. "This is one tangible thing she can do about the Zimbabwean shambles, instead of just vapid hand-wringing."

The Libertarianz leader noted that Mugabe openly and cynically manipulated the election. "In Bulawayo, an opposition centre, over 90% of the voters were turned away from the polls illegally. In Harare, another opposition stronghold, the Zimbabwean government cut polling station numbers intentionally to reduce voting numbers. And when some 80% of the voters still turned out, the government election-workers went on a slow-down, processing only 10 votes per hour. Meanwhile in Mugabe territory, polling stations were increased and processing was speedy. A court-ordered extra day of voting was ignored by the government. In most of the country, the polls didn't open at all. In Harare they opened five hours late and when they closed tens of thousands of people were still in line. The election was a sham!"

Cresswell said this "obviously means the time has come to throw Zimbabwe out of the Commonwealth." He said he applauded New Zealand's belated support for the measure at the last Commonwealth meeting, but says it is "now time the government looks at its cosy relationship with fellow Leftist, President Mbeki of South Africa."

"Mbeki lead the cheering section for Mugabe at the recent Commonwealth meeting and blocked the proposal to eject Zimbabwe," points out Cresswell. "South Africa's president, true to his roots in the Communist Party, then launched into an anti-West tirade, describing nations supporting Zimbabwe's ejection - including New Zealand - as racist."

"What is surprising" said Cresswell, is that during the recent visit of the Queen, .Prime Minister Helen Clark was out of the country attending a Left-of-Centre conference "where she was arm in arm with Mbeki." What is Clark doing, he asks? Does she have any idea? "On one hand she pushes to remove Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth, and on the other she snuggles up to a man who launches attacks on New Zealand as a racist nation, and who defends Zimbabwe. Does the government's left hand know what it's other left hand is doing?"

"These contradictions," said Cresswell, "are inevitable for a government that supports the Leftist agenda, which as we know has always been supportive of tyranny. For decades Labour has turned a blind eye to Left-wing authoritarianism, so it's no wonder that Clark was so cosy with Mugabe's errand boy, President Mbeki - they share a similar worldview. This is one reason it took the government so long to recognise Mugabe's actions and to speak out. Fundamentally they are on the same side, and that's why Clark allies like Mbeki are defending Mugabe and attacking New Zealand."

Cresswell says that New Zealand should not only commit to fast tracking political asylum for refugees from Robert Mugabe's brutality, it should also recognise it is time to re-evaluate it's stand on aid to Africa. "Mbeki in particular is pushing his New Partnership for Africa's Development which is a call for huge increases in Western funding for the corrupt governments of Africa. 'Good governance' will - allegedly - be put into place in return for the west's largesse. However, Mbeki's support for Mugabe gives us some idea of his view of good governance, and makes it blindingly obvious that no Western funding should be doled out at all. Any programs that funnel aid from New Zealand or the Commonwealth to Zimbabwe, South Africa or the rest of Africa should cease immediately."

Such aid, says Cresswell, "is merely throwing good money after bad. These governments use Western funding to stay in power. They keep their people poor and destroy any chance of prosperity by outmoded Labour-style policies and then can't understand why they are destroying wealth in the process. Foreign aid is a con job by which the rich elite in Africa are propped up on the backs of the less-wealthy Western working people. They show you starving children to sell the program but it's not the kid's who get the money, "says Cresswell. "It's the dictators."

It's time New Zealand committed to throwing the dictators off the train, and to allowing the dictators' victims to buy tickets on our New Zealand excursion. Let's stop the hand-wringing and do something to rescue the victims.

It's enough to make you vote Libertarianz!

ENDS

For more information contact: Peter Cresswell LIBERTARIANZ LEADER LIBERTARIANZ COROMANDEL CANDIDATE, 2002 Phone: (09) 631 0034, e-mail: organon@ihug.co.nz

www.libertarianz.org.nz

www.libz.org

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