So our posture towards Zimbabwe has to be gleaned from events, gestures and symbols. South Africa's position should be analogous with someone who sees his neighbour's house on fire. Or you can cross the boundary wall and help to extinguish the fire. At Victoria Falls, Presidents Mbeki, Chissano and Nujoma rallied around President Mugabe and made as if frustrations at the pace of land reform in Zimbabwe was the only issue. But clearly after 20 years in Government, the ruling party ZANU-PF is using land invasions as vehicles for political intimidation.
Land is the smokescreen.
Avoiding democracy and suppressing opposition is the reality. It has violated rights to life, liberty and property. The Government has done practically nothing to halt over a thousand illegal land invasions since February. Do not pass Southern Africa by on the other side of the road. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the UN World Conference on Human Rights in 1993 is the most current statement by the world community of its commitment to the promotion and protection of universal human rights.