Britain has failed Zimbabwe

Britain has failed Zimbabwe

19 Sep 2007

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The panel debate whether Britain has failed Zimbabwe. Chaired by Richard Linley, this debate comprises a discussion of the history of Zimbabwe, focusing on how successive British governments have acted in relation to Zimbabwe and in what way future British policies can offer a solution to the current economic and political crisis.

Arguing in favour of the motion are Peter Godwin, Tendai Biti MP and RW Johnson. Peter Godwin begins by suggesting that Britain has not served Zimbabwe well since independence. Indeed, he argues that Britain has some culpability for the violence of the Mugabe regime, by consistently turning a blind eye to crimes committed against Zimbabweans. Tendai Biti then states that the current crisis in Zimbabwe can be directly linked to British failures during colonial disengagement. He cites land ownership as the key issue that demanded resolution at the Lancaster House conference in 1979, but was instead ignored. He notes that Britain recently disconnected itself from these issues for which it should take full responsibility, leaving Zimbabwe struggling to cope with an economic crisis that has deep 'structural and managerial' roots. Taking this proposition further, R W Johnson puts forward the case for military intervention in Zimbabwe. Pointing to the success of recent interventions in Kosovo and the Ivory Coast, he states that Britain should now intervene to prevent further genocide in Zimbabwe.

Arguing against the motion are John Makumbe, Chenjerai Hove and David Coltart MP. John Makumbe starts by outlining recent British policies that have in fact benefitted Zimbabwe. He mentions the clear reluctance of the British to create an 'African Iraq', charts British aid contributions over the past decade, and notes that Britain has taken the leading role in the pursuit of regime change in Zimbabwe. Chenjerai Hove then uses his own poetry to suggest that the blame lies with the leading politicians' pursuit of power by any means. He states that Mugabe appropriated the tools of power from the colonial government, and utilised such powers of enslavement and authority to violent ends. Finally, David Coltart argues that the roots of Zimbabwe's failings lie in the intransigence of its own politicians in the past and present. He claims it is arrogant to assume that Britain should take responsibilty, and that Britain neither has nor has had the opportunity to intervene in Zimbabwe's domestic affairs.

First Vote: 343 For, 155 Against, 230 Don't Know

Final Vote: 455 For, 103 Against, 35 Don't Know

The motion is carried by 352 votes.