ROME, April 7: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, a devout Roman Catholic, defied European Union sanctions imposed after a president poll in 2002 when he arrived to Rome to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II.
The 81-year-old leader, who was married in the Catholic church and had once referred to the pope as his spiritual father, was accompanied on the trip by Higher Education Minister Herbert Murerwa, Zimbabwe’s state radio said.
“President Mugabe left Harare last night (Wednesday) for Rome, Italy, to attend Pope John Paul’s funeral scheduled for tomorrow in the Vatican City,” the news broadcaster said.
State radio did not say if Mr Mugabe’s wife Grace was with the two men.
On Monday, Mr Mugabe paid rich tribute to the pontiff, saying: “His teachings should shape the way we walk, allowing especially those leaders who advocate wars, are not merciful to the poor, or who plunder resources of other countries.”
“He was a soft man, his touch was soft, his words, and indeed his heart was as soft as he was,” he said.
The EU imposed targeted sanctions on Zimbabwe after its last presidential poll in 2002 was won by Mr Mugabe, amid widespread allegations of fraud and intimidation.
He has been in power since 1980 when the country gained independence from Britain and has also acquired a questionable human rights record.
The sanctions consist of an arms embargo, a travel ban on Mr Mugabe and some 100 members of the government and people close to him and a freeze on funds of people suspected to have committed human rights violations in the country.
Priscilla Misihairabwi, foreign affairs secretary of Zimbabwe’s main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, said the travel ban showed up Mr Mugabe’s standing internationally.
“The situation has not changed. He can only wait for state occasions such as UN conferences and funerals like this to travel to Europe. What does this say about a head of state?” she said.
“He is only granted a temporary waiver and his movements are limited within a certain radius.”
In Feb 2003, Mr Mugabe went to France on controversial visit for a Franco-African summit, which was marred by protests.
“We’ve had tremendous hospitality, we felt at home,” he had then said, as French President Jacques Chirac defended the invitation as a way to confront Mr Mugabe face-to-face over human rights abuses and lawlessness in his famine-ridden country.
In Dec 2003, Mr Mugabe visited Switzerland to attend a summit on information technology for which Berne gave him special authorisation.
In February this year, EU foreign ministers met in Brussels and agreed to extend sanctions, including an arms embargo, against Zimbabwe for another year in protest against human rights violations in the country.
Zimbabwe rapped Brussels arguing there were no rights abuses in the southern African nation.
“There was never a justification, a valid reason for instituting the sanctions in the first place,” Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said. “There is no abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe.”
The EU is set to review the extension of the sanctions following last Thursday’s crucial parliamentary elections.—AFP
