Debate on Zimbabwe

Speech by Liz Lynne delivered to European Parliament on Thu 7th Jul 2005

As masses of people are demonstrating about the situation in Africa outside the G8 Leaders meeting in Gleneagles, it is apt that the European Parliament is debating Zimbabwe.

"Operation "drive out rubbish" that is what Robert Mugabe calls his latest atrocity. His Government is responsible for destroying homes and livelihoods of as many 1.5 million Zimbabweans. That number will rise if we do not take the necessary action.

"Just last week a pregnant woman and a four-year-old child were killed during the mass eviction of at least 10,000 people on the outskirts of Harare. Imagine the pain and suffering watching helplessly as you're home is bulldozed Then to have no knowledge about where you are being taken.

"In spite of Amnesty International's urgent appeal to exert pressure on the Mugabe regime, the African Union last week still refused to condemn Mugabe. The people of Zimbabwe are victims of a human rights catastrophe. Human rights abuses can never be just an internal matter for a country. It is up to us all to raise our voice in protest.

"It is even more important that Zimbabwe's neighbours condemn the atrocities. However we should not just raise our voices and then carry on as before. That is why the return of asylum seekers to Zimbabwe should be halted now. Otherwise EU Governments like the UK can quite rightly be accused of gross hypocrisy."