Yesterday, as was expected the International Cricket Council
announced that Zimbabwe will hold some of the Cricket World Cup
matches next year.
This despite Zimbabwe's appalling human rights record, President
Mugabe's tyrannical regime, and corrupt policies which have resulted in
nearly 7 million people (50% of the population) affected by famine.
There have been no safety or security guarantees for the press. The
press will be allowed to write about cricket and cricket only. If they look
over the boundary and see someone dying of hunger they are not
allowed to report it. Instead they are restricted to talking about
something as trivial as Flintoff's fluctuating state of portliness.
There will even be freedom of access to the press for the Olympics in
Beijing, 2008, but not next year in Zimbabwe.
I don't know the full extent of the situation, so my opinion (obviously)
counts for a lot less than those who took the decision, but to my
mind, the decision is ludicrous.
The main argument of the ICC was that as a purely sports body they
were not in a position to judge a country or to take politically based
decisions.
Sport and politics have for a long time been intertwined. The Olympics
and Nazi Germany, the black gloved salute by the black sprinters atop
the podium during the Civil Rights movement, the events of the 1972
Olympics at Munich where 11 Israeli athletes staying in the Olympic
village were shot dead by members of Black September, a militant
group part of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation. If I recall
correctly the US and others boycotted the 1980 Olympic Games in
Moscow on account of the Soviet involvement in Afghanistan (I may be
wrong there).
Sport in it's purest form can bridge political gaps. The French football
team that won the World Cup in '98 helped to show the French public
that French Arabs, people from (former) French colonies and, white
French people could work together in harmony and succeed.
Should sport be kept separate from politics? Indeed, can it be? Is
there anyone who thinks that it is the right decision to go play cricket
in Mugabe's backyard? Should a line be drawn? Would they have
decided differently if the World Cup was due to be held in Nazi
Germany?
It was a decision that made me feel quite sad.
At a time when the people of Zimbabwe need the international
community's help more than ever, we've decided to go there, to have
journalists there, to then not talk about what is going on, to be
prevented from highlighting some of the atrocities, instead just hit a
few sixes, bowl some inswinging yorkers and then toddle off home
with a trophy, leaving behind millions afflicted by famine.
Mark
Earlier today (Thursday), the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the British government met to discuss the issue on whether England should play in Zimbabwe.
As far as I can make out, the government's stance is that to go and play would be seized upon by Mugabe as an endorsement of his "regime of hate" and will be used as a propaganda tool. The government say they are in no position to tell the ECB what to do, only to offer advice and opinion. And that advice is that on moral grounds if nothing else they should not travel. The government strongly recommends a boycott.
I wonder. Would these be the same moral grounds that, as Martin Samuel in The Times quoting independent, accurate figures, said, make the UK Zimbabwe's second largest trading partner, that make the UK the largest investor in Zimbabwe, with summat like 400 companies there, and that make the UK Zimbabwe's second biggest export market. There's also the rather murky business of arms and money to provide arms for the Mugabe regime coming directly or indirectly from UK government, UK businesses and UK businessmen.
I was quite critical of the cricketing authorities in the first post in this thread. Perhaps overly so on reflection, for they are in one hell of a predicament. Sadly the hypocrisy and holier than thou attitude of the British government hasn't helped a jot.
Mark
I find it completely ludicrous that you people who now shout about boycotts and human rights violations are silent,dead silent until a few of your sports stars are forced to enter an area made unstable by the countries that they represent. Where have you been when farmers,families and entire communities have been oppressed and forced off land that's been in families for generations? I oppose Mugabe, but I find it offensive that your "middle-class-western-morality" thinks that you have a right to voice your opinion on topics only once it effects your saturday sports viewing.
Your comments are an insult to Zimbabweans that care about our country and have watched the world turn it's back on its people.
Originally posted by Black Lunghang on a minute, black lung. this is a mighty big (false) assumption you make that people commenting in this thread have only got interested in this issue because it affects their sport viewing. you have no way of knowing how politically active each member is or when they first raised their opposition to the mugabe regime. when you say "i find it ludicrous that you people..." who are you specifically referring to? if your target is the current government or to UK businesses that you may believe are acting unethically then please say so. To tarnish people on this board or many other people in the UK as you have just done is an insult to the many who share your dismay at what is going on in zimbabwe and may be active in voicing opposition.
... but I find it offensive that your "middle-class-western-morality" thinks that you have a right to voice your opinion on topics only once it effects your saturday sports viewing.
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The situation in Zimbabwe has steadily been degrading to a complete state of anarchy. Mugabe and his facist supporters have practically crippled the country. Forgive me if I am a little confrontational if I feel that the people of Zimbabwe have been abandoned by the West( The UN, UK,USA,amongst others) these are the nations that have the ability to put real pressure on this corrupt regime, but what happens? The situation is reported on CNN, SKY,etc. Public comment about how awful it is.shame poor farmers(not to mention that many of them are British Citizens) and then what?nothing.completly abandoned barring a few inept and weak sanctions.What would happen if, and it sounds an awful thing to say, the English cricket team is attcked in Zimbabwe, and life is lost? There would be action real action, wouldn't there? But wait, what happens when 7 million people are forced into starvation, not much. This is what hurts me. Who cares if you play cricket here? not me
good response black lung. i agree. sadly too many people believe that politics and political action is just about putting a cross against someone's name in a ballot every 5 years. its not. people have personal responsibility. i despair of a cricket captain who pleads for the government to tell him what to do, or states that the men in his team are not aware of the current situation in zimbabwe. we all have personal responsibility for our actions (and inactions). but that starts at home. each of us has to look deeply into our own hearts and ask ourselves are we really doing all we can to oppose the oppression we see around the world and in our own countries. we cannot leave it to others. most of us live quite priveledged lives. it can seem quite overwhelming at times. "what can i do about that situation?" one might ask. doing nothing i would argue is not a viable option.
Originally posted by Black Lung"I oppose Mugabe, but I find it offensive that your "middle-class-western-morality" thinks that you have a right to voice your opinion on topics only once it effects your saturday sports viewing."
I find it completely ludicrous that you people who now shout about boycotts and human rights violations are silent,dead silent until a few of your sports stars are forced to enter an area made unstable by the countries that they represen ...[text shortened]... and have watched the world turn it's back on its people.
Black Lung. You find it offensive that I should have the right to voice my opinion? Regardless of your regard (or lack of) for the opinion itself, you find it offensive that I should have the right to voice it? Hmm.
My level of ignorance on this matter is sad, and perhaps speaks little for my character and my knowledge on world affairs. It is NOT something I feel that gives you the right to start attacking me. And attack you did.
Whether you are actually right or wrong in accusing me of doing nothing and turning my back, what gives you the right to make such statements about me? You know nothing about me. You know nothing about what I do or about what I have done.
I think, may be wrong, but I should think that you don't mean just me when you say "you". But then you say "Your comments are an insult etc" which is very much aimed at me.
Can you not see that I wanted more than anything for the press to be allowed to highlight this issue? The sad truth is that large numbers of people don't watch CNN or Sky News or read a tidy newspaper. If it takes sport to raise awareness then it's very sad but at least it's raising awareness, and with that awareness by the people it is far more likely that there would be pressure placed on Government to step in and take a more active role.
I have been ignorant and, to a large degree, it *did* take the whole sporting thing before I knew much about the situation, but do me a favour, I try and have tried with as pure and genuine motive as I can muster, only to get told by someone who knows NOTHING about me that my comments are an insult not just to him or herself (which would be fair enough if that's how he/she felt about them), but to Zimbabweans in general? I have insulted you, and you are free to tell me this, but I have insulted all Zimbabweans because you say so?
As for turning my back? I have done more than anyone on this website to try and discuss this issue here. I have done more than anyone I know away from RHP amongst my friends to try and make people aware of the situation. You make it sound that I am a Mugabe sypmathiser and a supporter. You know NOTHING about me or what I do or have done and yet make judgements on me.
In my opinion you use my posts and twist them to what you want them to say, almost regardless of the fact that they don't say what it is you are suggesting they say (that I care only about the sport), to fight your own (very legitimate) argument and battle about people being ignorant and the West doing nothing. Make your point, say what you want to say (and in this circumstance I consider that I would sadly agree very much with what you say), but I find it completely ludicrous that you should attack me in a personal sense in order to do so. It's twisting my words and *telling* me that I believe something which I can assure you I do not.
The cricket itself doesn't bother me. I am insulted that you seem to suggest that that is all I care about. Utterly insulted. I will not tolerate my words being twisted and certainly will not tolerate being told what it is I feel by someone who knows NOTHING about me.
Mark
squirrel,
I see now that I have offended you, and in hindsight my comments were perhaps too harsh. It was not a personal attack, but merely my opinion of your comments. You have every right to your opinion and i value you for that opinion.please accept my most humblest apologies. At times passion can lead one astray and it is a topic i am most passionate about.
There was a crasness and an element of poor expression in my posts. And yes, on topics about which one is passionate, it is easy to misinterpret or to type something which wasn't meant to come out like it did perhaps (I mean, you're clearly an intelligent bloke and a man of understanding, so I had no doubt that you *did* appreciate that everyone has a right to opinion, despite appearing to say otherwise). Passion is such an important thing in the world though, and for you to be so speaks volumes for your character and person 🙂
It saddens me that your opinion of my comments is that I only care about the cricket and the cricketers. But so be it 🙁
An apology was not necessary, but no less appreciated. I think, after all, we are on the same side (it's not as simple as taking sides I know, but I can't find the correct expression), although given your doubts about the sincerity of my feeling towards the Zimbabwean people, I understand why you felt insulted and why I consider that perhaps you would suggest that on the same side we are not.
I hope your passion continues to burn brightly, and that it spreads to as many others as possible and as quickly as possible.
Mark
instead just hit a few sixes, bowl some inswinging yorkers and then toddle off home with a trophy, leaving behind millions afflicted by famine.Have you seen the england cricket team lately!!!!!!
More seriously, the western world goes on and on about famine in africa, and sadly it does take a trivial issue like sports events being held in a country, or celebrities such as Bob Geldof to riase awareness of the issue to the general public. However, for tony blair and co. to put pressure on the english cricket team not to go to zimbabwe, when they themselves have levied no sanctions on Mugabe's regime is pure hypocrisy - they even let BAe systems trade there!!!!!
If the western world (a generalisation I know) or more specifically the World Bank allowed african farmers to selll their produce at a realistic price, then famine would be far less prevalent. However, African leaders and politicians are not blameless. Anti-Aids medication that is manufactured and sold exclusively to African countries at cost-price is continually turning up back in Europe being sold on the black market, for great profits (over £100 per unit). Because of this the large pharmaceutical companies are threatening to withdraw this service!
Whether the English (or Australian) cricket team play in Zimbabwe will be of little significance to the future. As long as post-colonial countries are seeking to create a new identity for themselves - internal power struggles will consume valuable resources. Whether the western world can help is a complex matter - fair trade and open markets would be the obvious and most beneficial step forward, however this will not happen until western leaders are confident that this will not be abused (cf. the anti-aids drugs).
Mark
The greatest thing we could do in the western world to help Africa's economy is reduce agricultural subsidies, so the market wasn't so biased against African producers. In Europe, for example, we have the Common Agricultural Policy. I think the only reason we have CAP is as a relic from the end of WW2, but it has been in force for decades because countries like France and Spain would have vetoed any attempts to stop it. I think now it's finally being reduced, though still not scrapped, thanks to EU enlargement - even the French saw sense when they realised that paying the current level of subsidy all the farmers in the new member countries, including 1/4 of the Polish workforce, was madness.
For me the fuss amongst the 'chattering classes' (to which, judging by my contribution to RHP, I surely belong 😳) about organic/conventional/GM food is very annoying, because it's not the major issue. We should really be talking not about how our food is made, but where in the world it comes from - and where the money goes.