Kim Jong-il: 'He Was a Lovely Man'

THE GUARDIAN: Cuba declares three days of mourning for North Korean leader, while Nicaragua, Venezuela and President Mugabe loyalists express sorrow too

The wailing and gnashing of teeth inside North Korea was not entirely unexpected. That the death of Kim Jong-il has plunged other parts of the world into grief may come as more of a surprise.

Communist ally Cuba has declared three days of mourning, with flags to be flown at half mast, while Nicaragua and Venezuela also expressed sorrow. The Korean Central News Agency's website carries messages of condolence from the emir of Qatar, the former president of Moldova and the "Great King and Great Queen of Cambodia".

Not to be outdone in the contrarian stakes, Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe's loyalists have paid tribute to North Korea's "dear leader", who died from a heart attack aged 69.

"He was a lovely man whom we associated with," Didymus Mutasa, the secretary of administration for Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, told Zimbabwe's Voice of the People radio. "He was our great friend, and we are not ashamed of being associated with him." » | David Smith in Johannesburg | Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Mugabe Calls David Cameron 'Satanic' for Backing Gay Rights

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has condemned as "satanic" a suggestion by Prime Minister David Cameron that Britain could cut aid money to countries that do not respect gay rights.

Mr Mugabe said that homosexuals were "worse than pigs and dogs" and warned those practising in his country: "We will punish you severely."

His comments come as Zimbabweans get ready to vote next year on a new constitution that could offer some legal protection to homosexuals in Zimbabwe. At present, those caught engaging in same-sex relationships face prison terms.

Britain has already cut aid to Malawi by £19 million following the sentencing of two gay men to 14 years hard labour. They were later pardoned.

Mr Cameron raised the idea of linking funding to human rights issues at the end of the Commonwealth summit in October. » | Aislinn Laing, Johannesburg | Thursday, November 24, 2011

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith Claims Britain Faces Zimbabwe Immigration Influx
THE TELEGRAPH: The cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe is likely to lead to an influx of immigration into the UK, Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, has warned Cabinet colleagues.


She is said to fear that Zimbabweans desperate to flee the cholera outbreak and Robert Mugabe's regime, are buying false passports in neighbouring countries, where visas are not required for travel to Britain, before heading here.

Foreign Office sources are playing down her claim as "alarmist," leading to the potential for a serious rift within Whitehall.

Officials expressed concerns that the Home Office could use Miss Smith's warnings about the potential arrival of thousands of refugees as an excuse to tighten border controls.

This could make it harder for legitimate asylum seekers escaping Mr Mugabe's brutal police state to reach this country.

The BBC reported that the Zimbabwe was creating "real tension in Whitehall," as the Home Office is said to be calling for the introduction of visas for all countries in the region, a move opposed by the Foreign Office.

Miss Smith has told Cabinet colleagues that people fleeing Zimbabwe are buying false passports in countries such as South Africa and Botswana and using them to travel to the UK. >>> By Rosa Prince, Political Correspondent | December 12, 2008

THE TELEGRAPH: Britain Must Not Abandon the Zimbabwean People to Robert Mugabe

The people of Zimbabwe have suffered long enough. They have had little choice but to stand by helplessly as a corrupt, anti-democratic and incompetent regime has brought their country to its knees.

Robert Mugabe, thirty years ago the darling of the African liberation struggle, is now exposed as a desperate tyrant intent on preserving power at all costs.

When Ian Smith’s government was forced from office it seemed Zimbabwe’s future was bright – and initially it was. The bread basket of southern Africa, its strong economy was underpinned by manufacturing, mining and tourism sectors which were the envy of many more developed nations.

Gradually, greed and political interference of the basest kind wore away those advantages and the past decade has seen Zimbabwe accelerating towards the abyss.

The cholera outbreak which has so far claimed nearly 600 lives – and possibly many more – is just the starkest symptom of that collapse. >>> Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development | December 11, 2008

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