We were surprised to find the following on
the official website for Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller a couple
of weeks ago:
‘Prime Minister Simpson-Miller on comments
of Robert Mugabe’.
The press release issued on 13 September
went on: “We are confident that the remarks of President Mugabe do not
represent the sentiments of the people of Zimbabwe, other African countries,
and the rest of the world.”
What were the comments from Mr. Mugabe that
so offended, then? As reported by the United Kingdom’s Daily Telegraph: “In
Jamaica, they have freedom to smoke cannabis, the men are always high and
universities are full of women. The men want to sing and do not go to colleges,
some of them twist their hair. Let us not go there.”
Mr. Mugabe’s handlers later said the
elderly despot’s comments were made “in jest”.
What we cannot fathom is why Prime Minister
Simpson Miller chose even to respond to the leader of a failed nation-state
that represents everything that is wrong with modern-day Africa.
Jamaica as a country has its share of
challenges, to be sure, like many other developing states across the globe.
However, it needs to give no account or defence of itself – in our view – to
this fellow.
Incidentally, to those who may not be
aware, international human rights groups such as Amnesty International report
that the government of Zimbabwe, led by Mr. Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party, routinely
violates basic human rights to shelter, food, free movement, assembly, and the
protection of law.
He has nothing to say to any country in the
world about how to run its affairs.
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