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[Sanctions, threats, an orchestrated international press campaign, funding and advising opposition candidates, denouncing election results weeks in advance of voting. The strategy failed in Belarus last year, but Blair never stops trying.] Saturday January 12 2:59 PM ET Mugabe Slams Blair Over Land, Dismisses Sanctions HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe accused British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Saturday of reneging on pledges to support land reforms and said the country would survive sanctions, state news agency ZIANA reported. Mugabe told an interdenominational prayer meeting in Harare it was puzzling that Britain was keen to discuss Zimbabwe's forthcoming presidential elections but had not fulfilled its promise of financial support for land reforms, ZIANA said. ``You can�t deny responsibility in one area and accept it in another. Mr. Blair don�t be a liar, a Bliar,�� Mugabe was quoted as saying. ``Sanctions or no sanctions, Zimbabwe will survive,�� Mugabe said on Saturday, adding God was ``on our side�� on the land issue. Relations between the southern African country and its former colonial ruler Britain have soured since a government-backed land seizure campaign of white-owned farms for redistribution among landless blacks began in February 2000. Mugabe's government accuses Britain of orchestrating an international campaign against it -- including the threat of economic sanctions -- in retaliation for the land drive. Nine white farmers have been killed, scores of black farm workers assaulted and thousands others displaced since the land invasions, seen as a major catalyst for the country's unprecedented economic and political crisis. Critics say Mugabe has largely ignored a Nigerian-brokered plan he endorsed in September to end the farm seizures in exchange for funds from Britain and other sources and implement a fair land reform plan. APPEAL FOR PEACEFUL CAMPAIGN On Saturday, ZIANA said Mugabe appealed for a peaceful campaign ahead of the presidential poll scheduled for March 9 and 10, where he faces an unprecedented challenge from opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. But he also lashed out at local whites, who he routinely accuses of working with Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change to oust him over his land seizures. ``The gates are open for racists to go. Those who want to stay with us should stay and respect our values,�� Mugabe said. Political analysts say Mugabe, 78 next month and in power since the former Rhodesia gained independence in 1980, is using the radical land reform program as part of a campaign to retain power in the polls. International calls for sanctions against Zimbabwe mounted following the passing this week by parliament of new laws that give his government sweeping powers. Australia and New Zealand called for the country's expulsion from the 54-member Commonwealth. He later left for neighboring Malawi, where he will attend an extraordinary summit of southern African heads of states on Monday. On his arrival, Mugabe maintained his attack on Blair and told the state-owned Malawi Broadcasting Corporation in an interview that ``Blair wants that old colonization of Zimbabwe.�� The Zimbabwe issue will be on the agenda of the 14-member Southern African Development Community, as well as the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/ ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
