Times Live -Apr 21, 2010
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to arrive in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, today despite protests by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change.
’His visit will send wrong message about the company we keep’
Riot police attacked commuters yesterday on Julius Nyerere Way, in Harare.
It is believed that they wanted to discourage people from congregating on the street, which is the route the Iranian leader was likely to take from the airport.
Police refused to comment on the assault on the public.
Ahmadinejad was expected to open Zimbabwe’s Trade Fair.
Earlier this week, the Iranian leader sent his special envoy, Mohammad Abassi, to invite President Robert Mugabe to next month’s G15 summit in Teheran.
The friendship between Mugabe and the Middle East strongman does not please all of Zimbabwe’s politicians.
The MDC has condemned the visit, saying: ’The unilateral decision by Zanu-PF to invite Ahmadinejad to officially open the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair is not only a colossal political scandal but an insult to the peace-loving people of Zimbabwe and Iran.
’His visit will definitely send a wrong message about the kind of company that we keep at a time when the people of Africa and the rest of the world have begun to see us as a nation working hard to restore democracy and good governance.
’It is no secret that Ahmadinejad has perforated human rights credentials.
’He has made his reputation as a war monger, a trampler on human rights, an of those with dissenting voices and a leader of questionable legitimacy due to his controversial victory in last year’s presidential election.
’The MDC is concerned by widespread reports from Iran of arbitrary killing of protesters and human rights defenders in order to crush dissent.
’We want to place on record that, judging by his record, Ahmadinejad is coming not as a friend of Zimbabwe but as an ally of those who unilaterally invited him.’