NationStates Jolt Archive

The descision of the New Zealand Cricket Board to continue with the tour of Zimbabwe this winter poses interesting issues.

The acts being commited by Robert Mugabe(elected presedent through a poll that was acknowledged internationally to be corrupt), the most recent of which being the 'Urban Clensing' operations which essentially involves bulldozing to innocent peoples homes really are attrocious. Whats more more than half the country faces food shortages this winter with around 700 000 people on the brink of starvation.

The International Cricketing Council states that New Zealand is in a contract to complete the sporting tour and will be fined $2 million if it refuses to. The only way this tour can be stopped is if the government prevent the team from travelling for political reasons, something they have already said they will not do.

As cricket is the only sport at which Zimbabwe regulaly competes internationally at and the fact that Robert Mugabe is head of Zimbabwein cricket suggest that bypassing the tour may have some effect. Similar methods were used against South Africa during the apartheid years.

You dont have to be a Kiwi or a Cricket fan to have an opinion on this issue, It would be interesting to see Australian and English views given their countries descions to tour last year.

Can you think of a better way to spend $2 million than to tell Mugabe to fuck off? ;)

Can you think of a better way to spend $2 million than to tell Mugabe to fuck off? ;)

true, but i dont think its NZC's job to pay the bill, the governtment could just as easily refuse to allow the tour to continue.

true, but i dont think its NZC's job to pay the bill, the governtment could just as easily refuse to allow the tour to continue.

I'll agree that they don't have to make that decision. But they have the opportunity to. They have to decide what is better for their fans; playing or not playing. I think that they have to support their fans as much as their fans support them. Then, if they choose to play, the government will make it's decision. This gives Cricket the opportunity to save face. The government would be the bad guy if they decided to play and the government refused.

I'm just saying that if they DO refuse, it's $2 million well spent. :)

Zimbabwe are touring back here at the end of the year as well (the ICC has a 10 year plan in progress where the top 10 nations have full home and away test and ODI series) which the govt is now having a crack at.

Hi,

I'm a Zimbabwean living in Scotland, and I just hope your government has the balls to stop your team going. Unfortunately here the government here refused to step in and forced the team to make the choice, which is hard for people with no real desire to get looped into politics.

In Zimbabwe there is divided opinion on whether teams should visit or not, both pro and ant-Mugabe sides are divided.

Personally I wouldn't go if I was one of the players as it is only a matter of time until Mugabe pushes people too far and a civil war breaks out. It would be nice if there was some real political preasure on Mugabe to resign and go into exile, but Thabo Mbeki is a spineless waste of time and Iraq has drawn too much of Britain and the US's energy.

Can you think of a better way to spend $2 million than to tell Mugabe to fuck off? ;)
Ill tell you what if you can find the money in NZC Coffers id be happy to say no but as they make about 160K after bills each year We must whip the Zimmies good.

Might i add Our Government is getting cosy to those excellent people known as the Peoples Republic oF China.
Tax Evasion equals Death
Yeah Hail Communism
Hooray For Mao!