Boycott Zimbabwe cricket match? Only if it doesn't hurt the economy!

Recently there's been a lot of discussion about the quandary of the Australian cricket team as to whether they should fulfil their contract obligation to play the Zimbabwean team in Zimbabwe or to boycott the match or request for it to be played elsewhere to avoid giving the Mugabe an "enormous propaganda boost",^[source] which would likely impose a $2 million fine on the team from the ICC.

While John Howard and Alexander Downer initially 'strongly urged' the Aussie cricket team to do the 'right thing' and cancel their Zimbabwe tour, they have gradually stepped up the tone of their words as the story has gained media coverage to the point where, now, they have effectively banned the team from participating in the Zimbabwe tour. "[Australian] Cricketers won't play in Zimbabwe while Mugabe's in power", said Downer in one media statement.^[source] And apparently they'll be blocking cricketers request for VISAs if they try.

There are two questions this issue raises in my mind. First, is it of significant practical benefit to ordinary Zimbabweans in the long term to make this stance (even if in the short term it could be to their detriment, as Gam points out, due to the loss of potential revenue from international visitors)? I suspect it would be -- particularly in the long term, so I support the Howard-Downer stance on this, even though I suspect they came to it on realpolitik rather than moral grounds.

The second question is whether most people, most Australians, would be prepared to take the same moral stance in a consistent manner, when it would certainly be to Australia's overall economic detriment -- at least in the short term?

For instance -- and this is a fact about which it seems few people are aware -- there are nine children of prominent ministers of the Mugabe regime studying here in Australia,^[source] no doubt paying big bucks for their schooling or university places. Should these nine Zimbabweans be deported in line with the Howard-Downer moral stance on the cricket issue? Absolutely. Will hurt Australia's reputation for providing full-fee-paying international students with schooling and university degrees. Yes it would.

Should Australia then also boycott sporting events in China, based on China's current human rights record? If so, should Australia also deport all Chinese full-fee-paying students, especially those whose parents are in powerful positions in the ruling Communist party in China? Now that would seriously be to Australia's economic detriment, given the amount of money made from full-fee-paying students from China who study here. I somehow doubt either Howard or Kevin Rudd would publicly suggest any such boycott against China because that's not what Australians want. A secure economy is apparently more important than moral considerations.

And I seriously doubt either Howard or Rudd will make moves to deport the Zimbabwean students here until a big stink is raised about it in mainstream media. Full credit to Crikey for bringing it to my attention months ago! And now you know too.

The information about children of Zimbabwe's elite studying in Australia came from an article in Crikey.com.au (16 April 2007)^{[subscriber link]} from which I paste an excerpt here:

Zimbabwe leaders' children in Australia: who's here by Jane Nethercote

Crikey can now name nine children of senior figures in the disgraced regime of Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe who are either studying or resident in Australia.

The children live here despite the Australian Government's financial and travel sanctions against close associates and supporters of the Mugabe regime.

...

Today, the ZIC has identified at least nine children either studying or resident in Australia:

1. Sylvester Chihuri, son of Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri
2. Tendai Nguni, son of Sylvester Nguni, Deputy Minister for Agriculture
3. Kudzai Muchena, son of Olivia Muchena, Minister for Science & Technology Development
4. Thelma Chombo, daughter of Minister for Local Government, Ignatius Chombo
5. Taona Karimanzira, son of Harare Provincial Governor David Karimanzira, is in Brisbane
6. Emmerson Mnangagwa, son of Emerson Mnangagwa, Minister for Rural Housing
7. Pride Gono, Praise Gono, Passion Gono (children of Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono). Pride and Praise, twin sisters, are at Latrobe University in Melbourne. Passion is a son of Gideon Gono, and is said to be working in Sydney.

The current Australian government bans against Zimbabwean figures don't extend to family members. However, in order to send children to Australia and support them while here, financial transactions must surely be taking place, if not by leaders of the ZANU-PF then on their behalf.

...

Mugabe image courtesy of BBC: Zimbabwe 'abuse stepped up' (17 April 2003).

Categorised as: media, philosophy, politics
Technorati Tags: Australian politics, realpolitik, John Howard, Alexander Downer, Kevin Rudd, boycott, Australian cricket team, Mugabe regime, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwean students, Australian universities, ethics

Cowardly behaviour at the Cole enquiry: C'mon surprise me!

"I don't have any specific recollection," said Alexander Downer – several times – on the dock at the Cole Inquiry. What a surprise! Like we thought he would suddenly break down and tell the truth – that the Australian government hand in glove with the AWB were completely aware they were screwing the Iraqi people who effectively paid via AWB for Saddam's nukes and gold-plated palaces.

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer has begun giving evidence to the oil-for-food inquiry in Sydney. Mr Downer has said he does not have any specific recollection about seeing many critical cables about rorts of the oil-for-food program. His statement, just tendered to the inquiry, repeats that statement many times. Given the list of departmental cables relating to allegations against AWB, he has written: "I don't have any specific recollection of having received or read this cable." Often it adds: "I don't consider it was likely to be judged sufficiently pressing or critical to be shown to me." Mr Downer says he was generally aware of the allegations, but not aware of any intelligence on allegations against the grains trader. He says he would have expected his department to investigate allegations about money from contracts going to the Middle East and contracts being inflated to pay kickbacks.

Bastard.

John Howard has a real opportunity. Both Vaile and Downer now look tremendously incompetent and it dramatically reduces my opinion of their ability to lead. Leadership demands that you don't make assumptions that your staff should have told you when something important was afoot. After all, you as the leader, are fully aware of anything important that's afoot. Leadership demands that when a mistake has been made you accept responsibility for it. Real leadership also demands that when innocent people have been wronged, you tell the truth about it.

John Howard, you have an opportunity to shock me here and demonstrate true leadership, which neither Vaile or Downer could.

Note: I posted on this topic back in November, and if anything I'm madder about it now than then. At that point, I didn't fully comprehend how the money channelled to Saddam was sourced straight from the capite censi of Iraq (from their Oil-For-Food funds). Supporting the evil dictator guy is one thing. Stealing from the people with whom we apparently went to war to rid of their evil dictator is another thing!

Update: In case you didn't already see it, Tim D spotted a incredible yet cringe-worthy slip of the tongue on the part of Downer: "I rarely — er... I mean really — read the cables from New York". Really?

Update: In case you were wondering, Howard completely failed to surprised us when he spoke to the commission on this too.

Categorised as: politics
Technorati Tags: Australian politics, Alexander Downer, Mark Vaile, John Howard, Cole Inquiry, Oil-for-food scandal, leadership