It's good to see our Parliamentarians working together to try and find a solution to the Black Caps' tour of Zimbabwe, and better to hear that they've made some progress on the general issue of brining international pressure to bear on the Mugabe regime. This is something New Zealanders are fairly united on (well, except those who, as in 1981, believe that sport and morality don't mix - but there are fewer of them now), and it is good to see that Parliament is reflecting that. It is disappointing however that they have not yet been able to craft a legislative solution to stop the tour. The most they have been able to agree on is a motion condemning the Mugabe regime.
Parliament must do more. They must work to find agreement on legislation imposing economic sanctions on Zimbabwe. If they cannot do so, and if the tour goes ahead, then it isn't just Mugabe they should be condemning. If the Black Caps will not or can not do the right thing, and embark on a tour which will be seen as an endorsement of the Mugabe regime by New Zealand, Parliament should voice the public's overwhelming opposition, and make it absolutely clear that "these people do not represent us".
whatever side of the fence I am on aside, I have to take issue with sweeping and unsupported statements:
ReplyDelete"If the Black Caps will not or can not do the right thing, and embark on a tour which will be seen as an endorsement of the Mugabe regime by New Zealand"
- seen by whom?
- do we care "they" see?
The answer to the first question is a) Mugabe, and b) New Zealanders. The answer to the second is that pretty clearly we do.
ReplyDeleteOpponents of the "misrepresentation" argument are happy to claim that NZ Cricket is a private body and that it doesn't really represent New Zealanders. Fine - let's take that at face value then, and make damn sure everybody knows it.