SOUTH AFRICA: Tutu urges Mugabe to step down or face charges

Record ID: 453174

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Tutu urges Mugabe to step down or face charges
  • Date: 25th December 2008
  • Summary: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (DECEMBER 25, 2008) (REUTERS) PRIEST AND ALTAR BOY BURNING INCENSE DURING CHRISTMAS MASS INTERIOR OF ST. GEORGES CATHEDRAL ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU AT PODIUM PEOPLE LISTENING ARCHBISHOP TUTU GREETS FELLOW PRIESTS ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU GREETS PEOPLE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU SAYING: "It's a desperate situation there and all of us want to see a resolution of what is just an awful situation and I don't think you can have any real solution unless Mr. Mugabe steps down. They can ask him to step down and if he steps down OK, and if he doesn't…maybe he should be forced down." MORE OF ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU GREETING PEOPLE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU SAYING: "He really has to face charges for all of the awful violations…good bye." TUTU WALKS OFF WITH FELLOW PRIEST
  • Embargoed: 9th January 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAEET32UUAYGKN4G72G46HW0S15
  • Story Text: South African Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu has urged Robert Mugabe to step down or face charges of human rights violations.
    South African Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu on Thursday (December 25) accused his country of betraying the legacy of the struggle against apartheid by failing to take strong action against President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.
    The archbishop told Reuters that military force against Mugabe's government should not be ruled out.

    "It's a desperate situation there and all of us want to see a resolution of what is just an awful situation and I don't think you can have any real solution unless Mr. Mugabe steps down. They can ask him to step down and if he steps down OK, and if he doesn't…maybe he should be forced down," Tutu told Reuters in St.George's Cathedral in Cape Town.
    Tutu was speaking after he led the celebration of Christmas Midnight Mass.
    Zimbabwe is facing a humanitarian crisis with more than five million people facing starvation; a complete breakdown of the education, health and other social services; and a cholera epidemic that has already claimed more than 1,000 lives. Another 20,000 people are afflicted with the disease.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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