Britain Bans Tours by Zimbabwe Cricketers

International outrage continues to mount against Zimbabwean PresidentRobert Mugabe and his government's violent election campaign. TendaiMaphosa reports for VOA from London the British government now says itwill ban tours by the Zimbabwean cricket team.

The debate about whether Zimbabwe's cricket team should be allowed to tour internationally has been going on for some time.  

Britain'sgovernment wanted a decision on whether to allow the team to compete inthe country to be made by the England and Wales Cricket board. Butrecent events in Zimbabwe changed the picture.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown addressed the issue in his regular Wednesday remarks to parliament.

"TheSecretary for Culture is working with the English Cricket Board. Wewant to ensure that Zimbabwe does not tour England next year and wewill call for other countries to join us in banning Zimbabwe from the20-20 international tournament," Brown said.

The World 20-20Cricket tournament, which England will host next summer, was officiallylaunched Tuesday in London with Zimbabwe still among the 12 competingteams. But soon after the prime minister's statement, the England andWales Cricket Board announced that it is suspending relations withZimbabwe cricket.

The International Cricket Council meets inDubai next week to discuss the Zimbabwe issue and observers expect thecountry to be suspended.

The decision to ban Zimbabwe may bemade easier since, earlier this week, South Africa's cricketadministrators, Cricket Zimbabwe's strongest allies announced they werecutting all ties with Zimbabwe. This followed pressure by SouthAfrican cricket players who threatened they would not play againstZimbabwe because of the ongoing political turmoil there.

In arelated matter the Times daily newspaper reports the miningconglomerate Anglo American is set to make a $400 million investment inZimbabwe. Though the Anglo-American deal was not brought up inparliament, Prime Minister Brown called on companies that were helpingMr. Mugabe's regime to "reconsider their position". The Times says theForeign office is looking into whether Anglo American breachedsanctions against Zimbabwe.  
 
Meanwhile, Zimbabwean oppositionleader Morgan Tsvangirai has made an impassioned plea for action in anarticle in the Guardian daily newspaper. Mr. Tsvangirai, who welcomedMonday's Security Council statement condemning the Zimbabweangovernment's violent campaign, appealed for a peacekeeping force toprotect the people of Zimbabwe. He emphasized he is not calling forarmed conflict but says the people of Zimbabwe need more than justwords of indignation.  

Zimbabwe's long running political crisistook a turn for the worse following the March 29 general election. Theopposition, Movement for Democratic Change won a majority inparliament, but Mr. Tsvangirai failed to secure an outright victoryagainst incumbent President Mugabe in the presidential vote. A runoffis scheduled for Friday, but Mr. Tsvangirai has pulled out, citingviolent repression of the opposition and its supporters.