WASHINGTON — President Obama publicly scolded President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe on Friday, using a White House meeting with the country’s prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, to praise Mr. Tsvangirai and to accuse Mr. Mugabe of opposing democratic freedoms and steering the country into political and economic ruin.Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe’s prime minister and an opposition leader, with President Obama on Friday in the Oval Office.
“It has gone through a very dark and difficult period politically,” Mr. Obama told reporters in the Oval Office after meeting with Mr. Tsvangirai, an opposition leader who shares power with Mr. Mugabe and is trying to loosen the president’s autocratic grip on his country.
“The president — President Mugabe — I think I’ve made my views clear, has not acted oftentimes in the best interest of the Zimbabwean people and has been resistant to the kinds of democratic changes that need to take place.”
Mr. Tsvangirai received more votes than Mr. Mugabe in an election last year but was pressed into a power-sharing deal that has left Mr. Mugabe in control of the police, the spy service, the media and the criminal justice system. Mr. Tsvangirai is seeking help from the West, which puts Mr. Obama in the difficult position of trying to figure out how to deliver that help — without bolstering Mr. Mugabe.
One way the White House can help Mr. Tsvangirai is by throwing the support of the popular American president behind the prime minister.
Mr. Obama did just that during the Oval Office meeting, saying that Mr. Tsvangirai is “committed to significant concrete improvement” in the health, educational and agricultural needs of his people.
“I congratulate him,” Mr. Obama said, adding, “Over all, in a very difficult circumstance, we’ve seen progress from the prime minister.”
Mr. Obama said that he had committed $73 million in assistance to Zimbabwe, but that the money “will not be going to the government directly because we continue to be concerned about consolidating democracy, human rights and rule of law.”
Mr. Obama said he was looking to Mr. Tsvangirai to “continue to provide us with direction in ways that he thinks we can be helpful.”
* NY Times
