No need for an essay here, yes or no, should Zimbabwe be kicked out of the Commonwealth.
I say yes.
I say yes.
Should Zimbabwe be kicked out of the Commonwealth?
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- Nov 17, 2000
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Kicked out of UN and sanctioned...YES.
Commonwealth........everyone should be kicked out of that.....it is a fragment left of British colonialism.........IMO
Commonwealth........everyone should be kicked out of that.....it is a fragment left of British colonialism.........IMO
- Apr 5, 2001
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Who gives a rats arse about the Commonwealth of Nations, but as for UN santions and temporary expulsion from the United Nations, we'll i'll have to agree with Frodo
Santos L Helper
Cancelled
Why can't WE get kicked out of the Commonwealth?
Hear Hear!!!
Well, given the commonwealth is a paper tiger, then yeah, kick 'em out.
Dissolve the Commonwealth entirely.
Send US troops in to Zimbabwe.
*whisper whisper*
What's that?
*whisper whisper*
They don't have any oil? Oh... um... look over there! A giant hummingbird is about to eat your hat and coat!! (*sound of US President running for door, choking on own conscience*)
Send US troops in to Zimbabwe.
*whisper whisper*
What's that?
*whisper whisper*
They don't have any oil? Oh... um... look over there! A giant hummingbird is about to eat your hat and coat!! (*sound of US President running for door, choking on own conscience*)
Personally I would like Britain to kick her/ourself out of the Commonwealth as I don't think we gain much from it.
But people may be surprised to know (I was) that actually the Commonwealth acts as a strong link between countries trade wise, more specifically the less well off ones.And that there are 3rd world countires who are asking to join who I believe may not even have been part of the British Empire as they know the benefits that accrue from membership.
As for Zimbabwe the situation there is terrible, it is a truly evil regime & while it is true that part of the black population suffers as much as any from the actions of the government I remain convinced that on the subject of white farmers being beaten, killed & kicked off their land & the police turning a blind eye that if the same crime was being perpetrated by a white government on black people then the world would sit up and take notice & certain sanctions would be inevitable.
After the civil war Mugabe asked the whites to stay on & pledged that there would be no action such as that currently occuring as he said that he recognised that a united Zimbabwe was the only way forward.so the they stayed on & must now which they hadn't.
From a British point of view it is a disgrace the way that some of these farmers are being treated most of them have British heritage that can be traced back fairly recently & yet they are being refused asylum when it is clear that they are being persecuted & yet we happily let in tens of thousands of 'economic migrants' every week from countries with which we have no historical links or duty of care-most notbaly the countires of eastern Europe.
It's nothing short of a national disgrace but our namby pamby Prime Minister has the biggest of yellow streaks running right through him.
So yeah kick em out but I doubt it'll hurt them too much.
Santos L Helper
Cancelled
Dipper, how did these 'white farmers' obtain the land originally in the old Rhodesia? Nothing justifies persecution and stealing lands.................at any time, history or present.
- Moderator
- #10
The present day Commonwealth is a world away from the former British Empire, and does a great deal more for its member countries, that most people give them credit for.
Of the fifty-four countries that are currently in the Commonwealth, thirty-three are republics (such as India), five have their own monarchies (such as Brunei), and sixteen are a constitutional monarchy with the sovereign of the United Kingdom as their head of state (such as Canada and Australia).
Although membership requires having been a former dependency of the United Kingdom or a dependency of a dependency, former Portuguese colony Mozambique became a member 1995 under special circumstances due to Mozambique's willingness to support the Commonwealth's fight against apartheid in South Africa. The Republic of Ireland is associated with the Commonwealth for commercial purposes but is not a member.
The population of the 54 member states exceeds 1.7 billion, almost 30% of the world population (India is responsible for a majority of the Commonwealth's population as you would expect). Currently the member countries of Fiji and Pakistan are suspended for un-Commonwealth-like activities.
How does the Commonwealth benefit this 30% of the world population? Well it does quite a lot.
One of the Commonwealth's main aims is to continue to influence international society for the benefit of mankind.
In 1971, the Commonwealth adopted these main aims. (and I quote from their declaration)
- that international peace and order are essential to the security and prosperity of mankind; we therefore support the United Nations and seek to strengthen its influence for peace in the world, and its efforts to remove the causes of tension between nations.
- the liberty of the individual, in equal rights for all citizens regardless of race, colour, creed or political belief, and in their inalienable right to participate by means of free and democratic political processes in framing the society in which they live. We therefore strive to promote in each of our (the Commonwealth) countries those representative institutions and guarantees for personal freedom under the law that are our common heritage.
- recognising racial prejudice as a dangerous sickness threatening the healthy development of the human race and racial discrimination as an unmitigated evil of society. Each of us will vigorously combat this evil within our own nation. No country will afford to regimes which practice racial discrimination assistance which in its own judgment directly contributes to the pursuit or consolidation of this evil policy.
- oppose all forms of colonial domination and racial oppression and are committed to the principles of human dignity and equality. We will therefore use all our efforts to foster human equality and dignity everywhere, and to further the principles of self-determination and non-racialism.
- believe that the wide disparities in wealth now existing between different sections of mankind are too great to be tolerated; they also create world tensions; our aim is their progressive removal. We therefore seek to use our efforts to overcome poverty, ignorance and disease, in raising standards of life and achieving a more equitable international society.
- achieve the freest possible flow of international trade on terms fair and equitable to all, taking into account the special requirements of the developing countries, and to encourage the flow of adequate resources, including governmental and private resources, to the developing countries,
- believe that international co-operation is essential to remove the causes of war, promote tolerance, combat injustice, and secure development among the peoples of the world; we are convinced that the Commonwealth is one of the most fruitful associations for these purposes.
- recognise that the security of each member state from external aggression is a matter of concern to all members.
- believe that our multi-national association can expand human understanding and understanding among nations, assist in the elimination of discrimination based on differences of race, colour or creed, maintain and strengthen personal liberty, contribute to the enrichment of life for all, and provide a powerful influence for peace among nations.
The Commonwealth runs many projects to assist their aims such as: (and I've just mentioned the main ones here)
- Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation The CFTC operates on the principle of mutual assistance, with member governments contributing financing on a voluntary basis and obtaining technical assistance as needed. It responds to requests from governments for such technical assistance as the provision of experts to fill specific development needs in the short or long term. Commonwealth consultants assist in export, enterprise and agricultural development, advise on economic and legal matters, and assist in implementing programs of training, capacity-building and public-sector reform. In 1998-1999, the CFTC spent £20.5 million on various member countries.
- Commonwealth Youth Programs. They run projects such as the The HIV/AIDS Ambassadors' Program and The Commonwealth Youth Service Awards as well as others which reward and recognise outstanding development projects led by young people. In 1998-99, they spent £2.1 million on member countries particuarly in developing nations of the Commonwealth.
- Commonwealth Science Council which Promotes the use of Science and Technology for development. In 1998-99, they spent £915,000, again mainly on developing countries within the Commonwealth
- The Commonwealth of Learning is an intergovernmental organisation created by Commonwealth Heads of Government to encourage the development and sharing of open learning/distance education knowledge, resources and technologies. The COL is helping developing nations improve access to quality education and training.
There are many other projects that the Commonweath runs in terms of governance, law, gender equality etc. for its members countries etc that I haven't mentioned here.
In my opinion the Commonwealth has a very important role to play in world affairs and to promote peace and harmony amongst it's various countries and benefiting human existance in its member countries. Australia's membership allows us to have more of an influence on world affairs and in promoting values in developing countries, which we take for granted.
The situation in Zimbabwe will be discussed in the next CHOGM meeting. Like Pakistan and Fiji, the outcome may well be that Zimbabwe will be suspended.
Anyone who doubts the value of the Commonwealth plainly has little to no knowledge of what the Commonwealth actually does.
From what I've read in this thread, no, keep Zimbabwe in the Commonwealth but use that as a means of putting pressure on Mugabe and his mob (i.e. use a combination of carrot and stick).
Santos L Helper
Cancelled
I'm sorry Roylion, but your post strengthens my resolve that the Commonwealth is just another process/organisation which seems to be big on talk and little on 'real' action.
I'll comment on the main interest to me......youth programs. 54 member nations and 2.1 million pounds spent in one year over all the nations. This seems to me to be a case of 'look what were doing' but really what are they doing. I'd like to see how much of that money goes in admin. costs and how much goes to programs aimed at youth. Sure the sentiment is there, but really sentiment does nothing.
Yes, there may be 30% of the worlds population in the Commonwealth, but how are they really benefitted? You have given us the 'spiel', but have really shown that good intentions are a high priority. You compare it to the United Nations, and what a toothless tiger they have turned into.
I'll comment on the main interest to me......youth programs. 54 member nations and 2.1 million pounds spent in one year over all the nations. This seems to me to be a case of 'look what were doing' but really what are they doing. I'd like to see how much of that money goes in admin. costs and how much goes to programs aimed at youth. Sure the sentiment is there, but really sentiment does nothing.
Yes, there may be 30% of the worlds population in the Commonwealth, but how are they really benefitted? You have given us the 'spiel', but have really shown that good intentions are a high priority. You compare it to the United Nations, and what a toothless tiger they have turned into.
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- #13
Let's not forget the Commonwealth is a voluntary association of independent sovereign states, each responsible for its own policies, consulting and co-operating in the common interests of their peoples and in the promotion of international understanding and world peace. As such it's powers to actively intervene in any Commonwealth country for the better are somewhat limited. Moreover the Commonwealth relies on its member nations for funds and has a total operating budget of about 50 million pounds per year.
With the money it has available it does quite a great deal. Quite apart from the initiatives I have mentioned above the Commonwealth also provides "real action" by undertaking the following, some of which are in relation to young people.
- helps young artists and groups of artists from developing Commonwealth countries to travel to another Commonwealth country to participate in cultural events.
- Every two years, under the Foundation-funded Commonwealth Arts and Crafts Awards, ten artists and craftspeople between the ages of 22 and 35 are selected from around 300 applicants to receive a £6,000 award for travel and study in another Commonwealth country.
- The Commonwealth Photographic Awards is an annual competition open to amateur photographers from around the Commonwealth.
- Commonwealth Writers Prize and Short Story Competition which is to encourage and reward the upsurge of new Commonwealth fiction and ensure that works of merit reach a wider audience outside their country of origin.
- The Commonwealth Foundation works with non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The NGO Study Visits for young NGO workers to different Commonwealth Countries. As well as this, they work to improve relations between NGOs and governments, and give strategic assistance to key regional NGOs.
- The Commonwealth Foundation runs a small travel grants programme, with the aim of assisting NGO leaders from developing Commonwealth countries to participate in training courses, workshops and conferences of a practical orientation.
- Over thirty Commonwealth Professional Associations bring people working in the same profession around the Commonwealth together. Ranging from nurses to journalists, architects to veterinarians, these associations help maintain international standards and enable professionals to share experience and knowledge. The associations also contribute to global change, by forging links on crucial questions such as the environment and reproductive health.
- Final year medical students are able to experience healthcare in another Commonwealth country through the Commonwealth Medical Electives Scheme.
- The Commonwealth of Learning is an intergovernmental organisation created by Commonwealth Heads of Government to encourage the development and sharing of open learning/distance education knowledge, resources and technologies. They (among others) currently have running the following:
a) Southern Africa teacher training programme. Shortages of trained teachers have been a chronic problem in much of the developing world, especially in Africa. Recognising that they could not afford the luxury of temporarily taking untrained teachers from classrooms for professional upgrading, Ministers of Education from eight Southern African countries (Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe) collaborated with the Commonwealth to develop distance education training materials to upgrade teachers of upper primary and junior secondary science, technology and mathematics and general education.
b) Canada Caribbean Distance Education Scholarship Programme.
This five-year pilot programme commenced in 1998. It provides scholarships for Caribbean students to study “at a distance” through Canadian post-secondary institutions through the use of new information and communications technologies. Scholarships are provided for Caribbean citizens in areas of skill shortages including tourism, teacher training, and computer literacy. The majority of the graduates are women.
c) Commonwealth Electronic Network for Schools and Education
an initiative of The Commonwealth of Learning, the Commonwealth Secretariat to facilitate contact between schools and institutions throughout the Commonwealth.
There are others as well.
Then there's the programs the Commonwealth runs for management of the environment, sustainable development and the supplying food, including educating rice farmers in India through the use of HAM radio and in Bangladesh through print, training over 100 agricultural and forestry extension workers in nine Commonwealth countries in new technologies and updating environmental workers with the latest management, impact and policy studies.
- There's also a a five-year project in Mozambique where over one million children completing basic education have no access to secondary education. Through the creation and production of self-learning materials for grades 8-10, the project also provides training in open and distance learning to local teachers.
- There's also a another Commonwealth project which explores the use of community learning centres and communications technologies to improve adult literacy programmes in selected Commonwealth countries - initially, India and Zambia.
- The Commonwealth is also providing assistance with the professional development of health workers throughout Commonwealth countries in Southern Africa and the South Pacific.
- The Commonwealth of Learning is collaborating with the Commonwealth Secretariat and recipient institutions and agencies, such as the Commonwealth Association of Polytechnics in Africa, on a programme to adapt course materials for training laboratory technicians. It is also collaborating with the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the Hamilton Bailey Memorial Trust, the Pan African Association of Surgeons, the British Council and ten recipient medical schools around the Commonwealth, to offer a training programme for young surgeons by distance education.
Shall I continue?
These are "real actions" currently underway in Commonwealth countries under the auspices of the Commonwealth, without which they wouldn't exist.
What else should the Commonwealth be doing, bearing in mind it has a limited amount of money and limited power?
All the information above (and much more) is readily available to the public, if one bothers to look.
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Wouldn't they get a loan from the Commonwealth Bank? 
