Madam, - Over the past few years it has become abundantly evident that South Africa's president, Thabo Mbeki, has very close ties to the Zimbabwean despot Robert Mugabe. This makes it difficult for him to be an unbiased "facilitator" of a resolution to the impasse over the recent election results. His mantra of "quiet diplomacy" must grate on the ears of the oppressed and starving people of Zimbabwe. His recent declarations that "there is no crisis in Zimbabwe" is just sickening. Unfortunately he remains the only external leader with real political and economical power to influence matters inside Zimbabwe.
It is time for European governments to start putting real pressure on Mbeki to persuade his friend to accept the will of the people and step down. Let us not wait for wholesale slaughter in the streets of Harare and Bulawayo. - Yours, etc,
MAURICE TAYLOR, Whitechurch Road, Ballyboden, Dublin 16.
Madam, - Watching President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa once again give his imprimatur to that monster Mugabe, I recalled watching a South African comedian some time ago who, with savage irony, informed his audience that Thabo is an anagram of Botha. - Yours, etc,
DENIS MORTELL, Friarsland Road, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14.