| Edinburgh University strips Mugabe of honorary degree |
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| World Affairs Talk | |
| Thursday, 14 June 2007 | |
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The Zimbabwean dictator was awarded the degree in 1984 for his services to education in African region but the President dishonored the degree by being responsible for increasingly violent crackdown on political opposition and alleged human rights violations in his country. The decision to strip Mugabe of the honor is the first time that such a step has been taken in the Edinburgh University's history. It came after a recommendation from a panel comprised of three senior university professors that his honorary degree by revoked. It comes after years of campaigning by politicians and students against Mugabe's brutal regime. The initial decision to confer an honorary degree at the first place was made in good faith on the basis of information available at the time. The committee feels, though the decision to offer him the honorary degree in 1982 was clearly made in good faith, evidence had subsequently come to light of human rights abuses between 1982 and 1984. Mugabe is widely blamed for the political and economic downturn of his country, marked by an increasingly violent crackdown on opposition activists and journalists, world-record 3,714 percent inflation and 80 percent unemployment. President Mugabe will be contacted in writing and will be given the opportunity to respond to the decision. Zimbabwe government dismissed the announcement and termed it as "meaningless". Describing Mugabe as "an accomplished scholar," its information Ministry said that the president had many degrees from universities at home and abroad and therefore Edinburgh's decision was "meaningless to him and to Zimbabwe”. Edinburgh University’s announcement may be a result of the pressure from the UK. President Mugabe in past accused British Prime Minister Tony Blair of harbouring plans to re-colonize Zimbabwe using the opposition as a front. But with pressure or without pressure, the committee did take a decision and that’s final. Mugabe no longer holds the honorary degree. Share & Bookmark             |
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