TWO STEPS BACK

by MONITOR
PRESIDENT Mugabe of Zimbabwe has been showing a gentler face than usual to the world in recent months. He received a delegation from the European Union very warmly and during his visit to New York for the General Assembly last month he avoided any provocative speeches about the evils of colonialism. But in Zimbabwe one step forward is often followed by two steps backwards and yesterday's news of the re-arrest of Roy Bennett, a senior member of the Movement for Democratic Change which shares power with Mugabe's Zanu party, seems to prove the point. Mr Bennett, a white farmer who has criticised Mr Mugabe severely for his policy of seizing white-owned farms, was charged last March with terrorism but then released. When he was detained again this week the country's prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, cancelled a cabinet meeting of the power-sharing government in protest. Mr Tsvangirai, who is also leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, has been criticised for being too weak in his dealings with the President but he is a skilled politician and may know that a softly-softly approach will work better in the long run. He probably knows also that not all the lawless things that happen in Zimbabwe stem from direct orders from Mugabe. There are powerful groups within the Zanu party that act to some extent on their own instincts and in their own interests.