Mugabe causes outrage with ban on cricket tour media

by Sam Matthews,, Brand Republic 24-Nov-04, 10:30

LONDON – Dictator Robert Mugabe has banned nine UK media organisations, including the BBC, from covering England's five-day cricket tour in Zimbabwe in the latest twist to the controversial visit, which could now see England pull out.

Last night, the BBC TV and radio, The Sun, The Times, the Daily Mirror, The Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Times and News of the World were told by the Department of Information in Harare that Mugabe's government had refused them accreditation for the tour, which starts this Friday.

Mugabe refused to give a reason for the ban, leading to renewed moves for England pulling out without any penalties.

The England & Wales Cricket Board is holding emergency talks to try to get the ban revoked.

Michael Vaughan, England captain, said: "I am flabbergasted at the decision... There is something very wrong if our media can't get in and cover a tour. I don't know how our cricket tour can be called a tour when are media are not involved."

A Foreign Office spokesman added: "The UK has long been an advocate of media freedom in Zimbabwe. Our embassy in Harare will make representations to try and resolve this."

Mugabe, who likened himself to Hitler in 2003, has been accused of oppressing and starving his own people since he came to power in 1980.

More than 20,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands of white farmers and black farm workers have been forced out of their homes.

Many in the country are close to starvation because many former white-owned farms now produce nothing.

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