Throwback To That Time Dom Mintoff Opened Up To Mugabe And Warned CIA Was Spying On Him
Robert Mugabe, the man who ruled Zimbabwe for 37 whole years, has died today aged 95, truly an end of an era for the African nation.
The former Zimbabwean president had faced a barrage of criticism from the international community for the violent way he repressed his political opponents, but he at least had a friend in Malta’s own former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff.
In 2007, a few years before his death, Mintoff published a letter he had sent to Mugabe on his personal blog.
In it, Mintoff opened up to Mugabe about his fear that the CIA is spying on him as commanded by then US President George W Bush. He defended the Zimbabwean leader’s track record, playing down concerns in the “Western media” that he is a cruel autocrat who suppresses human rights, and suggesting that he introduce Mugabe to his own allies.
This is the letter in full:
To the Rt. Hon Robert Mugabe,
President of the Republic of Zimbabwe,
Harare,
Zimbabwe
From Doctor Dominic Mintoff,
Emeritus Prime Minister and
Founder of the Republic of Malta.
Held under surveillance by the C.IA.
as directed by G.W.Bush.
Dear President,
We have not met since 1980, but I am sure you remember me. I remember you and what happened at that time very clearly because as one grows older one’s memory works better for something way back.
Jim Callaghan was Prime Minister of LABOUR Britain. I had already rendered Malta and Britain sterling services in connection with Cyprus, Uganda etc., including the British LABOUR PARTY who had kept close relations with me through the FABIAN SOCIETY and were well aware of my views – independent socialist to which I adhered throughout my long political life.
Jim Callaghan through John Prescott asked me to mediate a closer collaboration between Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe so that the economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations on Ian Smith’s Southern Rhodesia – even when Bishop Muzorewa took over the reins of governance – could be lifted. It would benefit everyone, Jim had stated.
This statement I began by checking as soon as I met you and Joshua. I began by telling you that Malta stood to make a political moral gain (which is far more remunerative, more long-term than an immediate material profit) if the two elected representatives of the African inhabitants of Southern Rhodesia confirmed. It was also advantageous for the advancement of majority rule irrespective of race or religious belief.
It took only two meetings at my private residence at “L-Gharix” in Delimara after my customary bathe in Peter’s Pool when the representatives of the Patriotic Front after joining me and my friends at lunch came to an understanding that isolating Ian Smith who had joined Britain’s armed forces and fought bravely Adolf Hitler as a pilot and lost one eye when the Nazis brought him down. (Incidentally Ian Smith – courageous and incorruptible – died a week ago still opposing Black majority rule and oddly enough still believing it was his Christian duty to do so.
He died living in freedom and interviewing journalists in the capital of Zimbabwe. While the same journalists were telling the “Western Media” that Robert Mugabe was a cruel autocrat suppressing human rights etc.
What I know about you comes to me through and intelligent sifting of features published in the quality weeklies of the United States of America and Great Britain. I know that Gordon Brown will not meet you directly because the meeting will be given great publicity and Gordon Brown has no moral or political gain to make through such a publicity.
Even now I am finding it most difficult to contact you since I do not know your Fax number or that of your Parliamentary Private Secretary and my “honorary” is asking your London Embassy to forward to your P.P.S the Fax addressed to him including my blog spot number:http://peritmintoff.blogspot.com which will have my fax to you recorded so that you may read it at your ease and so will the world if they bother to use the internet.
I do all this because your record is similar to mine and I am sure that in Zimbabwe you have done the correct political and moral duty when you distributed the spoils of freedom to freedom fighters instead of distributing weapons by joining the “white” overlords and enriching yourself as a dictator.
How can I help you and at the same time help Malta and the rest of humanity (India, China, Korea, North and South, South Africa, The Emirates etc.) where I have friends to whom I could introduce you if you do not already know them? Believe it or not we have allies for global peace (not a PAX AMERICANA or PAX GALLICA or PAX TEUTONICA) bur a PAX HUMANA blessed by social justice where brothers live and work alongside brothers in their endeavours for moral and material happiness by sustainable means based on free and forward moving nations or group of nations.
For a start it might help you to go to your meeting with sovereign states via Libya and seek the cooperation of the President of Libya to secure your personal safety. It might even be advantageous both to Zimbabwe and Libya if you and my friend President Gaddafi stopped in Malta and spoke to our people in the best way you may devise.
Yours sincerely
Dom Mintoff
What do you make of this letter?
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