Zimbabwe flays cricket ban by Australia

Sydney, May 14 (UNI) In a scathing counter-attack on the Australian Government, Zimbabwe's Information and Publicity Minister Cde Sikhanyiso Ndlovu lambasted Autralian Prime Minister John Howard for polticising the issue to demonise the Mugabe government. ''By putting political pressure on their national cricket team not to come to Zimbabwe, the Australian Prime Minister is flouting United Nations principles on human rights because sporting is a human right which must be respected,'' Mr Ndlovu told Zimbabwea newspaper 'The Herald'.

Echoing similar views, Zimbabwean Junior Information Minister Bright Matonga said Australia had no right to judge Zimbabwe.

''The Australians are mixing politics with sport and the decision shows how desperate the Howard government is to isolate Zimbabwe,'' Matonga said.

''This is also a racist ploy to kill our local cricket since our cricket team is now dominated by black players as we slowly transform cricket from being an elite sport.

''Australia is one of the worst human rights violators in this whole world. Look what they have done to the Aborigines and yet they have the audacity to stand up and claim to have the moral authority to condemn us,'' he said.

Mr Howard scrapped the Zimbabwean tour yesterday, saying it was important to prevent Mugabe government from scoring a propaganda coup.

UNI