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what took them so long ? He has been doing this stuff for almost 10+ years at least.
*Maybe in future Edinburgh university should think about its good name before handing out degreesto a terrorist, tyrants, despots you where in to much of a hurry to be PC.
#2 Oder. Agree wholeheartedly with you. I was in Zambia during the whole disgusting treatment of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe by the "so PC" people in UK and other countries. They were so desperate to impose alien standards on a country they knew nothing about that they ignored the advice (from blacks AND whites) coming from the people who lived in Rhodesia. Now we see what this headlong rush has done to a once beautiful and thriving nation.And the sad thing is, it is the indigenous population which has suffered most from these misguided do-gooders.
Ok, good, strip the despot of his degree. That should help the nation get back on it's feet. Then Iran will step in and give him a degree for services to tyranny.
Is it cause I'se Black?
#1 He's been in power since 1980. The poorest nation in the world is lead by the richest man in Africa.
#1 and #2. Spot on.
That'll teach him!
1, 2 & 3,Agree totally, PC decision to give another cruel African despot some legitimacy.
The giving out of honorary degrees is a slap in the face to the postgrads who have worked for years to achieve theirs!! Stop this practice now. And as for Mugabe, it's easy. Just get the committee who agreed to it, to reverse their decision. And if any are dead, then the present heidie should have their votes and cast them against Mugabe. It ain't rocket science, people!!!
Why not name and shame all those who proposed this Stalinist nutter so hopefully in the future a little more thought and care will be taken before pseudo degrees are presented.
Another self-confessed fan of Adolf Hitler.
Why the hell on earth did we give him a degree? He is one of those who want to murder us.
#2 oder - "Maybe in future Edinburgh university should think about its good name before handing out degreesto a terrorist, tyrants, despots" - bang on target. Perhaps there was some research project going in 1984 with connections to Zimbabwe and the wheels needed greasing. Like all tyrants, Mugabe has an overactive ego so an honorary degree appealed to his vanity and did the trick. Just a hypothesis, you understand
Hear, hear! Well said, everybody!
(No signs of Bush and Blair turfing Mugabe out, though. Funny that ...)
Spot on No. 12 musicismylife.
At bleeding last !!
Send Tony and Dubya over ..they make a great trio o' evil war criminals !!!
"It's comin' yet fur a' that"
What did he do to earn this Degree? what do any of those who get Honoary Degrees do for Scotland?
edinburgh university should be more careful who it gives out honorary degrees to. an honorary degree should be a rarity
What does he care?
The clever fox is doing as always the best for himself to stay in power. Instead of removing his Honoris Causa degree, Edinburg should really make a point of show him up with the highest degree possible for rewarding him for his undoubted skills in political operation and human rights abuses.
The name of that well known "scot phylosopher" should feature most prominently on the particular and specific special merit award to Mugabe: The McChiavelli Degree.
#3. Like you I was in Zambia at that time. I fully agree with your post. The view at that time among the people I came into contact with was " He is the wrong man". So much for those who have experience on the ground rather than the ivory towers of Whitehall and similar locations in other countries.I wonder why Edinburgh University has been so slow to act?
You know this makes me so very sad – Africa, from the country perspective, is an absolutely beautiful, superb country, unfortunately there are extremes of polarisation within it re tribalism and a perpetual struggle for a wide ranging power base = money and the easy life.Mgabie is essentially a black Hitler, being an ex terrorist operating out of Zambia supported by Kenneth Kaunda.He was responsible for the deaths of thousands of his fellow countrymen and many white farmers and their families suffered a slow and horrific execution at his hands simply in order to gain unrestricted access to the land the farmers had developed – which fed a large portion of the south Africa land mass.South Africa is an example of an anarchic society loosing it way, in America there are 80 killings per day associated with the free availability of guns, south Africa has 180 – and if your family is threatened you are not able to retaliate.I spent many many years in Africa and have exceedingly fond memories of it people and landscape such a pity there are so many thugs in residence.Why did he gain the degree in the first place? Things were then going oval during it award.
I can't see the point in giving them out at all. If you haven't worked for them, hen what does it matter? And giving it to a dictator devalues the currency anyway.
I couldn't give a damn how many certificates are taken away from this ape. If he used them to wipe his own arse it would show he had more culture and education than he has demonstrated so far.
What I care about is this - which imbeciles decided to grant him a degree in the first place? Who are they? Where are they now? Are they still in positions of authority? Do they realise how magnificently stupid they have been? Do they have the wit and the courage to stand up, own up, and apologise to the millions of Zimbabweans - to say nothing of the Edinburgh graduates - they so crassly insulted? If not, what can be done to strip them of the powers they have so grotesquely abused and mishandled? Aren't they the ones whose qualifications should be under review?
The degree should not have been handed out in the first place - these 'honours' seem to be ten a penny and handed out far too readily. You deserve to be vastly embarrassed, Edinburgh University.
Bet thats keeping him up nights worrying how he will manage without it
Rob me blind - you're probably quite right - but with his massive ego who knows.!
when his last honorary degree has been taken from him will he finally see the light?
It would be better to give him an honorary doctorate in media studies, that would destroy his credibility and he would immediately lose both his job and any prospect of getting any other.
Another "Last King of Scotland"? I dunno who's more contemptible. Edinburgh Uni, or Mugabe. It's all a matter of degrees, I suppose. (ouch!)
Because of this situation the board or who ever awards these degrees should consider ending the policy, and with luck and time you might be able to redeem the Uni`s good name.
What would be achieved by taking Mugabe's award away from him? When Mugabe was seeking to win freedom's fight in Zimbabwe Margaret Thatcher was threatening him with British soldiers. He was turfed out of the Commonwealth (resigned) virtually by Tony Blair. He has been threatened to some extent by the Americans. Mugabe won't go so easily, but he will go. Let nature take this leader who did time in prison when venturing south from Zimbabwe saw much more difficult justice for blacks than whites.
#35: I work at a university. The honorary degree is supposed to reflect the highest aims of a university as it acknowledges those who have made a contribution which has improved the society in which they live. It is supposed to be, as its name implies, an honour. No one thinks of it as a real degree (it isn't) but the recipients do reflect the values of the university giving it out.
Taking Mugabe's award away from him won't do a thing to him but it might go some way to restoring the Univ. of Edinburgh's image. I'm surprised they aren't moving posthaste to rescind it. Attracting students is a fairly competitive business and a wise university wouldn't want to do anything to harm the perception that it is academically sound.
Posts 1 & 2 nailed it in one. #1, that was exactly my reaction to the article.
Wonder how much the idiot bought the degree for?
It's ridiculous taking away this degree. The grounds on which he were given it have not changed. When you hand out honorary degrees you can't/don't do so saying that it has certain conditions attached. Obviously I agree that Mugabe is a bad guy but taking away his honorary degree is not going to change that.
This is a start, now perhaps he should be removed from any level of power and influence.
I am ashamed that my University gave his an honorary degree in the first place. By 1984, he was already responsible for massacring thousands of his countrymen, women and children in Matabeleland. Hanging is too good for this man.
Ma blade is always there tae gie eejits like this "the third degree" I´d spare the honour this time though, wae pleasure.This is one monkey that deserves a jolly good spanking......................
There are many many more Mugabes out there who had their initial patronization from the West who used them , groomed them until they turned into Frankensteins. Most African autocrats were molded in the West ...Taylor is another Good example .
Stripping Mugabee of his degree is possibly the one way of lowering his self esteem.He appears oblivious of any derogatory comments,but this is perhaps something special in his eyes,and therefore should be done as soon as possible.
Why was he given it in the first place, wasnt the North Korean trained 5th Brigade killing people in Matabeleland in 1984. Mugabee will not give up power without either being pushed or killed by his own people.This is a Commonwealth Problem not an EU problem. The UK and other senior members of the commonwealth should get their fingers out. This must be so embarising for the likes of Peter Hain. Him and his sort have been proved wrong time and time again.
It matters not a jot, an honorary degree isn't worth the paper its written on. Bob Mugabe is well aware of how the rest of the world thinks, this only seems to fuel his twisted ego.
If he was white there wouldn't have been such a fuss.
He may be a tyrant but let him keep it I say.
#37. When's your next KKK meeting?
This is and has been merely a formality which has meant very little to Robert.He has being toying with the world's leaders. And insists on wearing colonial attire, speaking the colonial language with impeccable pronunciation, all the while deriding the colonialists. And everyone else.Yes, Africa is a strange place, so rich yet so poor. Edinburgh University should hang its head in shame for conferring honorary whatever’s to whomever. Just as Robert didn’t deserve that recognition, so too recipients in this country. HD's don't guarantee good governance.Robert has already formulated his response - "Go Hang!"
What does he care, now if you could strip his bank account in Switzerland that might be different.
Well done, at last its a token objection to this tyrant. Maybe it will have a snowball effect and eventually lead to governments taking some action and quickly
Oh dear!!... I bet that has a real negative effect on him... Do you think this will make him realize the " Error of his ways"... He may actually change an become a better person... ?????????????????? Aye right !!!!
To #52Why do you insist on using a Jim Crow pseudonym in a moral debate.The name you use is the acronym that was attached to weigh slips in the transportation for sale orders to the captains of ships plying the slave trade. In his famous address to steel workers in Birmingham, Alabama Martin Luther King Junior stated "With the Dissent Decree in fair labour practices no longer will black men carry the tag Sambo attached to their person". Think about it!
There is no way the university was ignorant of his barbaric methods as a "Freedom Fighter" in the 70's and 80's. To award him the Honorary Doctorate was hypocrisy at it's worst. The current stalling raises that hypocrisy standard even higher.Probably because the university is trying to ensure the blame cannot be placed on any of the current regents. Same sad stories as we have in the USA. It's always cover your ass before making a decision.
This does not excuse the University of bad judgement. Why not publish a full list of ALL the plums that have been handed out in the name of "Honorary" degrees, then we could see for ourselves how many other rogues and worse have been blessed. By he way I also find the use of the pseudonym used by #52 to be offensive. Maybe he/she wishes to keep the traditions of 19th century Dixie alive!
As previous posters have said, Mugabe's trained killers (5th Brigade) have been murdeing people in Matabele land for over 20 years without anyone raising their voice in protest.I was there in the mid 80s and although all seemed peaceful on the surface that belied the true situation.Driving back from the Matopos we were given a good 'look over' by a couple of helicopter gun ships returning to their base, probably after a bout of killing.Mugabe should have been removed years ago but as has been said, Zimbabwe has no oil so Dubya and Bliar are not interested. They are also not particularly interested in human rights.
55 Virgil in Vancouver [B.C.?] - you say that Sambo is "the acronym that was attached to weigh slips in the transportation for sale orders to the captains of ships plying the slave trade" - I'll be interested to hear your source. I always thought it was an African word meaning "uncle". If it's an acronym, what would the full phrase be?
Will he mail it back or will they have to go and get it from him?
That is the best news by far.
This man needs to be hanged for what is he doing to a once beautiful prosperious country.
Take note of Zim, South Africa is going down the same road.
Zimbabwe Prime Minister Robert Mugabe receives his honorary degree from the University of Edinburgh at McEwan Hall in July 1984.MURDO MACLEODPOLITICAL CORRESPONDENT EDINBURGH University has finally started proceedings to strip Zimbabwean tyrant Robert Mugabe of his honorary degree, Scotland on Sunday can reveal. Murdo I do not understand you. First he bribes the university paper writers, the he bribes the papers markers, and then he bribes the report handlers, the gets degrees and bribes the photograph to get him in the limelight. Now you want to remove this from his body. Shame on you. His suit of 1984 is still in a laundry in UK. Check this in the yellow and the bribed paged. He did not pay for the charges so the lady in the laundry told her to come and pay. This bill is still outstanding. I think it was then 5p now with inters it is 2miilion pounds. You want to keep this in the museums. He has no degrees. I tell you. The University gave this because the head master and the leg master and the principal and the chancellor thought that he would one day go to the country and call them for the agriculture. He did not. So you want to get the back the promise. Look I will give you a deal. The laundry is on the Oxford Street near the newspaper vendor called George who also owed some cash but he is now dead. Leave Mugabe in peace. He will do what he wants to do. Why give a sword and cucumber and tell some one not to se the sharpness of the sword. I say this is crazy. The University is crazy. I am taking out all the politicians from there.
This includes Blaire, Bush, Osama Saddam and Putin who once visited this university. Shame on you.
NO 8 Guga. Hi. Why not remove the spect of the only two guys who have them. Then they want see anything!!!!!!!
MDC. Hold your horses. There is a mistake in the photograph. It is not Mugabe. It is his younger twin bro Jar Mugabe. I just got an sms from the university and they are pretty annoyed that you are discrediting them. They are nice guys. I mean the other without the specs. But the photograph is done by morphing IT WIZ KIDS did this.
GUGA have you noticed the advert Money supermarket between the comments news and views. Well that belong to the ex partner of Mugabe. New hands now. No offence to the new hand this is a joke of the year before Easter.
2# you said it correct NO more postigns required.
More international support is needed than strip Mugabe of his honorary degree.for example.Blair and his Labour Government have an unwillingness to use ruthles methods against President Robert Mugabe's evil campaign of murder against opposition politicians and their supporters.
Why has Blair's Government allowed these evil crimes to continue. why didn't it ask the UN Security Council to get involved in Zimbabwe. every time there is a ugly incident the only response by Blair and his ministers is another Knee Jerk reaction. why don't the UN use military force agains't Mugabe's evil regime. could the reason be it's because there is no ----OIL IN ZIMBABWE.
Most people have forgot that it was a Labour Government that handed Rhodesia now called Zimbabwe over to the Black nationalists on a plate.
#68 James, England: The UN Security Council cannot get involved because the situation in Zimbabwe does not threaten international security - it is an internal matter. Horrible, disgraceful, inhumane - call it what you want, but it does not come under the Security Council mandate.Stripping the man of his HD may very well hurt him, but he will not show it publicly, and it will certainly do nothing to feed his oppressed people.
Ever since the borders between South Africa and it’s neighbours were relaxed way back around 1994, this country has had an overwhelming net gain in cross-border illegal crossings. (I wonder if anyone has left illegally, mmm)
The result has been, naturally, an increase in xenophobia, huge pockets of foreign nationals struggling to make a home here and corrupt Home Office officials raking in vast amounts in bribes to process the foreigners into legal South Africans, with rights South Africans are patiently waiting to be honoured. This influx of foreigners has added to the work-load of our security forces now battling to bring to book (reluctantly) crime syndicates involved in all manner of crime. So it is plain that the influx has a direct bearing on and does threaten the security of South Africa. And, in like manner, other countries neighbouring the former Rhodesia
The former Rhodesia and it’s neighbours are separate nations. So any concerns between them are inter-national.
If the UN Security Council, and indeed the world, cannot see that the situation in the former Rhodesia has been threatening international security, albeit in Southern Africa, then all concerned need to remove their blinkers and arrogance and see the smaller picture within the bigger picture.
Things are getting worse and I concur with 61. Thereza. We may appear un-patriotic, but in reality are more patriotic than most – loving our country so, so much, but not the political country, just the geographic, that we do want it to continue down that slope.
whoops. i really, really meant:-
"... we do NOT want it to continue down that slope."
To Murray #59. Glad to comply. In the transportation of humans to the West Indies and later to the Confederate Staes to be sold as slaves, ships' owners ordered the ships' master to pre occupy some of the "choicest specimans" for ships labour and thus keep them looking strng for preferred sales. Accordind to the example of a weigh bill in the African Section of the British Museum this bill became known as a "Sale Affirmation/met boarding order" It was then used to define negro males just as WOP , Ellis Island stamp for without papers, defined European immigrants. Sambo is a similar derogatory, unfortunately used in all language by non-literates. For your information there is no African Language, but rather 48 languages and 184 dialects on the AfricannContinent. Today even dictionaries apply sambo as a word to define negro..but then they define Jock, another derogatory, to define Scots males.
Is President Mugabe the greatest inhuman leader Africa has produced so far?
No, he has not yet excelled at the arts of exploitation which his noble antecedent Leopold of the Belgians rose to in the Congo.
Edinburg University should have perhaps considered Roi Leopold and not Mugabe for the award of a (postumous) Honoris Causa Doctorate, after all, his long beard and nefarious merits including that of cutting off the hands of children, women and men by the million have been richly portrayed and remain his enduring legacy.
He rides on his many equestrian statues and monuments that grace Belgium to this day.
Lord spare us from Mugabebe's future follies if he ever tries his hand at Leopold's arts!
Is President Mugabe the greatest bad leader Africa has produced so far? I dont think so. There have been a series of similar leaders for instance currently in the Sudan, that tolerate, and possibly, encourage far worse abuses.
Honorary doctorates do help Universities gain valuable publicity and attract funding and students. One questions Mugabe's ability to continue to provide these as time passes and his country declines to unheard of depths.
Action overdue for the last 20 years. When the doctorate is cancelled make sure all the wee commies that granted the degree are dismissed from the Uni too.
I'm glad to see this happening. I hope more universities worldwide follow Edinburgh's lead and do the same thing to other world leaders, regardless of what country they lead. I'm tired of seeing presidents who don't deserve an honorary degree a) receive one and b) keep one when they don't keep up the 'good work' for which they received the honor for in the first place.
At least the degree wasn't in Humanities!
Only 5 years to reach this decision ? Well done Edinburgh! See my 2002 report herehttp://www.zwnews.com/issuefull.cfm?ArticleID=3891
24#: Africa isn't a country, it's a large continent that has many many countries in it.
I have a question that some reader might be able to answer. Did Idi Amin and some of the other real monsters also get honorary degrees from Scottish (or English) universities?
NO 60Well done. He is in Tanzania. But very well protected. Here read this. Security is too tight and I don’t like politicians with the rifles and the buts. Tear gases smell I am asthmatic smelly nose and or running nose not crawling.No 81 You have xlenent history. I am here, Tarzan land.Warioba exposes anomalies in Draft Billshttp://www.thisday.co.tz/News/1691.html
CHACHA CHARUE Dar es Salaam BOTH the draft Freedom of Information Bill 2007 prepared by the government and the draft Right to Information Bill 2007 prepared by a coalition of stakeholders have shortcomings. Mugabe faces the music in Tanzania as police launch mass arrest of opponents By Daniel Howden in Harare Published: 29 March 2007 29 March 2007 10:05Sir: I read the comments and had a good laugh. We in Tanzania have our problem. Plenty. I mean there is no room because the President of Tanzania welcomes Mugabe to give him any asylum if he seeks one or any materialist thing that can benefit him. A wrong country he chose. We had the similar situation in 1961 when Tanzania got independence and the British and The Asians slowly started leaving because of the Sociology polices Nyerere had brought. To date we are in 50. Not further. Same place. Only we have more corruption and more newspaper to kill the time of the lazy population. Thank you. You may check this up. Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa arrives at Dar es Salaam`s Julius Nyerere International Airport yesterday ready for the SADC summit that opened later in the day. Minister of State (Prime Minister`s Office) Batilda Buriani(headscarf) received him.http://ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2007/03/29/87303.html
Free trade system fares badly in Tanzania 2007-03-29 09:52:53 By Guardian Rep
If he got his degree for educting people he should keep it. He did a good service and was rightly rewarded. He is now doing an evil service and should be punished, maybe leathally. But let him keep the degree.
Isn't this the university that once removed a statue of Rabbie Burns because he did not have a degree?
I totally support EDINBURGH University in its proceedings to strip Zimbabwean tyrant Robert Mugabe of his honorary degree of a doctorate awarded in 1984. I am a Zimbabwean-born person with a long family history based in Edinburgh for many hundreds of years. One of my ancestors (my great-great-great-grand uncle) was a professor at Edinburgh University for some decades during the c19th. I am very proud both of the university itself and also of my ancestor's and others' many contributions to the university's fine intellectual, cultural and social achievements. As an educational professional with a doctorate in education myself who studied for five years part-time to achieve a PhD plus four years' part-time for two MAs in education, I am amongst those currently working with academics in Africa to plan education and regeneration programmes for the poor. It is outrageous that the brutal dictator Robert Mugabe continues to possess an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh for services to education in Africa. I vote that the University Senate moves swiftly now to remove him of this degree and all honours associated with it, following the recent abuses of his government in torturing and killing members of the opposition party in Zimbabwe. The time for tolerance of this man and his noxious policies is over.
