Just to add: Why no "enduring freedom" or "desert storm" style operation for Zimbabwe if you ALL care so MUCH? Why only go to Iraq for "regime change"?Whats wrong with Zimbabwe?Why does it NOT qualify for an "enduring freedom/regime change"??No oil, minerals etc to plunder?Your interests are secure?

Rohan, Negombo,

Just to add: Why no "enduring freedom" or "desert storm" style operation for Zimbabwe if you all care so much? Why only go to Iraq for "regime change"? Whats wrong with Zimbabwe?Why does it NOT qualify for an "enduring freedom/regime change"?? No oil, minerals etc to plunder?

Rohan, Negombo,

Why is that those who used every trick in the book to deny black Zimbabweans democracy 30 years ago are now the new champions of democracy and human rights in Zim? Truly times are-- a changing!!

chenzira, London,

Have any of the commentators been to Zimbabwe recently or are all of these comments just a knee-jerk reaction to newspaper/internet reports wriiten to portray a certain view point? If you so care about human rights of Zimbabweans , why not start with the destitute Zimbabwean asylum seekers in UK?

chenzira, London,

@Rohan, Negombo
Ah! You are not Zimbabwean and you don't really care for the plight of the people whose skin is being thrashed off their bodies. Well, I have family in Zimbabwe. I live in UK and I know people here care. Churches and schools have been making donations towards Zimbabwe's children.

Charan Muzaya, London, UK

Rohan, "your words" reflect a classic case of consumption by hatred, leaving no room in your heart for the plight of innocent Zimbabweans who exercised their democratic right in a way not to the liking of the putrid Mugabe regime. That is the issue, not your rambling claptrap about ancient history.

James S, Mombasa, Kenya

The fact that some of you are saying: "they were killing each other anyway so we did no wrong!" just highlights the insincerity of your tears. What more proof is needed to prove you don't really care and your tears are really rooted in your own arrogance and sense of superiority.

Rohan, Negombo,

I would prefer not to hear names like Ian Smith in this debate. Smith was guilty of genocide was guest of honour at Oxford University. Will Mugabe be invited as well?

Nothing justifies Mugabe's violence against his own people. Western double standards are motivated Greed and Self Interest.

Edgar Mudhara , London, England

For those of you in hysterical fits over my words, well truth hurts! Oh and i'm not a Zimbabwean nor am i a Mugabe supporter. I just don't loose sleep at night over Zimbabwe and as proved by statements here neither do the rest of you, you're just all crocking to fulfil a false sense of superiority.

Rohan, Negombo,

In Charles Dickens's "A Tale of Two Cities" in one scene a prince runs over a child with his carriage. He gets out and tells off the family for soiling his carriage. The French Revolution put paid to that sort of behaviour. Unfortunately African countries are still at the stage before the revolution

Charan Muzaya, London, UK

I disagree with those people who say governments should be left to batter and butcher their people as they see fit, because it is an internal affair. I am glad western governments don't take this view. Mugabe himself trotted round the globe 30 years ago seeking to have pressure put on Ian Smith.

Charan Muzaya, London, UK

@Matt Does crying over Africa make you feel important? A cover for your past sins? I am merely pointing out the hypocrisy. As for the "millions poured into Africa" dream on.Has Africa improved? No. All your "millions" did was steal the resources for your companies-which is what was intent anyway.

Rohan, Negombo,

If you care so much for "human rights","democracy" et al why are you so selective about it? You crying the same for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan? Did you shed tears for Vietnam, why no protests for democracy in Saudi Arabia, or does it only count when it servers your interests?

Rohan, Negombo,

Perhaps the South African ambassador has better things to do. Perhaps he respects the territorial integrity of a sovereign nation. Perhaps he knows the price that was paid for uhuru and ubuntu

Winston Nkomo-Mason, Johannesburg, South Africa

@Jo, Olney, UK

I think it is right that newspapers like the Times do what they can to help those poor people who are literally being beaten out of their skins. My dad told me that these people eventually die after several months because of internal injuries. This is a terrible tragedy.

Charan Muzaya, London, UK

Surely there are certain protocols that ambassadors should follow in any host country. Jo, Olney,uk is correct. Would that kind of behaviour be acceptable in the Uk or the rules are different because Zim is a small African country? Where is the modicum of respect for your hosts? Smacks of racism!

chenzira, London,

Those shedding crocodile tears for "human rights" and what not,do tell are you loosing sleep at night?Do your hearts pain for the peoples of the world-who you abused and threw into such situations in the first place?Your 1st world life styles are built on the suffering you brought their ancestors.

Rohan, Negombo,

It is interesting to see comments here. None state what the country would have been like, peaceful, rich and prosperous as it was under Ian Smith, if the terrorists such as Mugabe had been kept out.

B J Deller, Marbella, Spain

As oppose to the Enlightened rule of tribes such as the Zulu's Mr Negombo? I think you'll find the westerns, by stopping al ot of the tribal wars, actually resulted in less life lost through war and violence. The west didn't interrupt a Utopia, Africa was a War zone when the west arrived

james, cambridge, uk

Dear Rohan
Yes we care, that is why millions has been poured into Africa to try to stabilise and provide for people that could be looked after by their neighbours. This isn't 200 years ago - what are you doing about these beatings and murders now? Does blaming the West ease your conscience?

Matt, Cardiff,

Rohan, Negombo - I thought that all the worlds troubles could be traced back to religion!

Simon Albion, London, UK

Mugabe supporters, like Rohan below, have perveted political judgment, such as: "Because western colonialists massacred Africans 200 years ago, westerners should shut up when we massacre our own". Times readers can now understand how chaos is inevitable when such people run a country.

Charan Muzaya, London, UK

There is a common misconception which underlies western liberal responses to tyrannical, suppressive governments.

Democracy is NOT a right, it is a priviledge. It first has to be earned, and this invariably means bloodshed as the downtrodden find the will and the means to gain power.

John Weaver, San Javier, Spain

Rohan from Negombo why do you like to blame the west for everything I lost family members in Matabeleland when Mugabe ordered his North Korean trained 5th brigade to kill and rape the Ndebele people this had nothing to do with the west think befroe you speak ....GOD BLESS ZIMBABWE

rustee, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Well done the Western world, these diplomats seem to be the only ones doing anything for the people of Zim. Come on Southern Africa you can't pretend not to know about the beatings, intimidation and murder now. Forget loyalty to the corrupt legacy from 70s/80s, think of the people.

Paul, london,

What rubbish by Rohan, Negombo! The people who massacred 200 years ago are no longer here; they died ages ago. Stop living in the past. Live in the present. Countries like India were colonies for 300 years yet enjoy prosperity and good relationship with west. Zimbabwe was colony for only 90 years.

Charan Muzaya, London, UK

Jo Olney, the cars would have had diplomatic number plates, which even a junior officer should have recognised. And no, they wouldn't here, for that very reason.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

Just to add, 200 years ago the West went around massacring the native peoples of foreign lands -stealing and hording their resources and wealth. You created the social and economic destitution you see in these countries, yet now you preach "human rights" as if you care. Do you loose sleep at night?

Rohan, Negombo,

This fallacious line of reasoning that equates observation to 'interference' and 'neo-colonialism' is exactly the sort self-serving propaganda that dictators the world over use to justify trampling on the human rights of their people. Or are human rights a neo-colonialist concept as well now?

Andrew, Luton, UK

When a people can no longer look up to their own government for protection, it is right for others to intervene. Thus it was right to intervene in Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Rhodesia (with sanctions). And it is right to intervene in Zimbabwe today. Well done USA, UK, EU and Tanzania! We're all connected.

Charan Muzaya, London, UK

Correct move.
Diplomats have no right to interfer in the domestic affairs of their host nation.
If they get hurt thats their own fault.The arrogance of the West is unbelievable. Africa is not your colony to abuse. Don't forget all the trouble you see across the world can be traced back to the West

Rohan, Negombo,

I fear you exaggerate. Static roadblocks are common in Zim

Imagine a junior constable confronted without warning by a convoy of 11 posh vehicles. Of course they will ask questions. They would here.

If someone yelled at an officer in similar circumstances here, what would happen?

Jo, Olney, UK

So now we all know that what the MDC has been saying all along is true. And Mugabe's thugs are such cowards: They beat up innocent and defenceless civilians then cover up their faces when confronted with truth! Well done Western ambassadors, for doing what the African Union are too cowardly to do!

Charan Muzaya, London, UK

I like to add that Mugabe should be warned that if the diplomats ever get hurt, he will be personally held responsible. I bet he is already asking his security agents to "teach those westerners a lesson". They would not hurt diplomats without his direct instruction.

Charan Muzaya, London, UK

At last there's an initiative to combat this violence. Because only criticism has been voiced in the West & nothing has been done by the AU, Mugabe & his thugs believe they have a clear run with no come back.
Ambassadors: you have to build on this & get these criminals to the Hague.

M.Lester, RBS, Israel

Brave men - would that they were accompanied by the South African Ambassador as well.

Arnold Ward, Weybridge, Surrey, UK