Obama awards Zimbabwe group, labels Mugabe 'dictator'
Posted: 24 November 2009 1121 hrs

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WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Monday gave an award to a leading women's rights activist in Zimbabwe, labelling Robert Mugabe a "dictator" in the process.

Obama presented Magodonga Mahlangu and her organization Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) with the 2009 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award in a White House ceremony.

"Each time they see Magodonga beaten back, beaten black and blue during one protest, only to get right back up and lead another, singing freedom songs at the top of her lungs in full view of security forces, the threat of a policeman's baton loses some of its power," he said.

WOZA has united tens of thousands of Zimbabwean women in a campaign of non-violent struggle against rapes and other rights violations under Mugabe's regime, enduring brutal repression and repeated arrests.

"By her example, Magodonga has shown the women of WOZA and the people of Zimbabwe that they can undermine their oppressors' power with their own power, that they can sap a dictator's strength with their own," Obama said.

Founded in December 2002, WOZA has organized more than 100 demonstrations in favour of democracy and women's rights in Zimbabwe, according to the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights.

Both the European Union and the United States maintain a travel ban and asset freeze on Mugabe, his wife and inner circle in protest at disputed elections and alleged human rights abuses by his government.

Mugabe and rival Morgan Tsvangirai formed a power-sharing government in February tasked with steering Zimbabwe back to stability, but deep problems remain and the political deal is extremely fragile.

The Kennedy center has been awarding its human rights prize, a bronze bust of the late Robert Kennedy along with US$30,000 and the promise of legal and technical support to the recipient, since 1984.

Robert Kennedy, the brother of president John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in June 1968 while campaigning for the presidency.

- AFP/sc