"African neighbours (are) key to saving Zimbabwe," says an editorial in the U.S paper Star Tribune, echoing a common sentiment in the British and American press. "ZimbabweÂ?s neighbours, led by South Africa, have tolerated this tyranny for too long. They should refuse to recognise his re-election," says Britain's Financial Times.
With state-sponsored violence accelerating in Zimbabwe and a one-candidate election under way, international condemnation of president Robert Mugabe is escalating. Does the African press agree that its continent's leaders hold the key to solving the crisis in the Southern African country?
An editorial in Tanzanian newspaper The Citizen says that Africa must take stern action against Mugabe Â? "the maker and destroyer of a nation".
"It's high time that African leaders, especially through the African Union, took a strong stand to rescue the people of Zimbabwe from tyranny by imposing strict economic and diplomatic sanctions," the paper says.
Africa's leaders should put aside their sympathy with Mugabe's land reforms now that the countryÂ?s once-envied economy has been reduced to ruins and his most dictatorial tendencies have been revealed, the paper writes.
In South Africa's Mail and Guardian paper, columnist Mo Ibrahim says that it's not just Africa's political leaders who must make a clear stand, but civil society too.
"Our voice must be clear, precise and loud enough to be heard by our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe," he says, urging the people of Africa to make their solidarity with Zimbabweans clear.
"We Africans are no longer willing to accept lower standards of governance than the rest of the world. That is why we hope all parties concerned in Zimbabwe can pass that test and see through the peaceful and fair election process, well observed and freely reported," he writes.
For Nigeria's Vanguard newspaper, there's something hypocritical about the West's outrage over Zimbabwe.
"For the West there are good and bad dictators. Mugabe is obviously a bad dictator," the paper says. "There are many examples of the same Western leaders keeping mute as scores of African leaders ruin their people and cumulatively keep the continent in darkness."
But that hypocrisy aside, the paper concludes that: "the world has to save what is left of Zimbabwe from Mugabe."
All Africa.comÂ?s guest columnist Faten Aggad says that since African leaders have the power to deal with the crisis in Zimbabwe then they should act together.
"Clearly, African instruments for dealing with the current crisis do exist. Now is the time to use them in Zimbabwe. Will our leaders, meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, have enough political will to act?" the columnist says, referring to a meeting of African Union leaders in the Egyptian city from the 24 June to 1 July.
Botswana's Mmegi newspaper says that the international community should do more.
"The international community should not let Mugabe and his henchmen engage in this flagrant disregard for human rights and human decency. The burden is on the international community to ensure that Mugabe plays by the book, that the campaign and elections are free and fair and that the MDC is brought back to a credible election."
Ugandan newspaper The Monitor, says African leaders must show much greater commitment to helping Zimbabwe out of its crisis.
"African leaders have done little intervention. South African President Thabo Mbeki's efforts have failed and since he wields a lot of influence in the region, he can be dismissed as an outright failure."
For the Monitor, the future of the whole continent is at stake if African leaders don't act.
"It is time to act on Mr Mugabe else a precedent is being set where any leader can refuse to hand over power even if he/she is voted out of office," the paper writes. "Only decisive action and not Mr Mbeki's dilute diplomacy will get the man to order. It is time for action to save both Zimbabwe and African dignity."
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