Mozambique's Chissano defends embattled Mugabe

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) -- Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano on Wednesday defended Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe over a controversial land seizure campaign that has plunged Zimbabwe into political and economic turmoil.

Chissano, who has been working behind the scenes to end his southern African neighbors's land crisis, told the BBC's Hardtalk programme that he believed Mugabe was defending his people's democratic rights.

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"He may have failed to follow one path or another but I'm convinced...that whatever he is doing he is trying to defend what he believes to be the democratic rights of his people," Chissano said when asked why he defended Mugabe.

Mugabe has refused to abide by court orders to remove war veterans from thousands of farms they have occupied, and Chissano defended his stance saying forced evictions could lead to bloodshed. At least 31 people have died during the land invasions that have precipitated Zimbabwe's worst economic crisis in 20 years.

"What I think is that it would be worse if by taking just systematic measures he would create another big bloodshed in Zimbabwe, which we no longer want to see. That's why we are cautious in all our dealings with this issue because it's not good to pour petrol where there is fire," Chissano said.

"It's important to see the situation improve and not to worsen it. If certain measures were taken without due care we could have a big explosion in Zimbabwe which could be uncontrollable," he said.

International donors led by Britain, who support the idea of land reform in Zimbabwe but object to Mugabe's approach, say they will not renew aid until Harare restores order.

Since June, Mugabe has served notice to acquire more than 2,000 of the 3,041 white-owned farms earmarked for the resettlement of landless blacks. The government has also passed legislation absolving it of responsibility to pay compensation.

Chissano -- whose government was backed by Zimbabwean troops in the 1980s in its fight against South African-backed Renamo rebels -- also defended Mugabe against accusations that he had enriched himself at the expense of his country's economy.

"We are against leaders who want to enrich themselves...I'm not sure whether this is applicable to Mugabe, that Mugabe just wants to enrich himself to the detriment of his people," he said.

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