Zimbabwe's first black cricketer calls for tour to be cancelled

Zimbabwe's first black test cricketer, Henry Olonga, said today the situation in his country should be seen in the same light as apartheid was in South Africa.

Olonga arrived in New Zealand today to support the Green Party's campaign to stop the Black Caps tour of Zimbabwe, due to start early next month.

"I personally believe it shouldn't go ahead simply because what is happening to people in Zimbabwe is just terrible," he said.

"This is a government that has consistently abused its own people."

Olonga left Zimbabwe in 2003 after wearing a black armband during a World Cup match to mourn the end of democracy in his country.

He acknowledged the difficulties faced by New Zealand cricketers and New Zealand Cricket (NZC), which faces heavy fines and financial penalties if it does not tour.

"I'm disappointed the ICC (International Cricket Council) hasn't shown more compassion with regard to what's happening in Zimbabwe," he said on National Radio.

"We believed that sporting sanctions made some kind of difference when South Africa was isolated.

"We believed that people who went on rebel tours were somehow crossing a line that we didn't accept... that they were showing no concern for the people who were suffering under that oppressive regime."

Olonga said he believed it was time the world started to take notice of what was happening in Zimbabwe.

"It is immoral and the world somehow has to take a stance... possibly, probably even treat this as a situation as abnormal as apartheid," he said.

The New Zealand Government's position is that it does not have the power to stop the tour, and it has vetoed legislation drafted by Green Party co-leader Rod Donald.

Foreign Minister Phil Goff says stopping people leaving New Zealand would cut across human rights, and the Government would be committing the same sort of abuses that were happening in Zimbabwe.

The Government is instead launching an international diplomatic offensive against sporting contacts with Zimbabwe, and has written to the ICC asking it to waive penalties.

Olonga said he was sure the Government could step in and possibly indemnify the tour in some way.

"It all depends on how strong the sentiment is," he said.

Olonga is due to speak at three public meetings this week, and will meet NZC representatives and ministers.

- NZPA