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Mugabe stripped of degree honour Mugabe stripped of degree honour
(about 2 hours later)
Edinburgh University's Senate has agreed to strip Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe of his honorary degree.Edinburgh University's Senate has agreed to strip Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe of his honorary degree.
It comes after years of campaigning by politicians and students because of Mugabe's brutal regime.It comes after years of campaigning by politicians and students because of Mugabe's brutal regime.
In 1984 Robert Mugabe was honoured by Edinburgh University "for services to education in Africa".In 1984 Robert Mugabe was honoured by Edinburgh University "for services to education in Africa".
However, three senior academics recommended that the degree was withdrawn and the senate agreed unanimously with that call. The formal process to withdraw the degree will now begin. Mr Mugabe will be contacted in writing and given the opportunity to respond.
Their recommendation for the unprecedented move was made after looking at evidence of the situation in Zimbabwe in the early 1980s. University secretary Melvyn Cornish said that much more evidence about Mr Mugabe's regime has come to light since the degree was conferred.
It is said to be evidence which was not available when the degree was conferred. Announcing the Senate's decision, he said: "The university has been acutely aware of ongoing developments in Zimbabwe and of recent representations made by the Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) with regards to Robert Mugabe's honorary degree.
"It has responded to those representations by taking this unprecedenteddecision to revoke the degree."
The Students' Association is extremely pleased that the Senate's decided to take this course of action Melvyn CornishUniversity secretary
Mr Cornish denied there was any cause for embarrassment over the affair.
The initial decision to confer an honorary degree was made in good faith on the basis of information available at the time, he said.
Professor Sir Neil MacCormick was one of the three academics who carried out the investigation into the case.
Tim Goodwin, president of the EUSA, said it was a proud day for students of the university.
He said: "The Students' Association is extremely pleased that the Senate's decided to take this course of action.
"It's a campaign that started in the Students' Association the best part oftwo years ago.
"It's something that I think it's safe to say students are united on."
The controversy surrounding Robert Mugabe's degree reached Westminster, with Edinburgh South Labour MP Nigel Griffiths tabling a motion in the Commons to have the degree withdrawn.
It is understood Michigan State University and The University of Massachusetts in the US are also considering stripping degrees from Mugabe.
He has run Zimbabwe with his Zanu-PF party since independence from white rule in 1980.