Greens urge Black Caps to boycott Zimbabwe tour

The Black Caps are being urged to pull out of their tour to Zimbabwe as a protest against Robert Mugabe's oppressive regime.

Green co-leader Rod Donald has written to 25 international players contracted to New Zealand Cricket asking them to show "moral leadership" and consider making themselves unavailable for selection for the August tour.

"I realise I'm asking you to make a tough call," Mr Donald says in the letter to the players, "but, like a player who walks when they know they're out, rather being asked to go by the umpire, I hope you will do the right thing instead of waiting for the Government to step in."

In an article in the Listener New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden said that players could conscientiously object to touring and there would be no consequences if they chose to stay home.

But last night a spokesman for Mr Snedden said that was not correct as the matter of players withdrawing had not been discussed with the Players Association.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff was unavailable for comment last night.

Mr Donald said if enough players exercised their consciences the tour would have to be called off.

He said refusing to tour Zimbabwe was an appropriate response to the situation in that country and likened it to the sporting boycotts of South Africa under apartheid.

"In the 1970s and 80s hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders stood up for black South Africans by urging their sporting teams to cut all contacts with South Africa. Now it is time to utilise the same tactics against Zimbabwe."

Last week, President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF Party swept to victory in Zimbabwe's parliamentary election, but the poll is alleged to have been rigged.

Mr Goff said in Parliament that he considered the election neither free nor fair and that New Zealand did not accept it as a democratic mandate for Mugabe.

In the Listener Mr Snedden is quoted as saying the Black Caps will not cancel their tour on political grounds.

"We have a contract ... and a playing schedule. If we don't meet it there can be substantial penalties."