Zimbabwe's Mugabe bolts out of festival in India over security concerns

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is to return home early after suddenly canceling his participation at a cultural festival in India Thursday, reportedly over poor security.

"The cancelation follows communication from organizers of the festival acknowledging substantial inadequacies in protocol and security arrangements around the event," Mugabe's spokesperson George Charamba said.

Mugabe, who left Zimbabwe Monday, was scheduled to be guest of honor at the World Culture Festival held in India by the Art of Living, a private educational and humanitarian organization that advocates for peace.

The event is a celebration of peace in multiculturalism and ecumenicity.

Charamba said the security inadequacies had resulted in several invited heads of state and government, including the Indian president, withdrawing their participation at the event.

While not naming some of the leaders that had withdrawn their participation, Charamba told Xinhua that the event was not organized by the Indian government, but by a private organization and that President Mugabe had intended to use the occasion to further diplomatic ties with India.

"This is not a state event. The president was then going to take advantage of that private event to further develop relations with the Indian government," he said.

The opposition in Zimbabwe has often criticized Mugabe for his numerous foreign trips and urged him to cut on foreign travel to save money for the cash-strapped government. Endit