Zimbabwe calls Powell 'Uncle Tom'

Zimbabwe hurled racial epithets at the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, yesterday, including branding him an "Uncle Tom" after his attack on President Robert Mugabe in the New York Times last week.

In a deliberate echo of remarks made last autumn by the entertainer and activist Harry Belafonte - who said that Mr Powell adopted a docile mien to preserve his status - the official press called him a liar and a self-effacing servant of his white masters.

The tirade appeared to be aimed at overshadowing next week's African tour by President Bush and other senior officials, including Mr Powell.

Mr Powell called Mr Mugabe a tyrant and urged neighbouring states to press for his removal. He also promised massive US aid once Mr Mugabe, who is blamed for the country's bad human rights record, had gone.

Mr Powell was described in the state-controlled Herald paper as "a disgraceful Uncle Tom who always sang his master's voice to the detriment of social justice and the rights of people of colour".

The paper, which is owned and controlled by the information minister, Jonathan Moyo, accused Mr Powell of lying about rights abuses under Mr Mugabe and distorting the advances under the land reform scheme.