Zimbabwe a little landlocked country in Southern Africa gained prominence when Mugabe 's chaotic and violent seizures of white owned farms became a media focal point. Then there was the issue of election rigging which brought the suspension and dismissal from the Commonwealth body. The EU and the US also threw in sanctions against Mugabe and his cronies. Meanwhile all of the various inter-governmental organisations in Africa failed to act on Mugabe, SADC, AU they actually took sides with the dictator despite evidence that he had stolen elections in Zimbabwe. African leaders also impeded the UN from investigating and passing a resolution on Zimbabwe they used they bloc voting to deny ordinary Zimbabweans to seek political recompense from the UN.
Mugabe stole elections in 2000, its six years and a lot of people that were once concerned about Zimbabwe are moving on. When CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting) convened last year in Malta, Zimbabwe was never mentioned. The Zimbabwean issue almost threatened to split the organisation along African/western countries line at its height. The suspension of Zimbabwe from the commonwealth was seen as a compromise, as the Commonwealth organisation was ready to expel Zimbabwe but suspended it to meet the demands by Mbeki and Obasanjo. How eerily quite was The Commonwealth last year on Zimbabwe, asked by journalist why Zimbabwe was not part of the agenda McKinnon (The Secretary General) argued that Zimbabwe was no longer part of the commonwealth hence there was no discussion. Its ironical really if you look at it, South Africa which was suspended and expelled from the commonwealth during apartheid, but the South African issue was always on the agenda of the two-yearly meeting of former English speaking colonies of Britain. Not even Murambatsvina
Its not only Commonwealth which is forgetting about Zimbabwe its been reported that the US is to resume its talks with SADC which had been suspended over Zimbabwe. Last year the EU also made a shift of policy arguing that isolating Mugabe had harmed dialogue with other African countries. Increasingly wherever you look organisations and governments are starting to engage Mugabe. Analysts are arguing that the US is merely protecting its interests globally against fierce competition from China.
Koffi Annan is set to visit Zimbabwe in March this year. I just wonder if has the bottle to come out and calls for action on Zimbabwe by the security council. Anything other than that would not be accepted because frankly speaking despite shift of policy of US towards Zimbabwe nothing is changing. Other than he can not afford to gloss over the human rights issue in Zimbabwe after he accepted reports by two envoys he had sent to Zimbabwe.
The partisan police raided the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union offices on Tuesday they were armed. They were looking at allegations of financial mismanagement they say. We all know that it was a political move aimed at embarrassing the ZCTU leadership and tarnish its image. The solidarity shown by COSATU towards their fellow compatriots in Zimbabwe should be applauded, including the picketing of the Zimbabwean border to protest about the situation in Zimbabwe. Equally also is their call to Mbeki that he cannot sit idly while Zimbabwean deteriorates.
If you had the priveledge to read or listen to Ambassador Dell's speech at Africa University in Mutare last year. You will not have noted that he was spot on that the economic collapse of Zimbabwe had been brought by government's mismanagement. He said a country that is vying for investments should create a situations were they is investor confidence. No sane investor will invest in Zimbabwe, even for Zimbabweans scattered across the diaspora investment in Zimbabwe is area where one needs to tread carefully. Against this backdrop Made our joke Minister of Agriculture has threatened to withdraw licenses for banks that do extend line of credit to black farmers. irregardless of their circumstances. The business people with actual investments in Zimbabwe have also called for South African government to take a new approach on Zimbabwe.
If you think the Zimbabwean situation can be forgotten and people can move on, think again because if the CIO is capable of this then Zimbabwe should still be on everyone's agenda from US to the Commonwealth
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Who Is My Brother's Keeper?
Hope you all are well after the brief holiday break, compliments of the new season are in order. Albeit the struggle for a new Zimbabwe continues.
If you watched Mario Van Peebles's New Jack City you might be familiar with the scene on the roof just before the collapse of the crime empire headed by Nino Brown played by Wesley Snipes. As he feels the heat from both the community and the police, he wonders who sold him and is convinced its his side kick Gee Money. He holds a gun to his head and asks who is my brother's keeper? Gee Money weakly answers I am before he is shot dead.
I feel like Nino Brown right now, holding a gun on South Africa's head asking Who indeed is my brother's keeper? South Africa's complicity in the repression of the people of Zimbabwe is plain for all to see. Do not be wood-winked by Mbeki's Quite Diplomacy. Where Nkosazana Zuma repeats the rhetoric "we respect Zimbabwe's sovereignty blah blah.." Its meant to mask the whole world in their failure to reign in Mugabe.
It all started in intensity remember when South Africa and Zimbabwe signed an intelligence pact, where they agreed to cooperate on intelligence matters. It was a way to identify and deport Zimbabwean activists based in South Africa. Over the festive season over 3 000 Zimbabweans were deported from South Africa, all of them asylum seekers fleeing political persecution. South Africa is therefore in breach of the United Nations Convention on Refugees of which they are a signatory. There is no doubting the aunthenticity of the claims for asylum for the brutality of Mugabe's regime is well documented. If that was not enough add xenophobia and the situation becomes fatal. Its a well documented fact that South Africans are xenophobic.
During Apartheid we opened our country and homes to political activists from South Africa. We were the targeted along with countries from the front line states by apartheid government where our country was bombed. We played an active role in the demolition of apartheid. Yet today in our times of need, as we run for refugee to our dear neighbor instead of welcoming us with both hands like we did to him. He calls the dogs on us and closes the gates. Isn't ironically that South Africans can accord us such a treatment when Mandela one the greatest political leaders a South African himself was quoted:
I have asked that question not only to the world but also to Mr Mandela.
Not only is the rounding up and detention of deportees being used to terrorise activist that have been deported from South Africa being used to quell the uprising that will soon engulf Zimbabwe. Its been reported that the army has been given a massive 231% salary increases to quell also an uprising.
New shocker for 2006 should be the rise of ambulance fees to ZWD$5 million beyond the reach of the ordinary Zimbabwean. While 14 people have died from cholera, its a sad start to 2006.
If you watched Mario Van Peebles's New Jack City you might be familiar with the scene on the roof just before the collapse of the crime empire headed by Nino Brown played by Wesley Snipes. As he feels the heat from both the community and the police, he wonders who sold him and is convinced its his side kick Gee Money. He holds a gun to his head and asks who is my brother's keeper? Gee Money weakly answers I am before he is shot dead.
I feel like Nino Brown right now, holding a gun on South Africa's head asking Who indeed is my brother's keeper? South Africa's complicity in the repression of the people of Zimbabwe is plain for all to see. Do not be wood-winked by Mbeki's Quite Diplomacy. Where Nkosazana Zuma repeats the rhetoric "we respect Zimbabwe's sovereignty blah blah.." Its meant to mask the whole world in their failure to reign in Mugabe.
It all started in intensity remember when South Africa and Zimbabwe signed an intelligence pact, where they agreed to cooperate on intelligence matters. It was a way to identify and deport Zimbabwean activists based in South Africa. Over the festive season over 3 000 Zimbabweans were deported from South Africa, all of them asylum seekers fleeing political persecution. South Africa is therefore in breach of the United Nations Convention on Refugees of which they are a signatory. There is no doubting the aunthenticity of the claims for asylum for the brutality of Mugabe's regime is well documented. If that was not enough add xenophobia and the situation becomes fatal. Its a well documented fact that South Africans are xenophobic.
During Apartheid we opened our country and homes to political activists from South Africa. We were the targeted along with countries from the front line states by apartheid government where our country was bombed. We played an active role in the demolition of apartheid. Yet today in our times of need, as we run for refugee to our dear neighbor instead of welcoming us with both hands like we did to him. He calls the dogs on us and closes the gates. Isn't ironically that South Africans can accord us such a treatment when Mandela one the greatest political leaders a South African himself was quoted:
The greatest question to face mankind is what did you do to help a fellow mankind in times of need?.
I have asked that question not only to the world but also to Mr Mandela.
Not only is the rounding up and detention of deportees being used to terrorise activist that have been deported from South Africa being used to quell the uprising that will soon engulf Zimbabwe. Its been reported that the army has been given a massive 231% salary increases to quell also an uprising.
New shocker for 2006 should be the rise of ambulance fees to ZWD$5 million beyond the reach of the ordinary Zimbabwean. While 14 people have died from cholera, its a sad start to 2006.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)