Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Chaos in Zimbabwe


so for those of you who are not up to date with your world news...heres a little insight into what's going on in Zimbabwe:

Morgan Tsvangirai WAS running against Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe in the presidential election that may have been able to change the country for the better if he was elected into office. But, because of the violence that has occured since Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) won a parliamentary majority on March 29, he has decided to drop out of the race and is now seeking shelter at the Dutch embassy (obviously to save his life). The hope to save this country from 84-year-old Mugabe, who has ruled the country for 28 years and plunged them into economic ruin, is now certain to remain in office whether or not he is re-elected on Friday or declares himself the winner. Mugabe made it clear, even before Tsvangirai's victory, that he would not allow the opposition leader to take power regardless if he wins the votes or not.

"Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu labeled Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe "Frankenstein" and called for other countries to intervene before the country descended into bloodshed"

The U.N. may be stepping in, finally. The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a statement Tuesday condemning the government's "campaign of violence" that had "denied its political opponents the right to campaign freely."

Tsvangirai sent this out today (still at the Ducth embassy):

"In the course of the last few tumultuous months, I have often had cause to consider what it is that makes a country. I believe a country is the sum of its many parts, and that this is embodied in one thing: its people. The people of my country, Zimbabwe, have borne more than any people should bear. They have been burdened by the world's highest inflation rates, denied the basics of democracy, and are now suffering the worst form of intimidation and violence at the hand of a government purporting to be of and for the people. Zimbabwe will break if the world does not come to our aid."

to read more on Tsvangirai's statement: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jun/25/zimbabwe.civilliberties?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

Tsvangirai said the U.N. resolution (the Council's first formal action on the crisis) was "very important," adding: "It recognizes the people who are accountable for the violence and it squarely places that responsibility at Mugabe's leadership." But none of this will do much to unseat Mugabe, or to help ordinary Zimbabweans. That moment has passed.

-cris

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