Not Over 'Till It's Over
The fat old man is singing, but it isn't yet over. Morgan Tsvangiai desperately begged his supporters not to imperil their lives by boycotting the runoff election just concluded. "God knows what is in your hearts. Don't risk your lives". The atmosphere of fear and foreboding attending the day's events was seen to be palpable by onlookers. In Harare, ZANU-PF supporters conducted their threatening patrols.South of the capital long trickling lines of voters appeared before the polling stations, watched eagle-eyed by ZANU-PF officials. In fact, these voting groups were often accompanied by a party marshal, who would carefully take note and tick names off lists, after bringing each of the voters forward to do their duty, one by one. Absolutely no anonymity; vote for the opposition and it would be known.
This absurd charade mimicking democracy in action. How very strange that tyrants have adopted the language of democracy and go out of their way to demonstrate to a gaping outside world that they practise democratic principles, in their own inimitable manner. At roadblocks motorists were stopped and questioned whether they'd yet been to the polls. They had the option of showing that red-inked finger or retreating to vote.
"If we don't vote, they don't see the finger. We will be in trouble. They call it Operation Red Finger - if you didn't vote, why? It means you are an opposition supporter." Reprisals are in order. On the order of the justice meted out in the previous month, stepped up in intensity and brutality the last several weeks by ardent supporters of the ruling party, against recalcitrant Zimbabweans, seeking needed change.
Anyone discovered to have voted for the MDC would pay the price. Coercion, intimidation, violence do their part in persuading the population to submit and surrender their vote. To do, in effect, what is most compelling to them personally for their short-term survival. Yet there were still those courageous MDC supporters who failed to turn out. Fears are rising of a backlash, certain to follow.
Finally, Bishop Desmond Tutu has released a message to President Thabo Mbeki. Characterizing Zimbabwe as "a dream that has turned into a nightmare", he urged African leaders to act: "Our president should have admitted that this softly-softly approach, quiet diplomacy has not delivered the goods and everyone would support him if he now turned the screws on his colleague Mr. Mugabe." Dear Bishop Tutu: what took you so long?
Yet, to paraphrase that biblical message: that country which is without guilt is scarce in Africa. Robert Mugabe plans to triumphantly attend the annual summit of the African Union. Where he will confront the 53 members of the AU and invite criticism. While those in position of authority within the African Union lament "the credibility of the AU will be at risk", the plain truth appears that few among those leaders can claim a clean bill of administration.
Robert Mugabe is counting on that. Speaking at a rally of his supporters he told them "I am going to go to that AU summit ... I want to see whose finger there is clean."
Labels: Human Fallibility, Societal Failures, World Crises
posted by Pieface @ Saturday, June 28, 2008
<< Home