In broadcasts monitored in South Africa, [Morgan] Tsvangirai described the election campaign as a “violent, illegimate sham of an election process.”
He appealed for the African Union and the United Nations to act to prevent “genocide” in the country.
Tsvangirai made the announcement in Harare Sunday after extensive debate within his Movement for Democratic Change. It came against the backdrop of rising violence and intimidation in the buildup to the election, scheduled to be held on June 27. Dozens of activists have been killed, hundreds injured and thousands forced from their homes.
Michael Ledeen had the money quote on Mugabe’s “victory”:
[i]Mugabe’s opponent chooses the better part of valor, and steps aside. He is quoted to the effect that the U.N. is supposed to protect him and guarantee fair elections. But somehow the U.N. didn’t. So why are we paying the U.N. anyway? I once called it the biggest criminal enterprise in the world. But it’s worse than that. Top-notch criminal enterprises protect their own.[/i]
And TEO’s thumping the tub to lard this criminal band up with trillions in MDG cash. Birds of a feather and all…
This is serious and sad. Even if Tsvangirai is positioning himself, strategically, to negotiate with Mugabe, the damage being done daily, and the lives lost and destroyed, are shocking. The churches, including the Anglican church, is being ripped apart in this, both weakened where it has been strong, and corrupted where it has been weak. What is GAFCON and Lambeth doing? Perhaps there is nothing much to do. If it is true, as #1 accuses above, that TEC is funneling money to Mugabe’s regime — although I have not heard this or seen proof — it would be despicable. In any case, no one is offering much witness here from the outside; and on the inside, we are simply not hearing the testimony of the courageous, of whom there are many.
Zimbabwe is a tragedy, and talking with Zimbabweans living in exile it is clear that Mugabe and his military are willing to go to any lengths to retain power. Indeed, over the weekend someone described the situation as a creeping military coup because of the role being played directly and indirectly by the army’s leaders to keep Mugabe in power.
The rants that are coming from Mugabe and his regime have the strong smell of projection. While they allow their loyalists to prey upon those ordinary people who oppose Mugabe, they accuse the opposition of stirring up the violence — the question is whether Tsvangirai’s withdrawal from the election will dampen things down or worsen the situation; I certainly suspect it will not improve things.
The tragedy is that Mugabe’s position as one of the passing generation of African liberationist leaders has muted the criticisms that might come from other African leaders. Only in recent days have we been hearing from them that they are not amused by the doings of the Zimbabwean president and his cronies, but it is too little too late — and would Mugabe have taken any notice anyhow?
Mugabe is, I suspect, a classic example of the corrupting influence of power which has resulted in the unwillingness to let go of it under any circumstances.
Although Robert Mugabe has become a monstrous megalomaniac brutalising his own people, the key to change is in South Africa. Without SA support the Zimbabwean government would collapse tomorrow. Yet President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa has said not one word – nothing – in condemnation of Mugabe. In fact only 10 days ago he was pictured holding the man’s hand and saying that there was no crisis in Zimbabwe. I have wondered for some time if Mbeki of South Africa is autistic. He seems to show no understanding of suffering and when talking in public is always totally impassive.
We might also ponder the failure of Christianity in Zimbabwe. The country has a rich history of missions, many of which produced well educated people, apparently of faith. Yet consider the names of some of Mugabe’s henchmen: Augustine Chihuri (Chief of Police), Gideon Gono (Reserve Bank) to choose but two at random. Not to mention Robert Gabriel Mugabe. Products of Catholic, High Anglican or evangelical mission schools, to judge by their names. Alas, as with the Holocaust, Christian education does not necessarily mean Christian practice.
Speaking to Zimbabwean friends, I get the sense that they feel the challenge precisely to be one of generational transition (as per Richard’s post above). Mugabe is one of the last heros of the liberation generation, and, despite his fall from moral grace, he still carries a weighty crown in the eyes of many African leaders, even younger ones. So, in part the issue is to find a way for him to retire “with dignity”, that is, to “save face”. A new generation of political players is organized to take over — one friend speaks, on the S. African model, of the “trade unionist” dynamic, of which Tsvangirai is a part. Still the issue of generational transition touches more than the political realm, even if that can somehow be salvaged and managed. The churches too are challenged by this, and by all accounts Zimbabwe is not well equipped in her ecclesial communities to face it. Theological education, as Richard knows, and of a certain kind is at the center of this question. And, as Terry says, need for its reconfiguration and strengthening has shown for a long time. But the same is true, in a different, for all of our Anglican churches I’m afraid.
[blockquote]If it is true, as #1 accuses above, that TEC is funneling money to Mugabe’s regime—although I have not heard this or seen proof—it would be despicable. [/blockquote]
My brickbat was for TEC’s support of the UN, not Mugabe’s filthy regime. Although TEC does indirectly boost the marxist thug indirectly via both the WCC and UN.