It really does make your blood boil to hear the appeasing friends of despots who make up the African Union trying to urge the MDC to form a government of national unity with Robert Mugabe.
This is typical of Africa's answer to such problems before, most notably when President Kibaki stole the election in Kenya, leading his opposite number to be forced in to a government of national unity and become Prime Minister. Interestingly, Prime Minister Odinga of Kenya is the only leader on the African continent who seems prepared to openly criticise the elections in Zimbabwe and Robert Mugabe directly, which tells us much about the way he feels after himself being cheated out of victory and seeing hundreds of his activists and supporters killed in post election violence.
The question for the AU is why should the MDC go in with Mugabe ? MDC activists have been tortured, stolen from, beaten, raped, their children have been tortured or had bones broken (including children as young as 11 months old) and on top of that scores have been murdered, but given all this brutality, the AU still expects the MDC to forgive and forget ?
Let's not forget, if Mugabe stays in power, even in a government of national unity, he will expect sanctions to be lifted, he will expect a welcome throughout the world and he will be allowed to get away with all that he has done.
Forget even the brutality towards the MDC. Let us not forget that under Mugabe Zimbabwe's average life expectancy has fallen to just 37 for women and 35 for men. These levels are similar to those suffered 150 years ago in Victorian Britain. It was not okay then, and it is not okay now. Mugabe is a murderer of hundreds of thousands of people whose lives have been cut short, and Africa's attempts to simply "sweep it under the carpet" is a desperately poor solution from a continent that ought to start showing real leadership.
2 comments:
As much as the actions of Mugabe make me sick inside. I feel that the chance to share power is the way forward.
There is little the MDC can do on the outside and much like Northern Ireland, there comes a point when you have to take what chance you can.
If that would result in sanctions being lifted, then surely that would be for the good.Its far from a perfect solution but it is some kind of one.
Mugabe himself knows that his reign is short, if only by age. In all of these situations across the world it is the innocent people that suffer. The United Nations may aswell be an afternoon tea party for what use they are.
Strong words from our leaders are of little use either, so just maybe if the MDC can reason with themselves and honour those who have suffered and take the position they were elected to do, some good may come. Not much maybe but some.
I couldn't disagree more. This is appeasement and gives Mugabe absolutely everything he wants.
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