It’s been about 3 weeks since I posted on Zimbabwe, and the news remains remarkably depressing.
While there were indications of some level of dissention within the ZANU-PF at their party congress, Mugabe is still casting all this as an attempt by white farmers to keep their farms, and that was eaten up by the party faithful.
The problem with the land distribution was not that land was seized, but that it was not redistributed, it was simply given to party cronies who have little inclination or interest in farming.
Of course, Mugabe and ZANU-PF are not really to well attached to reality anyway, as evidenced by his claim that he sent invitations for Tsvangerai and Mutambara to further meetings about a unity government, when he hadn’t.
Even if he were to have sent invitations, the meetings would clearly not be in good faith, with mass arrest of opposition and human rights activists, along with his refusal to obey judicial orders to release and/or present them to the court. (also here)
Needless to say, the fact that South Africa is once again covering for this, saying that, this should not delay the formation of a unity government, is depressing.
Both the United States and Britain are now publicly saying that Mugabe cannot be trusted as an honest broker in any unity government.
Finally, Mugabe is saying that he will unilaterally form a new government in February.
On the brighter side, it looks like there is a COPE, the ANC splinter party, calling for sanctions against Zimbabwe.
Given that South Africa supplies much of the power, fuel, and food that Zimbabwe needs, there is a fairly good chance that this stick would have real meaning.
What’s more, Desmond Tutu is suggesting that there needs to be a credible threat of military force against Zimbabwe in order for their to be real change.
When a Nobel Peace Prize winner calls for the Marines…..
The humanitarian nightmare is also continuing unabated, with Cholera still running rampant, and increasing problems with severe malnutrition, particularly among children.