I wish someone would explain it to me.
Robert Mugabe's biggest allies through some pretty dark times have actually started to condemn him-- take Tanzania's Mkapa, Ghana's Rawlings, Uganda's Museveni and the British monarchy, for example--but South Africa's Mbeki just won't go there. I feel rage when I read this ANC statement:
It has always been and continues to be the view of our movement that the challenges facing Zimbabwe can only be solved by the Zimbabweans themselves. Nothing that has happened in the recent months has persuaded us to revise that view.
Mugabe has spent almost 30 years as President, pillaging, torturing, murdering and destroying Zimbabwe, and the opposition in the country still hasn't been able to expel him. What more proof does Mbeki need to revise his view?
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
what does mugabe have on mbeki?
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4 comments:
Hi, was looking to see what bloggers think of what's going on here. Nice to see an American whose following and cares.
Hmmm. Thanks, I think.
Am only American in that I live in the Americas, in a bigger sense. I do spend a lot of time in the US though.
(Gads, I just wrote a long comment and then didn't get the word verification right and lost the whole speil ... so, now for the abridged version)
Fear. I believe that Mbeki and Mugabe are only friends in the loosest sense of the word. They made their connection right around the same time Mugabi came into power and, over the years Mbeki has witnessed the progression and has developed a (rightful) fear.
Mbeki is playing both sides of the fence in much the same way children do (and I suppose adults too) ... uttering random "reassurances" about how Mugabe will one day relinquish his power (doubt any were comforted by this proclaimation though), gently nudging Mugabe to call off the elections (oh so gently, don't piss him off! Also, I believe this was partially for show to once again "reassure" the public that he's trying to prevent the electoral violence that's bound to take place) ... anyway, all I'm trying to say is that Mbeki is afraid to do anything that will endanger his own life.
Mugabe is in his 80's now, how much longer can he live? I'm not saying nothing should be done, I realize that every day he's still in power the onslaught continues, however, pessimistic as I am ... I believe we're going to have to await his death. Mayhaps I am wrong.
WG, I hear you on a lot of this - fear HAS to be a factor, right? Maybe also a bit of face-saving too, since Mugabe was revered as such a big African hero such a short time ago.
But given what's happening to South Africa as a direct result of Mugabe (millions of refugees from Zim pouring across the border in any way possible, huge riots by native South Africans as a result of jobs being "stolen" by those refugees, a ridiculous strain on what exists of the South African safety net), I just don't see how Mbeki can think he's going to ride it out.
That this madness in Zimbabwe has gone on for so long and is still going on just makes me so sad. How can we live with ourselves when we let this happen?
I am reading a Mugabe biography to educate myself more and have plans to join a protest this week, but this is such a small gesture in such a horrible situation.
I feel like a fat cat North American.
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