Mugabe kush hua !!…inside story on how to create a civil war (with corrections and some additions)

Robert Mugabe is the President of a small South African country since its independence from Britain. In 80s he was one of the respected leaders around, this blogger recalls him participating in NAM summit in Delhi (frankly one recalls only Mugabe, Castro and Arafat with Indira Gandhi!!). The problems faced by Zimbabwe are similar to India of 50s and 60s, the land is held by few (white) people so acute that even now 1% white people hold 70% arable land!!. Land distribution was high on agenda, majority of black people live in abject poverty so this is one step that should have been taken quite early. Mugabe though lost his chance in his narrow worldview, recently-since 2000 he has brought this issue up more as a political exigency, it is used to consolidate his power. The land has been distributed to his loyals. Further, forced evictions and vandalism led to acute refugee crisis since 2005. The chaotic and lawless distribution of lands saw fall in productivity, and severe impact on its economy. Zimbabwe is now facing a serious humanitarian and economic crisis (the inflation is around 5000% highest in the world). It has the lowest life expectancy in the world, 37 for males and 34 for females….now that is really low.

Robert Mugabe has in last few decades morphed into megalomaniac. In last few years senility has set in but still he cannot have a good sleep without clutching on to his power. He has stoop to an extend of common thug (such is infatuation of power dear!!). Wily politicians like him can delay his departure with lives and misery of common people. In the neighborhood Sani Abacha brutally silenced democratic voices for many years. It was not international community that put this repression to an end but fate. God said enough is enough and Sani boy had an heart attack, Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief. African subcontinent unfortunately had many debilitating problems, from colonialism-slavery to drought to AIDS epidemics the potential of some very spectacular people has been suppressed for quite long time by unfortunate circumstances and now corrupt -self serving leaders.

There was some glimmer of hope earlier this year in Zimbabwe when elections were held, Opposition party MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) headed by Morgan Tsvangirai got the majority, this was announced after much vacillation later it was manipulated as too close to call and so one more round proposed, in the meant time Mugabe and his thugs started a reign of terror and intimidation on hapless people. Few weeks back Mr. Tendai Biti (the Secretary general of MDC) was arrested and charged with sedition that carries death sentence. As Zimbabwe slips into misery and possible civil war, the people of the country call for help from international community. It is a very precarious situation. It seems that despite the fact that neighbors of Zimbabwe have called for Mugabe to quit (with exception of Mbeki…what a disgrace for Mandela’s South Africa…it really saddens me) it is quite unlikely to happen.

As things seems spinning out of hand people of Zimbabwe have no one to turn to except the international community specifically UN. Unfortunately UN has failed to deliver when it comes to concrete action on matters like these. We have seen that in tragedy of Burma (or Myanmar as junta calls it), recently the military dictators even had the audacity to conduct referendum as millions of people were dying from the effect of cyclone Nargis. Who will bring this scoundrels to book?.

This blogger as a common person who could be located any where in the world sees the events unfolding in Zimbabwe as a litmus test on how UN deals with crisis. If UN or any effort on part of African union fails then what is the solution other than unilateral actions like US on Afghanistan. Governments have responsibilities towards its citizens, if dictators and regime turn on its own people then international community-UN, has to respond. The mechanism asserting multilateralism need to be effective.

This blogger is keenly following the events in Harare, and expects UN to respond to this unfortunate country that is perilously close to civil war.

Post Script: the latest is MDC has decided to withdraw from elections due to widespread violence and intimidation, that means Mugabe will be elected unopposed. The Dictator was quoted as saying 'only God can remove him'...that is what megalomania means i guess!. The problem seems to be (as i gather from one of the TV program) lack of post colonial restructuring, now this is something that is true to a large extend in Indian subcontinent.

(apologies for mistaking Morgan Tsvangirai for Tendai Biti , who was arrested and charged with treason)