Zimbabwe: Campaign of Brutality

June 19th, 2008

The second round of presidential elections in Zimbabwe will take place June 27th 2008. President Mugabe (ZANU PF) is pitted against Morgan Tsvangiria of the Movement for Democratic change (MDC). As Zimbabwe prepares for this second election, there are numerous reports from church groups and Non-Governmental Organizations of state-sponsored political violence and intimidation against opposition MDC members. Mugabe has vowed to wage war on the opposition party. He has also threatened never to hand over presidential powers to Morgan Tvsangiria should Mugabe loses again as he did on March 29.

Zimbabwe’s surge in political violence, killing and intimidation has raised questions about whether free and fair elections are even possible. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangiria has been detained five times in last the few weeks by government security forces. Tendai Biti, the opposition party secretary general – second in command of the MDC – was arrested at the Harare airport this month as he returned from a two-month self imposed exile in South Africa. Mr. Biti is charged with treason (which carries the death penalty) for allegedly announcing poll results in March before the governmental appointed election commission and for documenting a regime change strategy. Mugabe’s staunchest supporters are war-veterans, military, police and the ZANU PF youth militia who are terrorizing Zimbabweans – especially those who support the MDC Party.

In May, the Mugabe regime purchased arms; three million rounds of assault rifle ammunition, 1,500 rocket- propelled grenades and 3,000 mortar rounds from the Chinese government. These were initially destined to be off-loaded at a South Africa port, but an ecumenical group in Durban protested and the Chinese ship finally delivered the arms through another African port.

International community response to the Zimbabwe crisis has followed the lead of South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) whose current chair person is Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa. South Africa’s leadership on the Zimbabwe issue has achieved little and has been disappointing. South Africa has been unable to force Mugabe to halt the political violence. The United States has spoken out against the Mugabe regime. Given its position as current chair of the United Nations Security Council, the US can and should do more. A strong U.N. resolution and mandate to address the Zimbabwe crisis – in spite of protests from South Africa’s Mbeki – is needed. South Africa blocked discussion of Zimbabwe in the Security Council on Tuesday, for the second time in three months. The U.S. should work with Britain to pass a security mandate and urge the Mugabe regime to allow international election observers and human rights personnel into the country to do their work unimpeded.

Religious leaders are alarmed that Mugabe’s government can torture and kill people – and destroy their homes – for the simple reason that they did not vote “correctly” on March 29th, allowing the opposition MDC to win the first round of elections.

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