A New Dawn For Zimbabwe

Today, I am jumping for joy for the people of Zimbabwe. This was the image I have been looking forward to for a very long time. (Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk, retrieved July 21, 2008).

Now that the memorandum of understanding has been signed by the two major political leaders, I pray that they would do what they need to do for the sake of the people of Zimbabwe. Reason prevailed today. I congratulate the people of Zimbabwe, President Mbeki and the two major political leaders in Zimbabwe. Along with the rest of the world, I will await the result of the negotiations which is two in two weeks time.

Nelson Mandela

Today is officially Nelson Mandela's birthday. The world has been celebrating his 90th birthday. From what the BBC is now reporting (available at http://news.bbc.co.uk, retrieved July 17, 2008), today the village of his birth will also see a huge celebration as well. There has been more than enough written and spoken about him. As of one the many ordinary faces who has been awe-struck by this man's dignity and forgiveness despite all that he endured, all I can hope for is that we have thousands like him. He is not a Saint. He is a man. Yet, by his actions and moral tone, he has given us reason for hope. It is that enduring hope that I believe will be his lasting legacy. I pray that his successors and especially Jacob Zuma will not endanger that legacy.

Zimbabwe...Cont'd...

Thabo Mbeki went to see Mugabe today. Big Deal!!! Mbeki has not done a thing. He and the ANC criticized the very "quiet diplomacy" during the Reagan years which led to prolonged misery. Yet, Mbeki has decided to pursue it without any result.
Mbeki seems to have his head in the sand.

Today, ZBC, the State Broadcaster, announced that it will not carry MDC ads. The so-called justice minister justified the decision by saying that the world is on the side of the MDC and no one wants to listen to ZANU-PF's views. What views?

Mugabe truly thinks he can get away with it? The tragedy of it is that he probably will. South Africa will be responsible and will have to pay the consequences for it.

Zimbabwe.....Cont'd......

Zimbabwe's misery continues. Mugabe just made a vow never to allow the opposition to run Zimbabwe, calling them traitors. Mugabe is the traitor, along with all the cronies who have gotten fat and rich around him by abusing that country. I tried contacting the South African Embassy in Washington via their website and got an errro message. I drafted an e-mail which I have noted here:

Greettings,

I just read the harrasement that the Zimbabwean Opposition has been subjected to. I also read Mugabe's pronoucement that he will not allow the opposition to run Zimbabwe. I hope that someone will tell your President that he ought to be ashamed and tell Mugabe to respect the will of the people. What is your President afraid of? Respect for elders is one thing....but when elders stop acting like elders and start acting like children--then the adults have to step in. How can South Africa even allow this to go on? If the justification is to help the people of Zimbabwe, then help them by insuring that the true will of the people is reflected. The people of Zimbabwe are hungry...the so-called government is using food as a weapon...the army commander has said that the army has to vote for Zanu-PF. I thought an Army had to serve the nation, not one man. And, South Africa is guilty--and your President is responsible.

I will conclude by reminding you that the so-called policy of "quiet diplomacy" of the Reagan years here in the United States prolonged the misery of the South African People. South Africa has been a model of racial tolerance and about truly what is possible. Although the gap between the rich and poor is a wide as ever and the crime rate is simply unacceptable, there are still possiblities. But, if the ANC is not wise enough, South Africa may well become another Zimbabwe and another African failure. For the sake of Africa, I pray that South Africa underscores it. Botswana was brave enough to do it. Why is South Africa asleep? Wasn't the riots a warning sign?


I am sure that I will get a standard thank you response back with no action. But at least someone had to speak up for the poor and the forgotten. Someone had to speak up for Biti of the MDC who has been agitating for change and has ended up paying a terrible price for it. When the misery ends is anyone's guess....

Zimbabwe & Burma

Well, Zimbabwe is once again on the brink. The so-called Justice Minister was quoted on the BBC as saying that the opposition will not be allowed to win. What continues to blows me away is how come Thabo Mbeki is staying silent. Do people truly matter? I guess not. Whenever you have dictators who only think about themselves, the ordinary folks get lost in the shuffle.

As for Burma, this is another sad story. We, as a community of nations, are to blame for Burma's misery. Thang Swawe and Robert Mugabe are not...they are smart enough to exploit our weakness as a community. It is sad when John Holmes of the UN has to beg for relief supplies to get in. What a sad testimony to our predicament as a world.....