Looks like the MDC is going to withdraw from the election.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080622/ts_nm/zimbabwe_election_dc_104

It's a real pity it turned out that way. I actually admire Morgan for pulling out so more people don't get hurt. It was a very difficult choice I'm sure but I think a victory by him would have caused serious trouble. That's hard for me even to type that...it just isn't right. I have no idea how good of a leader Morgan would be but I know Mugabe is terrible.

I don't blame him for pulling out at all.... but I do tend to think it's a mistake..... I reckon MB will probably see it as a sign of weakness and will now have set his bad guys onto the oppisition supporters with even greater enthusiasm....... My guess is that they'll be no end of murder and torture in the coming weeks.

And now they get something like Idi Amin approaching 90? This is getting too bizarre for my American brain to comprehend. I realize he is by now probably just a puppet of the military. They (the military) have zero skills except to beat the crap out of people. Who are they going to bring in as consultants to help? China? Yeah, that'll work.

China wins. They get to keep raping the raw materials from Zim.

That's Africa...

quote:

Originally posted by JohnHunt:
China wins. They get to keep raping the raw materials from Zim.

And Mugabe gets to keep lining his pockets at the expense of his own people.

Our forefathers stood strong so we have the few freedoms we do, which are being eroded daily. The people of Zim have to make their own destiny. Is it easy NO but freedom is not free, and some day the masses in our country will look back to our days of freedom.

Gutless move by the MDC leader. He never wanted to be president and take on the problems of a failing country. He would rather be a candidate and be supported by his sponsors all the while not having the difficult tasks resurrecting a failed nation. Cut off his funds for housing, food and travel and watch how fast that joke for a man disappears from the world stage. He is proof a sucker is born everyday. I wouldn't give him a handful of Zim coins. His excuse is total bullshit. His supporters are going suffer worse now than if he had continued his campaign and perhaps pulled off a victory. Mugabe will pray on Morgan's cowardice to crush any remaining MDC supporters, which perhaps isn't a bad thing as that movement has been a total flop with hollow promises and failed actions from its inception.

There will be no change in government short of an armed rebellion in Zimbabwe. The majority black population don't have the gumption for that action and there just are not enough whites left to make a decent parade much less a war. When are the Shona going to learn that some blood, maybe much blood, is going to have to be spilled for a change to come? A political sacrifice, early in this mess back in 1999 or 2000, of a few hundred MDC supporters for the cause would have reaped immediate benefits. Now many more have and many more will die from brutality and starvation with absolutely no gain for the cause from their deaths.

I hate to say I told you so. However, look up my old post on this subject. I said Morgan lacked the tools to be the leader of that nation and damn if I wasn't absolutely correct. The guy is a pure ZOT. Perhaps Mugabe is a national hero...the guy has certainly killed more munts than the Rhodesian African Rifles, RLI and Scouts ever did.

God take pity on the decent people of that nation, as that is all they can expect in the way of help.

Perry

The latest news has Mbeki flying up to Harare again today to see if he can broker some sort of deal. Fat chance on that one as he (Mbeki) doesn't want to see the old bastard go. And, I am not sure that the UN will do anything constructive either. They're as worthless as tits on a boar big or on a chicken, take your pick.

Zim is now Africa - Real Africa - like in "good ole" days of Livingstone, Stanley, Kingsley...poor people...tho we can still have at it.

quote:

Zimbabwe's opposition leader took refuge in the Dutch Embassy after pulling out of the presidential runoff, and dozens of his supporters were hustled away by police in a raid on party headquarters Monday.

I could never say this in person with a straight face, so here goes:

Where was the UN when Zimbabwe needed them?

United Nations...think of the nice Walmart that NYC could have if they tore down the UN building!

Regarding the pull out, the only person I wish had pulled out was Mugabe's father!

And to SomeOldGuy, you are right. They would have had enough room for a Dairy Queen as well!

I've always wondered how the members of the UN governing council stay upright and move around....... you'd think that without a spine they'd collapse and flop around on the floor like jellyfish....... must be some kind of magic I guess.....

They were the same with Rwanda when they ordered their troops to stand and watch genocide happening in front of their eyes and do absolutely nothing and they'll almost certainly do the same here.

What it really needs is a bit of night time diplomacy with a single targeted missile or a stealth bomber and a smart bomb..........

It's easy for me to say, since I am not on the ground taking the beatings, however, it seems that Morgan sacrificed the 85 dead for no reason. Reminds me of the casualties we took repeatedly assualting and capturing a certain hill in the
Ah Shau Valley, some 40 years ago, only to pull
out.Such a waste!

Like I said, it was a tough call. Do you guys really think the Shona would back a rebellion? You must be dreaming. They don't have the heart or the muscle to pull it off against the army. It will take outside help to do that. Wouldn't take much hardware...but I don't know who will do it because of the politics.

quote:

They were the same with Rwanda when they ordered their troops to stand and watch genocide happening in front of their eyes and do absolutely nothing and they'll almost certainly do the same here.

To paraphrase the Russian saying: If the UN isn't part of the solution, they're part of the problem.

This situation with Mugabe and his band of thugs makes me very angry all these thousands of miles away from Zimbabwe. I couldn't even begin to imagine what it's like for all the decent people in that country.
Meanwhile, I assume the Chinese are still tapping into the resources like a big beer keg.

Did Tsvangirai/MDC pull out to "stop the beatings"? Or did he pull out (and take sanctuary in the Dutch Embassy) as one of the few remaining tactical maneuvers given that the MDC would almost certainly lose the "do over" election, and rather then validate the results (in which case it would all blow over shortly), he opted to not participate hoping external pressure and sanctions would continue to mount and either force Mugabe out (dreaming) or somehow result in foreign intervention allowing for a fairER election. Too, maybe he knew HE was going to be off'ed shortly...

A story in today's Washinton Post quoted a MDC official as saying that Tsvangirai got a tip from someone in the Zim Army that military personnel were on their way to Tsvangirai's home to get him, for purposes unknown (though easily guessed.) For that reason he fled to the Dutch Embassy for at least temporary sanctuary.

Would any of us stand there knowing the army was on the way to pick you up? I think not. The man has received his share of beatings and prison time already. It's a tough place to be the incumbent's opponent. I'm not saying MDC was the answer to all the problems but it's just a nasty business.

The whole China thing can't be good. That country is far from being in the toilet financially and look how they treat their own already.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:
Did Tsvangirai/MDC pull out to "stop the beatings"? Or did he pull out (and take sanctuary in the Dutch Embassy) as one of the few remaining tactical maneuvers given that the MDC would almost certainly lose the "do over" election, and rather then validate the results (in which case it would all blow over shortly), he opted to not participate hoping external pressure and sanctions would continue to mount and either force Mugabe out (dreaming) or somehow result in foreign intervention allowing for a fairER election. Too, maybe he knew HE was going to be off'ed shortly...

I believe this post is closer to the truth. The election was going to be a fraud that the MDC could not win so why legitimise it by continuing, & more importantly, Tsvangirai would almost certainly have been in danger of his own life. I do not think for a second that Bob would stop short of murdering him, regardless of world opinion, he hasn't cared two stuffs about that up to now. No, better that Tsvangirai "runs away & lives to fight another day" to my way of thinking.
Steve

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:
Did Tsvangirai/MDC pull out to "stop the beatings"? Or did he pull out (and take sanctuary in the Dutch Embassy) as one of the few remaining tactical maneuvers given that the MDC would almost certainly lose the "do over" election, and rather then validate the results (in which case it would all blow over shortly), he opted to not participate hoping external pressure and sanctions would continue to mount and either force Mugabe out (dreaming) or somehow result in foreign intervention allowing for a fairER election. Too, maybe he knew HE was going to be off'ed shortly...

+1

That's the way I read it too. It was obvious that RM was going to rig the election. Why legitimize it by participating.

Question: Is this a tribal thing? Are the ZANU members of a different tribe than the MGB? Which ones are the Shona? How do the Matabele fit in?

How does everyone feel this is going to affect hunting in Zim over the next year. I am concerned that as Bob becomes more and more isolated from the rest of the world and more and more dependent on the Chinese the Chinese are going to muscle sport hunting out.

quote:

Originally posted by Indy:
Question: Is this a tribal thing? Are the ZANU members of a different tribe than the MGB? Which ones are the Shona? How do the Matabele fit in?

Mugabe is Shona. The other primary tribal group in Zim is the Ndebele. Shona is largely in the Northern part of the country, Ndebele in the South. Shona tribe is largest indigenous group.

quote:

Originally posted by someoldguy:

quote:

Zimbabwe's opposition leader took refuge in the Dutch Embassy after pulling out of the presidential runoff, and dozens of his supporters were hustled away by police in a raid on party headquarters Monday.

I could never say this in person with a straight face, so here goes:

Where was the UN when Zimbabwe needed them?

United Nations...think of the nice Walmart that NYC could have if they tore down the UN building!

You gotta ask? Where was the UN when the Rwandans, the Sierra Lionans, the Liberians, the Angolans, the Mozambiquans, the Congolese, the Sudanese, the people of Darfur, and now the people of Zim need them?

Getting fat on donatiions, buying apartments in New York and Geneva, getting rich on oil-for-food deals and other nefarious enterprises.

The UN is a creature of the Council on Foreign Relations, the movers and shakers, who like all the chaos and death all over the world, as long as they can cut deals with someone for the natural resources.

The UN, and I've worked for them and seen how they work, or don't work, as the case may be, is a waste of billions of dollars. The last time they did something effective was the Korean War.

quote:

I am concerned that as Bob becomes more and more isolated from the rest of the world and more and more dependent on the Chinese the Chinese are going to muscle sport hunting out.

I guess we will have to wait and see. I have had some wonderful hunts there. If it closes, I suspect many will lose the opportunity to ever have a chance at hunting dangerous game, and the locals will be hurt more.

quote:

The UN, and I've worked for them and seen how they work, or don't work, as the case may be, is a waste of billions of dollars. The last time they did something effective was the Korean War.

UN involvement in the Korean War would explain why the War never technically ended. There is a building at the DMZ in which the North and South get together on a periodic basis as part of the cease fire to "talk" about ending the war. No one actually talks about anything.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Manion:

quote:

The UN, and I've worked for them and seen how they work, or don't work, as the case may be, is a waste of billions of dollars. The last time they did something effective was the Korean War.

UN involvement in the Korean War would explain why the War never technically ended. There is a building at the DMZ in which the North and South get together on a periodic basis as part of the cease fire to "talk" about ending the war. No one actually talks about anything.

Yep.

It's not Bob anymore.

It is all about the "generals" and the Chinese backing of them. Bob is just the front man at this point.

My understanding is that Mugabe is not even a Zimbabwean...I heard he was a schooteacher from Nigeria.

Going off a different angle -- how does Mugabe keep his money? Offshore? Just thinking if armed revolt isn't possible, maybe bankrupting him, and his regime in the process, would be...

quote:

Originally posted by JohnHunt:
It's not Bob anymore.

It is all about the "generals" and the Chinese backing of them. Bob is just the front man at this point.

Bingo. In fact, residents speculate that if it were up to just Bob, he would leave. The generals, however, concerned about what this would mean to them and their holdings, safety, etc. are now essentially running the show.

from Assoicated Press this morning:

HARARE, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe's opposition leader left the Dutch Embassy for the first time since fleeing there over the weekend and called on African leaders Wednesday to assist in negotiating a solution to his country's political crisis.

Morgan Tsvangirai repeated his rejection of a presidential runoff set for Friday.

"What is important is that both parties must realize the country is burning and the only way is to sit down and find a way out of it," Tsvangirai said.

Tsvangirai looked relaxed as he addressed reporters at his home after leaving the embassy.

Zimbabwe's Dollar Plummets 80% as Residents Scramble for Cash

By Brian Latham

June 25 (Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe's dollar plunged 80 percent on the country's illegal currency markets as residents rushed to buy foreign exchange amid increasing political violence ahead of the presidential runoff election.

The currency changed hands at 100 billion to one U.S. dollar in Harare today, compared with 20 billion a week ago, said Misheck Chinengudu, who trades foreign exchange illegally on the streets of the capital. On the official inter-bank market, the dollar is at 91.8 billion, according to Bloomberg data.

``People are terrified that Zimbabwe is going to collapse completely,'' said Julius Machipanda, who also trades in the city. ``Others are scared because the violence is terrible and they want to run away, others have had their homes burnt down or their relatives have been abducted. They just want to get out right now, no delays.''

Political violence has increased in Zimbabwe ahead of the June 27 poll in which President Robert Mugabe will seek to extend his 28-year rule of the southern African nation. Morgan Tsvangirai, who garnered more votes than Mugabe in the first round on March 29, has withdrawn from the ballot after 86 of his supporters were killed in what he said was a state-backed campaign.

Zimbabwe is in its 10th year of economic recession, blamed largely on Mugabe's failed land-reform program and economic mismanagement. Inflation is at least 355,000 percent.

``Many people tell us they need foreign currency to flee the country,'' said Chinengudu in an interview from Harare. ``This election is rigged and the people are doomed and getting ready to run to South Africa, Britain, anywhere but here.''

`Cash for Cash'

Zimbabwe's currency market operates on two levels. Businesses and wealthy individuals often use the ``Rapid Transfer Gross Settlement,'' where money changes hands electronically. Other black market transactions are known as ``cash for cash'' where the money is physically exchanged.

Jemima Sithole, a seamstress who lives in central Harare's old Cows' Guts district, said she needed foreign currency to escape ``the regime.''

``I have relatives in the U.K. and in South Africa,'' she said. ``I can go to them, but I cannot arrive empty-handed because they are also struggling and in both cases they are illegal immigrants hiding. I have to escape the regime, no one can live like this.''

As many as 3 million Zimbabweans, about a quarter of the population, have fled poverty and political violence since 2000. Many flee to neighboring South Africa and Botswana, though an informal network of self-exiled Zimbabweans that exists throughout Europe, North America and Australasia.

To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Latham in Durban via Johannesburg at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net.

Great News !!!
All the problems in Zimbabwe have now been solved.
Our dear old Queen here in the UK has withdrawn Bob's Honorary Knighthood.
Give me a f---king break !!!!!!

The whole Knighthood thing lost its glitter for me when Mick Jagger and his ilk started getting 'em. I mean, what is the point?

Both the people I speak to regularly in Zim say things are "quiet". The only notable change is that some of the roadblocks are now manned by youth militia. But they have been friendly to PHs and hunters.

A hunter that just got back said things were tense and there was some violence in Harare.

That is not to say that you won't end up dealing with one on drugs...so best to charter and stay away from towns.

Hunters must be a resilient bunch because the PH I work with hasn't had more than a day or two off between hunts since the beginning of the season.

Added 6./28. According to source on ground in Harare, everything very quiet today..no police or military visible in Harare.

Not to be alarmist. Hopefully these are isolated incidents, but very upsetting nonetheless.

Farmers attacked in wake of Zimbabwe election

HARARE, Zimbabwe - Farmers who had protested the seizure of their land were attacked by supporters of Robert Mugabe the same day he was sworn in again as Zimbabwe's president, the head of a farmer's union said Monday.

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On Sunday, the Zimbabwean Election Commission declared Mugabe the winner of Zimbabwe's widely condemned presidential election. His opponent, independent observers, human rights groups and foreign governments have all said that the Friday election was not free and fair.

Three farmers and a farm manager were brutally beaten in Mashonaland West, a stronghold of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, said Deon Theron, vice president of the Commercial Farmers Union. Most members of his union are white farmers. Three of those attacked Sunday had appealed to a regional body and been granted temporary permission to stay on their farms, he said.

One couple and their son-in-law were savagely attacked on their farm Sunday afternoon and then forced into a truck by a group of about 20 people, Theron said. They were kept for several hours and then thrown out of the truck after midnight.

They were hospitalized with head wounds, burns and broken bones, he said.

A farm manager was attacked nearby by another mob earlier in the day, Theron said. The manager is now in the hospital with serious injuries. A third farm in the area was also raided, but nobody was harmed.

"It's very, very tense at the moment," Theron said. "I think now with the president being sworn back in, they (his supporters) now think they have total immunity again."