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WITH just days to go for the June 27 run-off presidential election, Mugabe his junta and their pawns-the ‘war veterans’ are pulling out all the stops, irrespective of the terrible human cost, in order to ensure victory.
Human Rights Watch has reported that a systematic campaign of murder and brutality has been initiated by Zanu PF. The United Statesbased organisation estimated on Monday that at least 67 people had died in politically- motivated murders and 2 000 were victims of a campaign of abduction, beatings and torture.
Sources across Zimbabwe have reported an ever increasing number of roadblocks manned by militias and war veterans, effectively limiting the opposition’s movement by creating a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
Tsvangirai was arrested again on Saturday and held for three whilst campaigning in the countryside. Displacement of people continues at an alarming rate. James McGee, United States ambassador in Harare, said 30 000 potential MDC voters had fled their constituencies.
In addition Mugabe has imposed a ban on overseas aid organisations .At least ¼ of the population rely solely on charities. Opposition supporters are now totally reliant on the government to provide food.
In order to eat they will have to exchange their identity documents for food, without ID they simply cannot vote. According to UNICEF 500 000 children have been directly affected by these inhumane rulings. |
Many of the children are orphans and the charities are their only support base.
In the latest development Mugabe has attempted to blackmail the nation with war in the event of a Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Morgan Tsvangirai victory in the forthcoming election.
Harassment of all opposition continues .Opposition lawyers claim the arresting order of Tendai Biti is fraudulent.
The handcuffed, Secretary General of the MDC has finally appeared in court. His whereabouts have been unknown for the since his arrest. He is awaiting charges of treason which carry the death penalty. Hopes for a fair election look remote after Rini Chipfunde, director of the leading independent monitoring group, Election Support Network, said the authorities were creating an environment in which only Zanu PF officials and military personal would be allowed to man the voting booths. “People will be too terrified to vote,” she said.
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