Robert Mugabe taking hostages to force opposition leaders out of Zimbabwe - Political Forum

W.E.B. Du Bois · #1 (**permalink**) 04-26-2008, 07:53 PM

Babies seized by Robert Mugabe's forces as Zimbabwe hounds voters - Times Online

Quote:

Babies seized by Robert Mugabe's forces as Zimbabwe hounds voters
Thousands flee crackdown

Scores of children and babies have been locked up in filthy prison cells in Harare as Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s president, sinks to new depths in his campaign to force the opposition into exile before an expected run-off in presidential elections.

Twenty-four babies and 40 children under the age of six were among the 250 people rounded up in a raid on Friday, according to Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Yesterday they were crammed into cells in Southerton police station in central Harare.

“This is ruthlessness of the worst kind. How can you incarcerate children whose mothers have fled their homes hoping to give their children refuge?” asked an emotional Chamisa yesterday. “In Mugabe’s Zimbabwe even children are not spared the terror that befalls their parents.”

The families were rounded up from MDC headquarters, where they had sought refuge from violence in the countryside.

Thought to be directed by top military officers, Operation Where Did You Put Your Cross? has prompted thousands to flee. They are trying to escape the so-called war veterans, who are attacking people and burning down hundreds of houses for voting “incorrectly” in last month’s elections.

“What we’re seeing is an undeclared civil war,” said Chamisa. “It’s genocide. This situation is out of control, it’s now beyond the capacity of the MDC alone. It requires the region, the continent, the international community to act.”

Four weeks after the elections, official results have still not been released for presidential polls widely thought to have been won by Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC leader.

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The world should cut off all trade to Zimbabwe and seize all of Zimbabwe's funds in banks, until Mugabe is gone. Only basic food and medicine should be allowed into that country.

W.E.B. Du Bois · #2 (**permalink**) 04-27-2008, 04:35 AM

This is the picture of the year right here:

Supporters of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change were taken by police from outside the headquarters of the MDC, in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Friday.

In Zimbabwe, Raid on Opposition and Election Monitors - New York Times

Brother Oz · #3 (**permalink**) 04-27-2008, 05:26 AM

Quote:

The world should cut off all trade to Zimbabwe and seize all of Zimbabwe's funds in banks, until Mugabe is gone. Only basic food and medicine should be allowed into that country.

That's basically already been done. One of the problems is that there aren't a great deal more sanctions that can be done by western nations.
However, what would help is if other African countries, especially South Africa, did more such stuff.

Morgan Tsangarai has fled the country, and is touring Africa begging African leaders for help.

At least one positive thing is that in the recount, the Election Commision didn't give Zanu-PF back their majority.