Crisis Continues In Zimbabwe

Even as the Chinese government and South Africa continue to block substantive action at the UN against Zimbabwe other than the usual futile statements and resolutions, the South Africans are beginning to walk back from their total support of Mugabe.

It's tiny steps, but notable nonetheless. South Africa's African National Congress party issued a statement:

"We are deeply dismayed by the actions of the government of Zimbabwe which is riding roughshod over the hard-won democratic rights of the people of that country," the African National Congress said in a statement.

"As democrats, the ANC cannot be indifferent to the flagrant violation of every principle of democratic governance."

The criticism was striking in view of historical links between Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party and the ANC, both of which fought white oppression in previous eras.

ANC leader Jacob Zuma also said "we cannot agree with ZANU-PF," according to SAPA news agency.

"We cannot agree with them on values ... We fought for the right of people to vote. We fought for democracy."

This has been a point I've been driving home for some time now. South Africa should have been taking a strong position against Mugabe and his power grab, throwing democracy by the wayside. Instead, the South Africans cozied up and provided cover for Mugabe even as he twisted the election results to force a runoff scheduled for Friday (which will now occur without Morgan Tsvangirai's presence as he's in refuge at the Dutch embassy).

At the same time the ANC released this, they also rejected any outside pressure on Zimbabwe.

The A.N.C. warned against international intervention a day after the United Nations Security Council took its first action on the electoral crisis in Zimbabwe, issuing a unanimous statement condemning the widespread campaign of violence in the country and calling on the government there to free political prisoners and allow the opposition to rally its supporters.

But South Africa, the region’s powerhouse, is widely considered to play the pivotal role in bringing about change in neighboring Zimbabwe. And while the A.N.C. came out with an unusually strong condemnation of the Zimbabwean government on Tuesday, saying it was “riding roughshod over the hard-won democratic rights” of its people, the party also evoked Zimbabwe’s colonial history and insisted that outsiders had no role to play in ending its current anguish.

Mugabe stole power from the Zimbabweans and the South Africans did nothing except give him the time and excuse to retain power. The ANC has a short memory if it thinks that outside pressure cannot achieve goals - after all, the boycott of South African goods and services helped undermine the apartheid government in Johannesburg.

What is the UN and other countries looking to do by calling for a postponement of the runoff elections? Do they not realize that postponing the elections cements Mugabe's hold on power and makes it more difficult to deal with going forward. After all, he's not relinquishing power because the UN says so, and he has refused to accept the election results, so what would force him to accept the fact that he has no business running Zimbabwe?

It is increasingly likely that only violence will end this affair in Zimbabwe. The diplomats refuse to implement language stronger than a limp wrist slap, even as Mugabe's goons terrify the locals and murder opposition leaders while arresting and harassing many others.

UPDATE:
It's nice to see that Sen. Barack Obama found the time to talk with Morgan Tsvangirai and reiterate the Bush Administration position on Zimbabwe and Mugabe's power grab.