Zimbabwe has refused to let Kofi Annan and two eminent colleagues visit the impoverished African country for a humanitarian mission, the three said Saturday.I'm no fan of Carter or Annan, but this once again shows the lengths to which Mugabe will go to prevent the free and fair elections. Carter has regularly rubber stamped elections held by despotic regimes regardless of the evidence of corruption and fraud and thuggish behavior to intimidate voters. Yet, Mugabe doesn't even see fit to allow Carter access to the country.
The former U.N. secretary-general, ex-U.S. President Jimmy Carter and rights advocate Graca Machel had planned to assess the country's needs. They are members of The Elders group, formed by former South African President Nelson Mandela to foster peace and tackle world conflicts.
Zimbabweans are suffering from disease and hunger while political crisis over a power-sharing government occupies its politicians. A current cholera outbreak has killed nearly 300 people in Zimbabwe, the United Nations said.
But the three were told Friday night by former South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is mediating the political crisis, that efforts to secure travel visas for the a two-day trip had failed.
Zimbabwe has been run into the ground by Mugabe and the humanitarian efforts only allow Mugabe to continue limping along in power as the country's infrastructure completely disintegrates and the rampant hunger and crushing unemployment continues with no end in sight.
UPDATE:
Ed Morrissey points out that Mugabe got his start when Carter gave his election the rubber stamp of approval, and now Mugabe wont even give them the courtesy of a visit. Not even Mugabe wants to see Annan or Carter.
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