Zimbabwe

African News

The people of Zimbabwe are facing economic hardships and human rights abuses from the government of President Robert Mugabe, age 83.

Zimbabwe’s inflation now exceeds 1,700 per cent with basic needs like food and other commodities either not available or far too expensive for the majority of the people. Unemployment stands at 80 per cent.

The provision of health and social services is completely inadequate, which is seriously undermining the effort to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

On Sunday 11^th March 2007, Gift Tandare, a father of three children was shot dead by the Zimbabwe police and several people were injured and arrested for planning to attend a prayer service organized by Save Zimbabwe Campaign in the capital city, Harare. Among those arrested were prominent members of the opposition party who sustained injuries after being assaulted by the Zimbabwe Police while in detention. President Mugabe has banned all political activities especially those that address issues of health, education and safe water.

These human rights violations have been condemned by the international community, including the US State Department. However no word of condemnation has come from Mugabe’s African peer members of the African Union, apart from a statement of concern issued by deputy Foreign minister of South Africa.

This turmoil was sparked after President Mugabe showed strong interest to extend the presidential elections from 2008 to 2010, and indicated he will be eligible to stand despite having been in power since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980.

In past years, the government of Zimbabwe has embarked on unpopular programs such as Operation Murambatsvira which destroyed poor people’s home and shelters in cities and forcibly grabbed farms from Zimbabwean white farmers. These actions further exposed the Mugabe regime to international isolation and trade sanctions.

One fierce critic of the Mugabe regime is Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo, second largest city in Zimbabwe. Archbishop Ncube has challenged the regime to stop the human rights abuses of Zimbabweans and has continued to bring the humanitarian crisis facing the country to the attention of the international community.

Missionary Oblates have had a strong present in Zimbabwe since 1983 and the OMI mission of Zimbabwe has a fast growing number of young Zimbabweans responding to the Oblate vocation. Currently the Oblates work in the archdiocese of Bulawayo and this turmoil is a big challenge to their mission work.

As the Zimbabwe situation continues to deteriorate, the ordinary people are becoming more vulnerable to massive abuses by the Mugabe regime. The international community and neighboring African countries should break the silence, recognize the seriousness of the situation and challenge their peer Mugabe. The emerging civic organizations such as Save Zimbabwe Campaign (NGOs & Churches) must be supported as it faces a strong Mugabe crony regime that regularly uses brutality and torture against its own people.