So it has finally come to this - the opposition and the police state; the inevitable clash, and a farcical trial. It has happened countless times before, and I don't think this will be the last time. And, apparently it's all South Africa's fault.
The question that comes to my mind - what is South Africa or any other African state or any other world power to do? And this question applies, not only to Zimbabwe, but to Darfur, Somalia, Iraq etc etc. So as a neighbouring country (or a world power), what do we do?
Do we go guns blazing to depose the offending dictator? If so, what then? Do we get another Iraq, where the invading country (the liberators) gets saddled with the reconstruction bill, a population that doesn't want them and our own citizens that don't support our presence in a foreign country?
Or do we send in a team of special ops, that will assassinate the offending dictator? And then what? Are there people who will take charge, and lead the country? And who do you kill - just the dictator? What about his supporters? And how do you identify all of them, and what is the criteria we use to judge them?
Or do we go to the UN or a AU where, some members don't care; while other members have vested interests (because they own a mine or two) and thus don't want to interfere. And off course there is plain apathy, and some don't even bother voting, because, they frankly don't give a damn.
Or we could do nothing; and hope that some one else does something.
In the end, every one of these alternatives are problematic. Most of the successful, long term democracies, who have thrown off the yoke of dictators have done it themselves. Zimbabwe did it themselves 20 odd years ago. In the end, that is possibly the best solution .... but they do require support; and this is where South Africa has failed. In the end, the people of Zimbabwe who are tired of Bob Mugabe (remember, as in all dictatorships, not every one hates the dictator) need to stand up and be counted; and those who stand up must be helped. Doing nothing, achieves nothing.
1 comment:
Al, the question is not what they should be doing because there is no sign at all from them that they want to do something - nothing - no failed attempts at all, nothing. They should first break the silence more of my thots here....
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