Recent election news: Sokwanele kept a running tab of the effects of the violence and boycotts.
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The BBC has, as almost always, a good overview of the situation. I’ve also pulled the best stories I’ve seen covering specific aspects of the elections or violence.
The LA Times has an excellent and completely saddening article about the ZANU-PF youths who are threatened into beating members of the opposition in order to protect their own families. It reminds me of nothing so much as the child soldiers of West Africa.
This general violence comes after weeks of targeting opposition leadership, either through direct assasination or by targeting family members.
There isn’t much in this NY Times article about the UN Security Council’s unanimous declaration against the violence to recommend it in particular – besides the actual newsworthiness of the headline – but its description of Mbeki’s “mediation” as ‘maintain[ing] a strategy of quiet diplomacy’ made me laugh out loud. So that’s what we’re calling silence these days.
Speaking of which, another NY Times article addresses Mbeki’s failure to condemn Mugabe. This article characterizes Mbeki’s approach as ‘walking softly, carrying no stick’. The authors report that South Africa’s deputy foreign minister, Aziz Pahad, has said that ‘”We can only say the mediation has failed if we reach a situation where Zimbabwe totally gets engulfed in a state of civil war”.’ Does this me that the opposition has to form its own army before Mbeki will admit defeat?
The article itself is thoughtful, and underscores the troubled relationship between African leaders and their constituents, as well as the almost incestuous connections between the leaders themselves.
I almost hesitate to include this Flikr album, because of the level of violence depicted (DO NOT open during lunch). (The link is to Andrew Sullivan; he links to the pictures, but also a piece by the Times). This what life is like currently in Zimbabwe. It doesn’t have to be like this!
And in case you missed it, Tsvangirai’s statement last weekend withdrawing from the elections (Hat tip: Meaningfulness of Little Things).
Although I think Tsvangirai’s actions make sense in light of… everything, this Guardian op-ed says he must convince his followers that he’s not simply playing into Mugabe’s hands.
