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Have your say on Zimbabwe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Former St Lucian prime minister Kenny Anthony has urged Caribbean governments to denounce in the strongest terms, Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe. Dr Anthony, the opposition leader in the St Lucia parliament, has criticised what he calls a conspiracy of silence among governments in the region on the Zimbabwe issue. The opposition MDC says more than 80 of its supporters have been killed in a wave of political violence that has prevented its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, from running an effective election campaign. Mr Tsvangirai quit at the weekend saying he would not run in order to curb violence by ruling party militias. However, Zimbabwe has vowed to go ahead with the run-off presidential vote.
Dr Anthony says Caricom governments cannot afford to remain silent on what is happening in Zimbabwe. Do you think he is right? Bob Marley sang ‘Liberate Zimbabwe’ on his album Survival. If he were alive, what do you think Bob Marley would be singing about Zimbabwe? Have your say It is an injustice when leaders oppress the very people who have elected them to serve. I am in full agreement with Dr. Anthony though. Caricom remains silent on issues closer to home. It surprises me that so many people have all bad things to say about Mugabe. If one looks at the history of Zimbabwe one will see Mugabe as a hero and freedom fighter. One will also realise that the British and the West only had trouble with Mugabe after he took the land from the white farmers, until then Mugabe was a good man. Mugabe we love you stay up. Hats off to Dr.Anthony who has the guts to denounce Mugabe, the new African dictator.Is it surprising that the Caricom governments remain mute on this Zimbabwe matter? The same can be said about just next door Guyana where Forbes Burnham not too long ago had his "28 years" continuous dictatorship in place. As a matter of fact I think he is very right. Caribbean leaders cannot afford to remain silent on such a vital issue. It is high time we stand up for our brothers in Zimbabwe If Bob Marley were alive he would be singing ‘war’ on Mugabe. It’s a shame for our African continent. He has been a leader for 28 years. What a shame, he is disgrace to Africa. Mugabe, ruled by the military junta, will never go on democratic terms. He will have to be forced from office and he and the heads of police, army, air force & prisons must stand trial at the Hague Tribunal. It is almost as if there is some form of collusion by Caribbean leaders with the despot called Robert Mugabe. It is also sad and disappointing when we Blacks either are so naive or pretend to be so naive so as to not want to call out one of our own when he does what Mugabe is doing. I strongly agree with Dr Anthony. I consider Mugabe to be a tyrant as Saddam Hussein. He should be taken out of power immediately. The rest of the world must not accept the results of the elections. He started out well, but has gone bad like over ripe fruit. He's spoiled and corrupt so he has to go. With Mugabe in power, manipulating election results and using violent militias on his countrymen, the people of Zimbabwe will never see real change & some sort of true comfort and peace. He's not what the country or the continent needs. If he truly loved his country he would stop greedily clinging to power and leave for the sake of his people, country and continent. Blind greed. Mr Anthony should be more concerned about selling bananas from St Lucia. Zimbabwe is grappling with invisible hands of England which is determined to destroy the government or any stability. Why? How dare Mr Mugabe take the land from those white farmers and return them to those black people. All this drama has absolutely nothing to do with Mr Mugabe but England’s wrath and rage. England is doing exactly the same thing France did to Rwanda. European leaders are experts at the ART OF DECEPTION. They can still control and destroy from a distance. Some leaders feel that no one else has the right or is capable of governing a country. This has happened in Zimbabwe and is very dangerous. Zimbabwe has to decide if it will continue to give the "failed impression" that it is a Democratic society. I think Mr Mugabe should step down and act as a gentleman. Don’t let the world look on you as a fool and a power hunger dictator. It is injustice in Zimbabwe under Mugabe's rules. The injustice in Zimbabwe will threaten justice in all of Africa and the world's community. The UN and the entire world should isolate Zimbabwe until he (Mugabe) and his entire administration resign. We in the Caribbean, especially our leaders, have not spoken out on this issue… It’s a case of saying enough. Mugabe has got to go. Enough is enough. It is obvious that contrary to Mandela, Mugabe is fighting with his blood rather than his mind. He looks really bad in the eyes of the world. He seems to be a tyrant because this is what some of the world powers want him to look like. Hegemonic nations in the world have enough money and tact to make him look like the devil. The opposition looks like a legion of holy angels while he, Mugabe and his entourage, look like a legion of demons. Do you all remember Aristide from Haiti? Is this the same that is about to happen to Mugabe? Is Mugabe really that demonic as he is presented? Is the opposition the holy angel that he is portrayed to be? If the issue is about the extent to which people in Africa are suffering and wholesale denial of the rights of peoples of African countries, the story capturing the headlines and generating such condemnation would of course be Zaire, Congo, a real hell on earth, or Sudan, but no one even knows the names of the 'leader' of these countries. I draw every ones’ attention to the fact that Jamaica has a long and well established history of violent elections with hundreds being killed in a much smaller population but no one criticises the legitimacy of the government. The truth is Zimbabwe under Mugabe has one of the least violent and most democratic governments in Africa. Witness South Africa, one of the most violent places on the planet but we hear little of that. I could go on... Mugabe is a demon without human sympathy. Zimbabwe is not his father’s property. He should step down and pay for his sins. The blood of the poor ones ... is upon him. Something should be done to stop this man. He is overstepping everyone, he should go to jail, he has done enough. Mugabe, ruled by the military junta and will never go on democratic terms. He will have to be forced from office. He and the heads of police, army, air force & prisons must stand trial at the Hague Tribunal. It is almost as if there is some form of collusion by Caribbean leaders with the despot called Robert Mugabe. It is also sad and disappointing when we Blacks either are so naive or pretend to be so naive so as to not want to call out one of our own when he does what Mugabe is doing. I strongly agree with Dr Anthony. I consider Mugabe to be a tyrant as Saddam Hussein. He should be taken out of power immediately. The rest of the world must not accept the results of the elections. He started out well, but has gone bad like overripe fruit. He's spoiled and corrupt so he has to go. With Mugabe in power, manipulating election results and using violent militias on his countrymen, the people of Zimbabwe will never see real change & some sort of true comfort and peace. He's not what the country or the continent needs. If he truly loved his country he would stop greedily clinging to power and leave for the sake of his people, country and continent. Blind greed. Dr Anthony is right, but don't expect to hear angry calls against Robert Mugabe. This so-called conspiracy of silence in rooted in political opportunism. Even the UN failed to directly blame Mugabe on Monday, having watered down its original condemnation of Mugabe to adopt a resolution merely saying that the election won't be free and fair and therefore would lack credibility. Caribbean leaders will take their cue - as they have always done - from the 'big brothers' and the world body. I would wager that if Anthony were in government he too would be silent. In the final analysis, Mugabe would continue to rape and plunder his nation while the world offers rhetoric but no action. Mugabe today is a worse dictator than Saddam Hussein yet Washington would not even suggest regime change there. Zimbabwe, unfortunately, offers the West no economic or geopolitical benefits, so it will remain as it is - a forgotten African nation of dispossessed people, waiting for relief that isn't coming. Zimbabwe ought to be left to solve its own internal affairs. All successful countries (US, UK, France etc.) had their share of tumult. Land and mineral rights were once hijacked by the Europeans. There is no guarantee that intervention will not be to reinstate these rights producing a situation like that in Iraq where the US is attempting to control the oil. Mugabe is one of the most vicious leaders in Africa. All of his noble deeds in his fight for Zimbabwe's independence are now drowned in his barbarism and his systematic destruction of Zimbabwe's economy. The people of Zimbabwe need a voice and a liberator. This is the time for African leaders and people of the African diaspora to stand up and be counted. Zimbabwe needs a second liberation. It is said that "power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power." I follow with much regret the sufferings being inflicted by Mugabe and his associates upon people who are so hungry for change. One wonders why is it that the US still maintains its embargo on Cuba when there are countries where people are allowed to be treated like if to be lesser in value than the very animals in our farms. I think that President Mugabe has for sometime now gone "MAD'. I am sad that the leaders here in the Caribbean and those in Africa have none very little in urging Robert Mugabe to change the way he's treating his people or to step down, it's such a shame on our 'black leaders'. Mugabe is like the cow that has given milk and has kicked it over. Someone needs to save him from himself. I support Mr.Mugabe a full 100% because he is very brave to stand up to the former imperial powers. He also gave back land that was stolen during colonial rule. We need more leaders like Mr.Mugabe. Although he is not perfect he did a lot for the African continent. It is very sad to watch a political icon and pioneer like Mugabe reduced to a revengeful old man. Perhaps he is attempting to seek absolution from past mistakes, like trusting the British and handing the prime land of his ancestors to the land and wealth grabbers of colonialism. So wish he had the foresight to mentor a younger man /woman to succeed him, PITY. I'm gravely saddened by the way the other African leaders are sitting by silently while Mugabe run rampage in Zimbabwe. As a black West Indian, it makes me feel like the slave trade was a welcomed deliverance from hell. I wonder if president Mbeki is thinking about following in the footsteps of Mugabe, his dear friend, whom he is incapable of criticizing. May God be with Zimbabwe. Mugabe fought guerrilla warfare to liberate his people from British colonial rule. The struggle was for land. Today that problem is still unresolved. I do not agree with all of Mugabe's tactics but his struggle to return land that was stolen from black Africans is courageous. And on democracy, there are many more regimes in Africa and other parts of the world where there are no elections. The Iron Lady of the Caribbean, referring to Haitian elections famously said "Bad elections are better than no elections at all." To the previous person who has withheld their name. We do understand the history. However managing change effectively is something Robert Mugabe has not done. There is no justification for his current actions. Zimbabwe will be the next Sudan if he is not removed. We all know African Nations in General suffer from the BIG ‘C’, Corruption, and this has gone too far in Mugabe's case. Mugabe is now guilty of the same repression that the fought against. His sycophantic supporters are just as guilty of keeping this madman in office. Dr Anthony is right on target. Zimbabwe is experiencing national suicide right now. The political divide is now way out of control and as Dr Anthony is suggesting, Caricom and other superpowers should intervene and bring an end to the ever violent power struggle in Zimbabwe. It's obvious that some form of external force has to come in at this juncture to bring relief. Someone has to come to their rescue. Something has to be done to bring peace and good governance to the people. To rule is not a right but a privilege and one cannot overstay their welcome in that case. The people have spoken. Change is now and good cannot come from a corrupt leader. Robert Mugabe has to go! He has to accept defeat and relinquish his position. Can Mugabe's Zimbabwe survive this joint Anglo Saxon onslaught? African nations are closet supporters and that is why he must not win. Is this another Haiti in the making? Mugabe is a despot. He has brought great shame on Blacks. To see an old feeble man forcing to walk and give the appearance that he is someone is laughable. I believe he generates such revulsion in most people that sometimes we wish the media would not give him such attention. I think people like him love being the headlines on BBC. Mugabe needs to stay and the US and Britain need to go. I am sure he (Bob Marley) would sing the same song. Zimbabwe desperately needs liberation from under the madness of Mugabe and the army. His song would inspire the people to be strong in their actions and vote for a change in government. He clearly does not have Zimbabwe in his heart & appears intent to take the country to the grave with him. Mugabe is a heartless dictator but what ways are there to get rid of him? This election run off is the best way to get rid of him, so if this is to succeed, support must be given to the opposition MDC. All African countries should come out in support the MDC. I don't know why they are still quiet and we also need China to also denounce Mugabe. Mugabe has also sent the threat of violence if his party loses so when, and if, his party loses the Western governments must be ready to support the MDC in bringing peace to Zimbabwe. The African governments didn't act on Mugabe in the early stages, deciding to sit back and look on and maybe try and guide Mugabe diplomatically. The man is a dictator with the backing of the heads of his disciplined forces. They can't let someone else in to take over their sugar pot! And "Name withheld", while I understand what Mugabe initially did for Rhodesia/Zimbabwe it doesn't give him the right to kill your fellow Zimbabweans for their beliefs (and I can only assume that you are a Zanu-PF supporter-maybe a war veteran!) The states of Africa are now doing too little too late - another Rwanda in the making!! My heart goes out to the people of Zimbabwe, especially for those who are fighting for their freedom. Mugabe must realize at his age he is a ticking time bomb. The money he is spending to dye his hair alone can put lots of food on some of his people table. As for Kenny Anthony, he should be ashamed of himself for criticizing other governments in the Caribbean for not doing enough about Zimbabwe. He is no different to Mugabe, it is the same as the pot calling the kettle black. If my people in St. Lucia were not minding their business they would be just like Zimbabwe right now under Kenny’s rulership. God bless the old fox, Sir John Compton and the UWP party that throw him out of power. Mugabe needs to go. Turning the army and police against your own people is not liberation. We must fight for his removal. BUT DO NOT FOR ONE MINUTE THINK THAT THE US and BRITAIN SUPPORT the people of Zimbabwe. They never batted an eye when Mugabe massacred ZAPU supporters in the 80's. They only showed concern when the white settlers were endangered. So yes, let’s kick Mugabe and his corrupt regime out, but do not for one minute allow US and Britain to take over that country. Absolutely! Mr. Mugabe has managed to isolate, and stifle Zimbabwe in a world he (at his age) cannot perceive a future for. How can the international community sit back and allow this despot to starve his people and make his country a non-existent entity in the world of Human Affairs? Shame on the UN. Did we not learn from Idi Amin? "POWER TENDS TO CORRUPT. ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY”. I am disappointed that the will of the people no longer matters. Mugabe's friends are his worse enemies. “Time will tell.” Dr. Anthony should go read the historic background to the Rhodesia/Zimbabwe issue. Mr Mugabe and his friends fought and many died to liberate their country and it was agreed as part of the peace deal that the USA and England would help pay for the land to return the black people of Zimbabwe. The US and the UK have reneged but Mugabe's fighters died to liberate their country and their death must not be in vain. I SUPPORT MUGABE. |
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Listen to Kenny Anthony
Fresh dilemmas over Zimbabwe 