Must Zimbabwe stay forever in crisis?

Zimbabwe’s situation strikes me as being like a gory road traffic accident. The rest of the world slows down and rubbernecks to take a voyeuristic view of its plight, yet no one actually stops to offer any help.

The eternal election continues to delve way beyond farce with the vile despot clinging to an office that hasn’t been rightfully his since March 29^th. As ‘allAfrica’ reports this morning,

“SADC, and SA in particular, should have the strongest interest in helping free Zimbabweans, but African leaders are reluctant to topple a corrupt regime lest they themselves be toppled. Calls for "smart sanctions" from Zimbabwe's neighbours, targeting the Mugabe elitists, while sparing the population (a meaningless distinction with inflation racing toward 200000%) echo what the west has done, with no effect. When UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown says Zimbabwe is in constitutional crisis, Mugabe is amused. For him, the only crisis would be genuine rule of law.”

That 200000% inflation has now led to the printing of the new Z$500m banknote. Yesterday worth US$2, today worth considerably less!

Back in December I wrote in support to the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, when he made his televised pledge to stand up for the people of Zimbabwe. It would seem that the Church is the only body actually targeting the plight of Zimbabwe and its citizens. Joined by the Archbishop of Canterbury, they issued a joint statement last month concerning the deteriorating situation of ordinary people in Zimbabwe calling for “a civil society movement that both gives voice to those who demand an end to the mayhem that grows out of injustice, poverty, exclusion and violence”.

Nations need to follow suit and do it fast.

nick