Conditions Deteriorating Since Tyrant Stole Election

America Ignores Zimbabwe

While 'African Tears' Author Reports From The Scene


Sure, we've had a couple of very busy news weeks, but is there any reason to completely ignore the rapidly deteriorating conditions in Zimbabwe, where dictator Robert Mugabe recently stole another election?

The opposition party was so fearful for their lives, it took weeks to admit the obvious in public, that South African observers who declared the elections "free and fair" were partners in crime with Mugabe.

South Africa's ANC regime has looked the other way at serious abuses in Zimbabwe for selfish political reasons.

Underground sites have been able to spread news of Zimbabwe's troubles abroad at great risk to their own personal safety. Zimbabwean Cathy Buckle, an author, keeps freedom-lovers in America and around the world in touch with events in the country here.

Her letters from home have become particularly urgent:

Saturday 23rd April 2005

Dear Family and Friends,

Things have deteriorating noticeably in Zimbabwe in the three weeks since the ruling party declared they had won the elections. Prices have shot up, basic foodstuffs are becoming harder and harder to find and the fuel supply is sporadic.

Water from taps has become a luxury and the state owned television this week gave us a long story to explain that as winter approaches electricity cuts are going to be regular occurrences.

This week the MDC finally gave up their prolonged diplomatic game and openly declared that the South Africans were not honest brokers in mediating in the Zimbabwean crisis. They said that it was now apparent that the South African stance of "Quiet Diplomacy" was in a reality just a "package of lies and pretence."

The statement of this sad fact and an end to the nonsensical diplomatic pretence, comes as a relief to Zimbabweans. We had watched with shock and disgust the line taken by the SABC TV news presenter reporting from Zimbabwe during the election period and few people believed they had remained impartial.

Zimbabweans feel so utterly betrayed by our African neighbours and at least now the talk has become straightforward and to the point. By all accounts there are probably less than 20 or 30 000 white people left in Zimbabwe and it is matter of continental shame that our regional neighbours cannot and will not see the suffering of 11 million ordinary people but choose to keep on and on hiding behind the now 25 year old "colonialist" scapegoat

What's it going to take to get the American media back on this issue?

London's papers have never given up raising awareness of the crisis, but in the US, it's rare to see much coverage.

American Blogs For Zimbabwe Freedom partners are P Scott Cummins, Tim Goddard and Josef's Public Journal.