I have been watching the events surrounding the elections in Zimbabwe with great concern for some time. The following is from the News Corporation website tonight:
Post-election violence in Zimbabwe could reach genocidal proportions without intervention from the international community, the country’s church leaders have warned.
"We warn the world that if nothing is done to help the people of Zimbabwe from their predicament, we shall soon be witnessing genocide similar to that experienced in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and other hot spots in Africa and elsewhere,” leaders of all denominations said in a joint statement.
"To the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union and the United Nations to work towards arresting the deteriorating political and security situation in Zimbabwe.”
A recount of ballots is under way in Zimbabwe in the wake of the March 29 elections, amid allegations that longtime leader Robert Mugabe, 84, is trying to steal the outcome and cling to power.
There are two basic things that concern me about this situation besides the obvious destruction of a nation:
- What measure of insecurity is in a man that he would destory his own country to hold onto power he genuinely lost a very long time ago?
- What will it take for those nations of the world who are capable of dealing with this, to step into a situation for the simple sake of justice for their fellow man rather than for their own financial or strategic reward?
The thing I cannot work out about the western world’s inaction is that prior to Mugabe’s destructive leadership, Zimbabwe was considered the "bread basket" of Africa. Now, an entire continent suffers and groans under either degrees of famine or escalating food prices and, as a result, needs massive ongoing cash and aid injections just to see them survive.
Surely it is in the best interests of these western nations, Australia included, to step in and deal with Mugabe in order to help restore Zimbabwe to its former agricultural glory for the good of all Africa. Wouldn’t this ultimately ease the aid load needed, thereby easing the financial burdens of these same western nations. Or am I being too simplistic with these questions?
Regardless, I join my heart with the downtrodden of Zimbabwe and cry with her church leaders in pleading "How long, O Lord … how long … before you save a nation?"