Zimbabwe...

[Boerseun]

Yeah, I read that report. Unfortunately, there's a host of conflicting reports coming out currently. All news reports coming from Harare have been filtered by the Central Intelligence Organisation, or have been intentionally planted there by them.

 

Who knows.

 

I hope it's true though.

 

The only problem now might be that the army and police won't allow him to quit, because it will definitely have a negative impact on them. If the MDC takes over, there'd be a lot of criminal trials in the cops & army's future regarding murder, torture, power abuse, etc.

[DougF]

Boerseun

Who knows.

 

I hope it's true though.

 

The only problem now might be that the army and police won't allow him to quit' date=' because it will definitely have a negative impact on them. If the MDC takes over, [b']there'd be a lot of criminal trials in the cops & army's future regarding murder, torture, power abuse, etc.[/b]

The sooner the better, this should not be aloud in this day and age.

 

I think the human race acts like savages, maybe it's a bad gene.

[Michaelangelica]

From Down Under

Mugabe party ready for run-off: spokesman

 

Posted 1 hour 3 minutes ago

Updated 53 minutes ago

Ready for a run-off: Robert Mugabe. (File photo)

 

Ready for a run-off: Robert Mugabe. (File photo) (AFP: Alexander Joe)

 

* Video: Mugabe loses election (7.30 Report)

* Video: The Mugabe legacy (7.30 Report)

* Video: Zimbabwe oppn gains power in parliament (ABC News)

* Audio: Zimbabwe vote result still unclear (PM)

* Audio: Analysts suspect Mugabe trying to buy time with election result delay (The World Today)

 

Robert Mugabe's ruling party is ready for a presidential election run-off between the veteran Zimbabwean leader and his arch rival Morgan Tsvangirai, a Government spokesman said on Thursday.

 

The Deputy Information Minister, Bright Matonga, says ZANU-PF is ready for a run-off and are ready for a resulting victory.

Mugabe party ready for run-off: spokesman - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Mugabe loses election (video)

The 7.30 Report - ABC

[InfiniteNow]

A week, and still nothing. :)

 

 

NYTimes - Rival Resists Zimbabwe Runoff, Saying He Won

In the 2002 presidential election, which some Western observers charged was stolen from Mr. Tsvangirai, there were allegations of extensive vote rigging and violence by Mr. Mugabe’s party. And human rights and civic groups fear that a runoff could feature a replay of those tactics by a corrupt elite desperate to keep power and the material wealth it has brought them.

 

There are signs that Mr. Mugabe’s party is tightening its grip on the country. In a chilling development, the police blocked the main roads leading into Harare’s center on Saturday, and were searching vehicles.

 

The government has also cracked down on foreign journalists, who have been covering the election without accreditation. On Thursday, the police arrested Barry Bearak, a correspondent in the Johannesburg bureau of The New York Times, on charges related to covering the election without official permission from the government. He was still being held in a Harare jail on Saturday.

 

Mr. Tsvangirai’s party ran large advertisements in major South African newspapers on Saturday calling on Zimbabwe’s neighbors and other countries to support its efforts to unseat Mr. Mugabe.

[Boerseun]

Turns out that Mugabe lost, and lost really far. He told the ZEC (the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission) to change the 28% he got to 53% in order to maintain his presidency. The ZEC actually considered doing so, but then told Mugabe that the margin was simply too big to achieve this by fraud. They could, however, lower Tsvangirai's results to 49% and raise Mugabe's to 40%, which will force a runoff election. So much for the independence of the ZEC. They are simply ZANU-PF puppets, too.

 

So, it seems as if a runoff election is to be forced, with Mugabe setting the date back by presidential decree by three months. It's supposed to happen within three weeks. This is allegedly being done in order to militarise the entire campaign, and remove the ZEC from the equation. Being ZANU-PF puppets doesn't matter, but the ZEC has an oversight function where members of the SADEC countries plug in to monitor the elections. And he wants to get rid of the monitors. So, remove the ZEC and militarise the entire election, and he's sure to win by a landslide. Like I explained in my previous posts, the military and police are desperate for Mugabe to retain power. And they will, through gross intimidation and violence, make sure of that. They just need a bit of time to organise. Hence the three months' extension via presidential decree.

 

At the moment, however, all Zimbabwe's neighbours are building up their military presence on the borders. They are expecting Kenia-style violence (also from a stolen election) to break out in Zim in the next week, with a huge outflow of refugees. Zim opposition leaders have already said that they cannot guarantee their supporter's behaviour in the face of a stolen election, or what might be considered stolen, seeing as the final results still hasn't been made public.

 

In South Africa, millions of illegal Zimbabwean immigrants are watching the situation closely, and many have said to the press this week that if Mugabe packs his bags, they'll move back to Zim immediately. This will change the South African landscape dramatically - all of a sudden seeing emptied-out squatter camps all over the place will surely be a novelty.

 

Be that as it may, the situation in Zim is far more on a knife edge than a week ago, and much worse than I realised. I just hope they keep cool heads and work their way through it. I honestly doubt that Mugabe will let the reigns of power go without kicking up a fuss, though. And having the military and police having your presidency in their best interest, also doesn't help in giving up power.

 

Watch this space, the dogs of war are howling at Harare's gates...

[Michaelangelica]

bloody awful Boersuen

An Australian perspective

Search. ABC News Online

 

No one has actually said the words "cheat" or "rigged" yet

 

Zimbabwe Govt calls for election recount: reports

 

Zimbabwe s ruling ZANU-PF party has called for a recount in last week s presidential election, saying there had been errors and miscalculations in the counting, the state-run Sunday Email. Zimbabwe Govt calls for election recount: reports.

Some videos here too

Zimbabwe Govt calls for election recount: reports - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

- 6 Apr 2008 - 6 hours ago -

 

Rudd offers Zimbabwe 'conditional' aid package

Rudd offers Zimbabwe 'conditional' aid package - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Strings attached: Kevin Rudd says Australia will only offer Zimbabwe aid if the election results are fair. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says Australia will offer an aid package to Zimbabwe if there is a fair election result

.

Rudd offers Zimbabwe 'conditional' aid package - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) - 20k - [ html ] - 6 Apr 2008 - 13 hours ago -

[

QUOTE]Monitors needed if Zimbabwe holds run-off: leaders

 

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and fellow centre-left world leaders have called for Zimbabwe s election results to be published and for international monitors to oversee any run-off. Email. Monitors needed if Zimbabwe holds run-off: leaders.

 

Tags: government-and-politics world-politics south-africa united-kingdom united-kingdom england zimbabwe

 

Monitors needed if Zimbabwe holds run-off: leaders - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) - 17k - [ html ] - 6 Apr 2008 - 16 hours ago -

[Boerseun]

Matter of fact, on Friday, the "War Veterans" (so-called veterans of the liberation war more than 30 years ago - most of the "veterans" aren't even 30 yet) marched through the streets of Harare in support of Mugabe. The "War Veterans" are nothing more than Mugabe's own personal militia - and they gained the most by the land "redistribution" programme - which was nothing more than a racist thievery of white-owned assets to be given to the "war veterans" in exchange for their loyalty. They marched through Harare in a show of force and support for their beloved dictator.

 

Thieves, murderers, robbers and rapists, all. But they come in handy when the opposition needs to be intimidated and suppressed - even when the opposition is the majority of the country.

 

Also, foreign journalists have been rounded up and detained. Probably to limit the witnesses to the violence which is about to follow in the run-up to the runoff "elections".

 

The machinery of mayhem is gearing up to overdrive now.

 

Goddammit. The solution is so easy. This cantankerous fool is already 84 years old. Can't someone just pop a balloon behind his back so he gets a heart attack and dies?

[freeztar]

Goddammit. The solution is so easy. This cantankerous fool is already 84 years old. Can't someone just pop a balloon behind his back so he gets a heart attack and dies?

 

Maybe Castro can talk some sense into him? :)

[Boerseun]

Farmers, all white, have sent their families off to safe towns, and have barricaded themselves in their homes with whatever weapons at their disposal to defend their homes. "War Veterans", all black, and all too young to have fought in the liberation war 30-odd years ago, have started invading farm after farm, and people are now dying.

 

Not a single black-owned farm have been invaded, nor a black farm-owner brutalised, attacked, murdered, had his wife raped and killed, nor his children beaten to death with rocks.

 

I don't hear any protest from the World Community when blatant racism and violence, and in this case, ethnic cleansing, is performed by blacks upon whites. Like I said in a previous post, what will eventually be Africa's final undoing, will be double standards. Keep in mind that this racist barbarism IS NOT being practiced by the average Zimbabwean man-on-the-street, it is animalistic racist violence sponsored by Mugabe, using the mechanisms of State at his disposal, in his final bid to cling to power like the parasite that he is.

 

But be that as it may, I'm sitting here comfortably at work, having a nice cup of coffee, whilst just over the border, scarcely 400km from where I'm sitting right now, this madness is going on.

 

I'm going out of my mind from being absolutely and totally powerless to do anything about it.

 

My own president, Thabo Mbeki (God bless his absolutely useless lame-duck soul) have been laughed out of parliament on Monday by his own party, the ANC, for declaring over the weekend that "there is no crisis in Zimbabwe".

 

Africa is a country for people with iron will, strong backs and an incredibly high level of tolerance for the absolute and total ****ing useless idiots who gets elected to run the show.

 

Pardon my French.

[freeztar]

In the news...

 

"It is time for Africa to step up," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told a news conference. "Where is the concern from the African Union and from Zimbabwe's neighbours about what is going on in Zimbabwe?"

...

The continent has largely taken its cue from President Thabo Mbeki, who has insisted on a "softly softly" diplomatic approach to President Robert Mugabe, despite the catastrophic collapse of Zimbabwe's economy.

 

But the South African government made a major policy shift, calling for the results to be issued rapidly and saying it was concerned by the delay.

 

"The situation is dire," government spokesman Themba Maseko said on Thursday in Cape Town. "When elections are held and results are not released two weeks after, it is obviously of great concern."

 

Mbeki had previously said the electoral process must take its course and there was no crisis after the March 29 elections.

 

His stance was seen as backing Mugabe over the delay.

U.S. criticises Africa over Zimbabwe | Reuters

[Michaelangelica]

Not exactly on topic (But hey what going to happen unless someone shoots the old bastard?)

Also a bit dated but most likely still relevant

Trees to fuel Africa's fires: Trees are a vital source of firewood in rural Africa, but the wrong ones turn savannas into desert - 29 August 1992 - New Scientist

Trees to fuel Africa's fires: Trees are a vital source of firewood in rural Africa, but the wrong ones turn savannas into desert

 

* 29 August 1992

* From New Scientist Print Edition. Subscribe and get 4 free issues.

* JULIET PRIOR and DAVID CUTLER

Trees to fuel Africa's fires: Trees are a vital source of firewood in rural Africa, but the wrong ones turn savannas into desert - 29 August 1992 - New Scientist

[InfiniteNow]

But be that as it may, I'm sitting here comfortably at work, having a nice cup of coffee, whilst just over the border, scarcely 400km from where I'm sitting right now, this madness is going on.

 

I'm going out of my mind from being absolutely and totally powerless to do anything about it.

 

My own president, Thabo Mbeki (God bless his absolutely useless lame-duck soul) have been laughed out of parliament on Monday by his own party, the ANC, for declaring over the weekend that "there is no crisis in Zimbabwe".

 

Africa is a country for people with iron will, strong backs and an incredibly high level of tolerance for the absolute and total ****ing useless idiots who gets elected to run the show.

 

Pardon my French.

 

So, WTF's been going on down there these last few days? I've not heard much of anything in terms of progress myself.

[Boerseun]

So, WTF's been going on down there these last few days? I've not heard much of anything in terms of progress myself.

Nothing much, apart from the fact that Mugabe's been caught red-handed trying to ship tons of weapons through South Africa via Durban, to Zim, in order to suppress the opposition. These armaments have, of course, been provided to him by China, that shining light of Human Rights and Democracy.

 

Pressure in South Africa and an urgent court appeal application have prevented the ship from docking in Durban. The ship disappeared, and is reportedly on its way to Luanda in Angola, from whence it will try to unload its deadly cargo. Problem is, the ship only had enough fuel to make port in Durban from China, and skipped town before re-bunkering. They reckon the ship will only make it halfway up the Namibian coast before running out of juice.

 

Bad flaw in Mugabe's Chinese weapons-bailout plan now, is that in Luanda, they can barely shift 3,000 tons of cargo per day. There's a three-week queue for ships hoping to offload in the Luanda docks. Which means that Mugabe's got another thing coming... no guns to suppress his opponents.

 

This is becoming dumber and dumber by the day.

 

What pisses me off beyond all reason is the deadly silence by the Southern African countries in this regard. I just don't get it.

[DougF]

Boerseun

This is becoming dumber and dumber by the day.

 

What pisses me off beyond all reason is the deadly silence by the Southern African countries in this regard. I just don't get it.

 

I agree with you' date='

you would think everyone had enough of this guy bye now. :)

 

Mass challenge over Zimbabwe poll

 

Half of the results from Zimbabwe's parliamentary polls in March have been challenged in court, state media says.

 

Lawyers say the 105 petitions should not disrupt the work of parliament, but could in the end overturn the opposition's historic majority.

 

The announcement came as southern African mediators arrived for talks over the presidential run-off impasse.

 

The opposition might boycott a run-off, saying candidate Morgan Tsvangirai was the rightful winner in the first round.

 

Results published by Zimbabwe's electoral commission last week gave Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Mr Tsvangirai more votes than President Robert Mugabe, but not the 50% needed to avoid a run-off.

 

The MDC says he won at least 50.3%.

 

Mr Mugabe has said he will stand in a run-off, but a date for the second round of voting has yet to be set.

 

BBC NEWS | Africa | Mass challenge over Zimbabwe poll

 

The US is busy with the pres election, you can't find Zimbabwe in the news?

:)

[DougF]

Militias 'to rig Zimbabwe poll'

 

Zimbabwe's "war veterans" militia plan to intimidate voters by posing as police officers during the presidential run-off' date=' a policeman has told the BBC. [/b']

 

He said they would be based inside polling stations during the vote, whose date has not yet been fixed.

 

The report came as South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, the lead Zimbabwe negotiator, prepared to hold talks with Robert Mugabe in Harare.

 

Mr Mbeki has previously played down talk of a crisis in Zimbabwe.

 

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says its supporters are being systematically targeted by the "war veterans" and other supporters of President Mugabe ahead of the run-off.

 

A trade union official on Thursday said that 40,000 farm-workers and their relatives had fled their homes because of violent attacks.

 

The government has in turn accused the MDC of staging political attacks, while saying the extent of the violence has been exaggerated.

 

But a South African election observer has said that the violence makes it impossible to hold a run-off.

BBC NEWS | Africa | Militias 'to rig Zimbabwe poll'

[InfiniteNow]

I am beginning to think that we, as a species, are really just trying to see how absolutely retarded ridiculous we can make things on this planet. How is it almost the end of May, and the March elections haven't yet been acted upon?

 

 

The Associated Press: Zimbabwe party: Military plotting to kill leader

 

Zimbabwe's opposition party accused the country's military Monday of plotting to assassinate the group's presidential candidate using snipers.

 

The Movement for Democratic Change said Morgan Tsvangirai planned to return to Zimbabwe to contest the June 27 runoff election once security measures are in place to protect him against the alleged assassination plot. The opposition says it received details of the alleged plot on Saturday as Tsvangirai was on his way to the airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, to return home.

 

"The assassination plot involves snipers," party Secretary-General Tendai Biti told The Associated Press after a news conference in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. He said 18 snipers were involved in the alleged plot.

 

"It is the military (plotting), the JOC (Joint Operational Command) that has been running the country" since Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, lost March 29 elections to Tsvangirai. "I cannot speak (more) of that because it would put a lot of lives at risk," Biti said.

 

Biti also condemned African leaders' failure to confront Mugabe, Zimbabwe's leader of 28 years, in the strongest terms yet used by his party.

 

He said the campaign of violence blamed on Mugabe's regime could backfire, saying that many of the millions of Zimbabweans who have fled the country planning to return to vote in the June runoff presidential election.

 

A third of the population has fled Zimbabwe in recent years as the country confronts chronic shortages of food, medicine, fuel and cash precipitated by the government's seizure of white-owned farms that once produced enough to feed the country and export to neighbors.

 

The government this month introduced a half-billion Zimbabwe dollar note in efforts to deal with runaway inflation that unofficial estimates put at 700,000 percent a year.

<...more at the link>

[freeztar]

"Do you have change for a half-billion note?"

 

:hihi: