Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has withdrawn from Zimbabwe’s presidential race... or, as he called it, “this violent, illegitimate sham of an election process.”He told reporters today in Harare: “We can’t ask the people to cast their vote on June 27 when that vote will cost their lives.”
Instead, Tsvangirai is calling on the United Nations and the African Union to intervene and stop the “state-sponsored brutality” in Zimbabwe.
Morgan Tsvangirai’s party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was due to have a rally today in Harare. But according to the New York Times, members of a “youth militia” supporting President Robert Mugabe – “armed with iron bars, sticks and other weapons” – attacked MDC supporters.
Just yesterday, Tsvangirai had issued a statement urging his supporters not to be intimidated and to vote in Friday’s election.
This is a sad day for those people of Zimbabwe who yearn for change.
Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist for 28 years, said on Friday: “Only God will remove me!”
14 comments:
That is the dumbest thing Tvangirai could've done... unless he is planning to start a shooting war as MDC leader Eddie Cross threatened recently "If you want a shooting war then so be it, but do not blame us when we start."
In any case, how would Mugabe's people know who voted for the MDC in a secret election? They might manipulate the tallies, but to say that people won't be able to vote...
I don't think so. Makes no sense.
Like I said, two thieves....
In any case, how would Mugabe's people know who voted for the MDC in a secret election?
Michael, are you trying to antagonize me... or are you just not bright?
How have Zanu-PF's thugs been rolling for the past 11 weeks? You hit the villages that voted overwhelmingly MDC... then commence to breaking bones.
You're kinda ridiculous, Michael. When a white minority ruled Rhodesia, that sparked a fire in you to join the international resistance movement.
Now, with millions of Zimbabweans fleeing their homeland, with the average life expectancy at 37 years, and with the ruling party beating, mutilating, ass-raping and murdering supporters of the opposition party... and with most intelligent people of African descent shocked by all this... where has your voice been?
Except to take shots at me for even bringing it up?
Just shows you're more devoted to horseshit rhetoric than anything else, I suppose.
Mills...
"Except to take shots at me for even bringing it up?
Just shows you're more devoted to horseshit rhetoric than anything else, I suppose."
David, I don't take shots at you for bringing up Zimbabwe, I take shots at your outrageous white racism. Just because you support one just cause or another, does not negate the fact that overall you have been taking thoroughly racist positions on black folks, which, by the way, has had a historical impact.
Without you, no "Sista Souljah" etc., moment. Running back to racist white folks and reporting what young Lisa, who as most everyone who knows her, knows ain't too bright sometimes, said and using that to bash all black folks who seek justice over the head - all while advocating the mental inferiority of black people - that is you, David. And it ain't pretty.
Now. As to Zimbabwe itself.
I talked about the situation in Zimbabwe on the Assault long before you took it up on your blog, moreover, since, as I already told you, I have a personal interest in getting this thing resolved as one of the top leaders of the MDC who was terribly brutalized is a personal friend of mine.
As to Tvnagirai's withdrawal.
If people are prevented from voting on the day of the vote, that would quite effectively expose Mugabe, no?
If they are not prevented from voting they vote by secret ballot. If Mugabe loses in the secret ballot, he'd be forced to falsify the election results. And that would sooner or later come out anyhow, exposing him.
Even Eddie Cross, no especially Eddie Cross, who is one of the principle architects of the MDC and it's policies advocated that the MDC participate in the run-off come what may. It is, politically, the smartest move.
Tvangirai just gave Mugabe the election. Now doubts can be raised by Mugabe about Tvangarai's and the MDC-T's viability.
As to the rest of your stuff.
You are descending to a level of insults which is not a good thing, David. It reeks of an inability to argue in a rational fashion.
I talked about the situation in Zimbabwe on the Assault long before you took it up on your blog...
You mean the two items you wrote in April 2007 after the beating of Sekai Holland? Yes, Michael, you're a profile in courage.
But that's all you've blogged about Zimbabwe, except for embedding a Mugabe video on election day in March.
And yet you come over here to write silly shit like:
"How do you know that the elections are not fair and free before they take place?"
Puzzling...
"How do you know that the elections are not fair and free before they take place?"
How would that be silly?
That's exactly the point I'm making about why Tvangirai made a mistake in withdrawing. Now he can not, under any circumstances prove that the elections would have been unfair and unfree. And Mugabe can certainly claim that they would have been and are.
The proof is in the pudding.
However, the central question with you is not Zimbabwe, but, as I repeatedly pointed out, your lack of moral standing in that and any other issue involving black folks.
One can not, logically speaking, advocate thoroughly racist positions about black people and their supposed genetically determined lack of mental acuity as well as the positions you take justifying the systematic mistreatment of people of color on the one hand and act all "anti-racist" on the other.
That's hypocrisy.
THAT's what I'm calling you out for.
And the fact that you increasingly are defending your white racism via insults justs makes the whole thing a sad spectacle.
How would that be silly?
Because Mugabe's enforcers have spent the past three months beating, mutilating, ass-raping and killing supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change.
You have a pretty fucked-up notion of "free and fair" if you see state-sponsored violence and intimidation as a legitimate political strategy, Michael.
Mills...
"You have a pretty fucked-up notion of "free and fair" if you see state-sponsored violence and intimidation as a legitimate political strategy, Michael."
Now you are being intellectually dishonest. Nowhere did I say that "state-sponsored violence and intimidation {is] a legitimate political strategy". Nowhere did I support any such thing. I stated that pulling out of the run-off was a big mistake by Tvangirai because now he has no grounds of actually proving that the upcoming run-off would have been unfair.
There is a big difference.
But I see you still keep avoiding my main point, that point being your racist positions concerning black folks.
Now I've patiently, using logic, tried to explain to you why they were racist in the first place. You may be a lot of things, but you ain't stupid. Which means that you fully understand the logic of the argument, and leaves no other conclusion that you are consciously pushing that racist tripe about black people's lack of innate abilities.
Which means that you are acting (as in theater) like you are a black person, but in actuality are functioning as a racist white person.
Which leads to the conclusion that you. at some time, clearly have decided to pass.
And just like the Irish who became white by mistreating black folks, you are treading the same path.
Like I said. It is sad to witness and a colossal waste of extraordinary talent.
I stated that pulling out of the run-off was a big mistake by Tvangirai because now he has no grounds of actually proving that the upcoming run-off would have been unfair.
Ummm... the state-sponsored campaign of violence and intimidation proves that the election was unfair.
The "election" is not just the day of voting. The "election" is a process that entails the ability to campaign, to advertise, to hold rallys, to organize, etc.
And if you're obstinate ass can't see that this election had already flunked the "free and fair" standard, then may you be haunted by nightmares of the mutilation and death that your revolutionary hero unleashed on the countryside.
Mills...
"And if you're obstinate ass..."
What is it about you descending increasingly into insults?
"...that your revolutionary hero unleashed on the countryside."
Clearly you have either not read the posts I linked you to, or, which is doubtful, you didn't comprehend what you read. Since you claimed you read them you are apparently deliberately misrepresenting what I said about Mugabe. That being that I consider him far from a hero of any kind.
Fact is, in my opinion, it is likely Mugabe was involved in the murder of Herbert Chitepo and was working for Ian Smith at the time of his release, together with Joshua Nkomo, by Smith from prison.
Once again, though. What about your racist positions? Flinging around insults does not wipe your racism off the slate. No desire to address it?
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***Crickets***
I've been listening to BBC and reading a lot of African and European, because I don't trust U.S. news. The BBC and European newspapers have been pretty consistent: in the last 3 to 3 months or more, Mugabe has stepped up the beatings, the killings not only of the organizers of his opponents but ordinary people.
Given Mugabe's stepped-up, widespread oppression against his opponents, I think it's unfair for any of us who are not in Zimbabwe, who are not hearing of workers and supporters killed or missing, to suggest that someone is being dumb, stupid or engaging in poor political strategy by pulling out of a run-off election. We're not there to see people dying all around us. It's nothing wrong with thinking about the sheer lives of people.
First time at your blog. Will visit again. Got you linked. I'm at daddyBstrong.blogspot.com
^ Thanks, Mac. Welcome. I linked you back.
I like what you're blogging about. (I've been meaning to write about Wanda Coleman for the longest.)
I know so little about Zimbabwe, only what I read in the newspapers and hear on NPR. But when I heard about Tsvangirai pulling out, I thought that it showed that he cared more about the country and his supporters than his own political gain.
^ I had been fearing for Tsvangirai's life ever since he returned to campaign for the run-off. On the other hand, I admired his putting his body on the line... to take Zimbabwe to the next phase.
Can't question his courage.
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