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COMPASSION RESPONSE NETWORK CIRCULAR No 32
Opportunity for Change in Zimbabwe
Background
(From Los Angeles Times, 3/Dec) The twin miseries of crop failure and economic collapse have left Zimbabwe's villages without food. Millions survive on nothing but wild fruit, and many have died.
(From Associated Press, 3/Dec) Riot police charged into a group of doctors and nurses protesting Zimbabwe's deepening economic and health crisis, eyewitnesses said Wednesday. Many hospitals and clinics have been forced to shut their doors because of a lack of drugs and medicines. On Wednesday, water supplies were restored to parts of Harare after authorities turned off the taps for three days after saying they had run out of purifying chemicals.
(From the Independent (UK), 3/Dec) An army investigation was underway in Zimbabwe last night after President Robert Mugabe's loyal generals vowed to take strong measures against junior soldiers who rampaged across Harare to vent their anger at their suffering in the country's economic collapse. In a clear sign that President Mugabe's hold on his state security machinery is starting to crumble, his once-loyal soldiers ran amok across the capital on Monday after they failed to access their paltry wages in the cash-strapped banks. The unarmed soldiers fought with heavily-armed police and several were arrested. It was the third outbreak of such violence since last Thursday. The sight of rampaging soldiers was then unprecedented. Army sources said an inquiry had already begun, with dozens facing courts martial. Unconfirmed reports say three of the 12 soldiers who took part in Thursday's riot have been killed. A sizeable body of Mugabe's fiercely- loyal generals were coordinating a plan to crush any likely mutiny from within the army. This had begun with the deployment of an internal crack unit, the military intelligence, to seek out those soldiers suspected of disloyalty. As a result hundreds of fearful junior soldiers had stopped reporting for duty. Mass desertions are likely to follow. Many of them will be kept away from the armouries because of suspicions of disloyalty. Widespread disenchantment within the army has been spawned by the economic crisis. Soldiers' salaries are now the equivalent of five US cents per month. The food rations they used to get to supplement meager salaries have been stopped because imports have dried up because of the lack of funds. Instead, soldiers are being asked to bring food from home. Their salaries, barely enough to cover a day's bus fare, could not be drawn from the banks because of a cash shortage.
(From AFP, 4/Dec) Oxfam warned Thursday Government and UN figures show more than 560 deaths and 12,500 recorded cases of cholera, but the international aid agency warned the situation was set to get much worse unless international donors stepped in. "More then 300,000 people already seriously weakened by lack of food are in grave danger from the cholera epidemic," it said in a statement. "With close to half the population weakened by serious food shortages, cholera when it hits is even more likely to be lethal. "Indications are that more than five million people will urgently need food aid by January."
Zimbabwe Government Declares National State of Emergency
(From Daily Telegraph (UK), 5/Dec) Robert Mugabe's government has admitted for the first time that Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic is a national emergency. In a front-page story in the state-owned Herald newspaper, the health minister David Parirenyatwa asked for drugs, food, equipment and money. "Our central hospitals are literally not functioning," he was quoted as telling donor representatives. "Our staff is demotivated and we need your support to ensure that they start coming to work and our health system is revived." This statement being publicised with such prominence in a government mouthpiece amounts to a humiliating climbdown.
For weeks the authorities sought to play the cholera epidemic down. Mr Mugabe's regime consistently blames supposed Western sanctions for the country's ills, including the epidemic, but the claim was conspicuous by its absence from the Herald article.
The international response has been immediate and generous, with substantial cholera medicines, food aid relief, and support for hospitals and water treatment. Britain has announced a £10million emergency aid package. The US also said it was providing $600,000 to help fight the cholera outbreak while the International Committee of the Red Cross said over 13 tonnes of medical supplies has arrived in Harare. The European Union, USA, and South Africa have responded generously. Paul Garwood, a spokesman for the World Health Organisation, said it was already sending anti-cholera medicines, and would provide more supplies and experts.
The WHO’s global cholera co-ordinator Claire-Lise Chaignat gave warning: "We are in front of a disaster. We won’t be able to stop the outbreak like that, it is escalating."
The Final Obstacle
Robert Mugabe has demonstrated his party’s determination to hold onto power at all costs, and this will mean the restoration of his policy of coercion, intimidation, beating and displacement to continue to suppress the opposition. With the breakdown of the economy and all government services except the riot police, and with in the past week soldiers rioting and the two humanitarian disasters famine and cholera beyond the governments power to respond, Zimbabwe is now a failed state.
The final obstacle must be the removal of Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party from power. Through the choices made by Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF, this now is the only way forward. But how can such change come about. In Yugoslavia, even after hyperinflation led to the collapse of the Yugoslav economy, Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosovic held on to power for a further eight years. Mobutu Sese Seko ruled Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of Congo) since he seized power in 1965, immediately dissolving all political parties. His rule was disastrous, and by the late 1980s the economy had crashed, government had stopped functioning and Zaire became a failed state. Nevertheless, the unpopular Mobutu held onto power until 1997.
At that time a soldier called Laurent Kabila emerged from the eastern borders of Zaire and challenged Mobutu. He gathered around him a small band of soldiers, mostly very young and untrained and with few weapons. When he engaged the government army, the government soldiers fled for they had no desire to lose their lives for President Mobutu who no-one liked. And so his small band advanced, challenging General Mobutu all the way. The government army dropped their weapons and many times fled, and so the army of Laurent Kabila grew and gathered weapons as it advanced. Within two weeks his rag-tag army of untrained youth were on the outskirts of Kinshasa, and Mobutu Sese Seko had fled the country. It is now hoped that something similar can happen in Zimbabwe. But do we need to wait ten years for a military leader to stand forth? Even now, the people of Zimbabwe suffer so terribly.
How then, can a military transition in Zimbabwe be effected?
We can discount the likelihood of international military intervention. Intervention from the UN seems unlikely because either Russia or China would veto any resolution put through the UN Security Council. And in any case, on this point I would agree with President Robert Mugabe, that the resolution of the Zimbabwe crisis requires a distinctively African solution. It is not for countries outside of Africa to dictate change of government in Zimbabwe. The union of Southern African nations seems to have no teeth and capacity for military actions. And in mid-year after the sham presidential elections in Zimbabwe, the African Union voted in support of Robert Mugabe.
Any removal of President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party must therefore come about internally, by way of mutiny within the Zim army with a military coup ousting Chief of the army General Chinegwa. It is not the role of MDC opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to advocate a military mutiny or coup. Despite fierce beatings by the riot police, civil society continues to vigorously demonstrate for change of government.
Consider the following article from SW Radio Africa, 4/Dec; National Constitutional Assembly NCA spokesman Madock Chivasa explained on Thursday evening that more than 1000 people gathered in Nelson Mandela Avenue in Harare in the afternoon. He described the action as very successful because of the large number of protesters that joined the mass action, but he explained that shortly after the march began, police again descended on them. "The police fired tear gas into the protesters and started beating people," Chivasa explained. "It led to running battles with the police and it ended in chaos." Chivasa said that at least 22 people were seriously injured in the clash with police, and by Thursday evening the group was still trying to establish how many people had been arrested.
We can admire the courageous stand by dissident movements such as the National Constitutional Assembly or WOZA, but President Mugabe uses the riot police ruthlessly against them. Any military transition must come from within the Zimbabwean army itself. Several commentators have estimated that perhaps over 80% of soldiers within the Zim army would like to see Morgan Tsvangirai become President of Zimbabwe. Most soldiers joined the army because it provided work, and they believe their role is to protect, not intimidate and torture, the civilian population. There is widespread disenchantment because their salaries are meager and their food rations have been stopped.
The following interesting article appeared in the Daily Telegraph (UK), 9/Dec. "The Zimbabwean government has put the country's army on alert to deal with potential civil unrest, it was revealed yesterday. Soldiers have been told to prepare to quell any outbreaks of disorder amid a worsening cholera outbreak. But troops are not being issued with firearms as senior officers are no longer sure who they can trust. Low-ranking soldiers have rioted in the streets of Harare on several recent occasions after being unable to obtain cash. Officially the Zimbabwe National Army is 40,000-strong, but informed estimates put its real numbers at a maximum of 30,000, with its ranks thinning dramatically due to desertion by soldiers and officers up to the level of captain. The numbers are being replaced with new recruits with hardly any training, youngsters who have never even fired a gun. Morale among military personnel is low and after troops joined civilians in a demonstration against cash shortages a week ago, some were humiliated and punished when they returned to barracks. Scores of soldiers are in detention awaiting court martial or are confined to barracks, no longer allowed into the capital in uniform."
It seems that if regular soldiers are not trusted to bear arms, and if numerous desertions are replaced by youngsters who have never fired a gun, then the army is not capable of quelling any armed force, and so it is failing in its essential role. It is inevitable that many disgruntled soldiers will group together and establish their own independent rule of law in the provinces. One of these groups will in time (like Laurent Kabila of Zaire) challenge Zimbabwe army chief General Chinegwa, and then I doubt that the Zim army will have the heart to engage in conflict to defend President Robert Mugabe who they do not like. It is only a matter of time before the Zim army collapses in on itself.
A Meditation of Healing
Let us use the art of manifestation as has been applied so successfully in Kinshasa. Let us visualise a strengthening of the hands of foreign aid workers now responding to the famine and cholera crises within Zimbabwe. And let us visualise a peaceful transition of military power within Zimbabwe. Our approach in CRN to the Zimbabwe situation is essentially the same that we used in Kinshasa, to apply the art of manifestation as taught through the Findhorn books. In Findhorn much of the work precipitated around application of the following extract from God Spoke To Me (p116) on the rules for manifestation;
"I withhold nothing from him who earnestly desires to find the truth. I cannot impress this upon you strongly enough. When you truly understand and accept this, you hold the answer to all there is within you. You understand the limitless of My Love, of My supply of all things. You see the best and manifest the best. Never place a limit or restriction on anything. You find your consciousness expanding, seeing everything that is beautiful, everything that is perfect, and by so doing you draw it to you. "This is the art of manifestation. You will learn to do this more and more in the days to come and so bring about My law of limitless supply. Raise your thinking, know the source of your supply, and your whole attitude will change in the twinkling of an eye. Remember this in the days ahead and let your faith be rocklike and unshakable."
When visualising for a change of military government in Zimbabwe, it is well to begin by reflecting on what is the spiritual role of a soldier?
The duty of a soldier is simple. It is to undertake those military acts only that embrace a love for all humanity, protecting the safety and security of the civilian population, especially the children. All action must be taken to establish peace and righteousness before God. It is simple to choose between that which is righteous and that which is unrighteous. The soldier knows in his heart that which is not righteous; intimidation, torture, murder. May the soldier have a vision of doing all actions for love of the people and a sense of righteousness. When his vision is clear may he not hesitate, but act as is his duty.
May we especially at this time identify with the plight of the common soldier in Zimbabwe. Through our love may we lift up those spiritual values that will encourage the soldier in the way of righteous action. May we share in his deep sacrifice and struggle, and through our strength of purpose and depth of love, may we sustain our meditative action until a sufficient number of soldiers in Zimbabwe take right action and bring about a change of government for the people.
We invite everyone to make a special effort of meditation at the time of the Sagittarius Full Moon on Saturday 13/December, so to facilitate government change within Zimbabwe.
May we lift up only the positive, and see Christmas for all Zimbabweans as a time of joy, and the New Year 2009 as a year of hope and renewal.
Yours in love and light,
David Keane,
Secretary, Compassion Response Network