Mr Mugabe's world tour
By qlangley Posted in Contra Tyrannum — Comments (10) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Mr Mugabe, I wonder would you please accompany me on a brief world tour? Yes, yes, please do bring some of your generals. And bring a few of your senior police officers. I would very much like them to see what I have to show you.
Our first stop doesn’t take us very far. This, as I am sure you know, is South Africa. And this is Archbishop Desmond Tutu. I am sure you remember him: one of the heroes of liberation from white supremacist rule in southern Africa. I know you would like to see yourself in the same category but, let’s be honest, you replaced rule by one set of gangsters for rule by a different gang. Not the same thing at all.
Archbishop Tutu led South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It investigated the worst examples of brutality under Apartheid. People felt free to give evidence honestly because there was immunity from prosecution. Does that burn you up? I think it must. It does me, and I am not a black African who grew up under white supremacist rule. But, on balance, the ANC government felt it was more important to get to the truth than to bring the criminals to justice. Most of the police and army continued in post, and the worst offenders were allowed to retire quietly.
Now, welcome to Baghdad. It is quite different here. The police and army were, controversially, disbanded. The decision was heavily criticized, but leaving them in place would have been controversial too. After five years new armed forces are in post, and gradually winning the war against terrorism and more mundane crimes. The senior – and even some junior – officers implicated in Baathist repression live in fear. Will the next knock on the door be the one that has them led away in chains? And the President? Well, I am sure you saw that. He live in hole for while, then he was tried and hanged.
Tallinn, in Estonia is different again. Poor Estonia was occupied twice in the lifetime of its oldest residents. Actually, three times. The Soviets were here twice, before and after the Nazis. Two appalling totalitarian governments ruled this place - both of foreign origin. There were collaborators with both occupations of course. But the collaborators were treated differently. Those who collaborated with the Nazis are still hunted down. Those who collaborated with the Soviets live out peaceful retirements. It seems so unjust. It is unjust. Anyone still alive who collaborated with the Nazis more than six decades ago was, of necessity, a pretty junior officer at the time. But many of the masterminds of Soviet oppression are still alive. A brief occupation, that few can now recall, and its junior officers will die as wanted men, if they escape arrest at all. Decades of repression by the Soviets and its most brutal torturers are free men.
And yet, pragmatically, it is right. The Communists and the Afrikaner National Party eventually gave up power peacefully. The Nazis and the Baathists fought to the last man under their control. Not to the last man of the regime, of course. They either committed suicide of fled. But they ordered other people to fight to the last man.
And if a regime – no matter how criminal – cannot negotiate its way out of power, and gain immunity from prosecution by doing so, then they will all fight to the last man. Why would any dictator give up power if it was only to be hanged? So, yes, even for you, there is still a way out. If you hand over peacefully to the elected President of Zimbabwe you will not get to keep the palaces, but you can live out your retirement under some sort of house arrest. And your lieutenants need not be prosecuted either. Are you listening, General? And, you, police commissioner? What about your junior officers?
If you remove Mugabe from power, then most of the police and army can stay in post. The worst of the criminals can retire with permanent immunity from prosecution. But if he holds on until the bitter end, then there will be reprisals. Then, you will never really be free. If you flee, if you hide, you will never know if the next knock on the door will be the one you fear. Just keep looking over your shoulder, for the rest of your life.
So, what it is it to be? Peaceful surrender and immunity? Or a lifetime of fear with a noose waiting for you at its end?
Good piece and good to see you around again.
In Vino Veritas
for the pleasant comments.
Quentin Langley
Editor of http://www.quentinlangley.net
q
I agree with everything you say, but the question remains, who is going to do the deed? Who is going to put boots on the ground to take out Mugabe?
I'd like to see Africans stepping up and taking care of Africa, without Western governments and Western troops forced to do it? How about the UN, how about African Union, the AU? I'd be all in favor of Western powers supplying logistical support, but other than that, why Western intervention if African nations won't?
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NObama...no way!.....McCain '08 !
I didn't suggest an invasion. There was none in South Africa, and it was not boots on the ground that caused the Soviet Empire to collapse.
I am saying that that is not the best solution, and that it would be better if his generals and police chiefs took care of him themselves - better for them that is.
Quentin Langley
Editor of http://www.quentinlangley.net
International Editor of
q
Zimbabwe is disaster zone, with the police and the "war veterans" loose on the country side a peaceful resolution is not likely. Perhaps you are right, but I tend to think the only thing that will right the ship in Zimbabwe is military intervention, and sooner rather than later.
I really don't see a peaceful path through the mess Mugabe has created, and I do tend to think Africans have to force the solution, not Western powers.
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NObama...no way!.....McCain '08 !
. . . how 15 year olds can be veterans of a war that ended 28 years ago?
The initiative lies, as it did in the 1970s, with South Africa. If the government there concludes it is not in its interests to support Mugabe - and if Mbeki does not conclude that, his likely successor, Jacob Zuma already has done - then Mugabe is swinging in the wind.
I want to ensure that the people around Mugabe know that it is in their interests to remove him from office.
Quentin Langley
Editor of http://www.quentinlangley.net
q
I have this nagging suspicion that the government of South Africa is afraid of what happens if Mugabe falls, and the killing begins, and or hoards of refuges are created. From the point of view of "you break it, you own it", there is probably no great desire to push coming from South Africa.
I tend to think South Africa is whistling in the grave yard as no matter what, Zimbabwe and the reign on Mugabe will not end well one way or the other and there will be the Butcher's bill to pay.
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NObama...no way!.....McCain '08 !
From Airships patrolling outside their airspace.
Then offer him the choice of lead or silver.
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