Back to Index

Mugabe must also go
Mutsa Murenje
April 15, 2011

It started in Tunisia and Ben Ali fell, we saw it spreading to Egypt and Mubarak couldn-t resist the expectations and aspirations of his people either. And then it went to Libya where citizens were faced with stiff resistance and brute force from forces loyal to Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. This prompted the intervention of the international community on humanitarian grounds, with their major object being the protection of civilians. The UN Security Council Resolution 1973 should therefore be understood in this context.

I don-t believe that Africa is under siege from the so-called Western and/or imperialist countries. The military action remains humanitarian intervention as opposed to humanitarian imperialism. Although humanitarian intervention will not solve all the evils associated with dictatorship, it is nevertheless necessary in that it attempts to attenuate and/or assuage the deadlier consequences of dictatorial regimes.

I am not at all moved by the mixed reactions towards the involvement of NATO forces in the 'internal- affairs of Libya or UN and French forces in Ivory Coast. This is normal and nothing will be gained by assuming or even wishing the contrary. I maintain that this is as it should be. After all, J.N. Aboudha writes that: "Saying "humanitarian intervention" in a room full of philosophers, legal scholars, and political scientists is little bit like crying "fire" in a crowded theatre: It can create a clear and present danger to everyone within earshot. Arguments burn fiercely on the subject with some regarding it as an obscene oxymoron.

I haven-t landed yet! Demonstrations spread to a number of countries in the Middle East. Whilst all this was happening, another African country in West Africa, renowned for being the world-s largest cocoa producer was burning. There was a political and humanitarian crisis following an election that didn-t go well with defeated strongman Laurent Gbagbo. He refused to cede power to Alassane Ouattara the winner of the November 28, 2010 election.

Despicable acts were committed against the people of Ivory Coast by Gbagbo-s forces and recent reports put the number of refugees who crossed into Liberia at more than 100 000 people. Several thousands were killed; hundreds of women raped and millions became refugees in interior exile. All this because Gbagbo couldn-t concede defeat! The UN Security Council Resolution 1975 came at the right time. It was when it was implemented to its letter and spirit that peace and tranquility returned to Ivory Coast on Monday, 11th April 2011 following Gbagbo-s dramatic capture and subsequent arrest. And some are attributing the capture and arrest to UN and French forces that are believed to have surrendered Gbagbo to forces loyal to his rival Ouattara the democratically elected leader of Ivory Coast. I wouldn-t want to speculate on this one but all I can say is that I am happy with the recent development in that country. And I wish it could also happen to my own country Zimbabwe because the old man has refused to go and yet it-s high time he left office. Mugabe must also go.

Mugabe-s departure from power will be very beneficial to us as citizens. I have deep hatred for all hypocrisy and deception. Although we differ in many respects, but particularly in natural characteristics and habits of life, I however believe that there is, as it were, an imperative need for all of us to come into unity of feeling, thought and action. Mugabe is nothing but a petty-minded dictator obsessed with a vision of eternal rule. He very much likes dwelling on the past at the expense of living correctly in the present. He has thus deprived and still is depriving us of the future we all hope for hence the need for him to step aside and allow the restoration of our democratic health. He honestly can-t think beyond the next election.

He is of course alarmed that the international community has considerable interest in the next Zimbabwe election. To this apparent interest, Mugabe has reiterated, albeit ad nauseam, that Zimbabwe is a sovereign State with the right to determine its own destiny. Nobody denies this but we shouldn-t turn a blind eye to our domestic and international obligations. I am, as a matter of fact, failing to see the continued aggression by Western powers that Mugabe is talking about. The aggression is against whom and for what reason? If anything, our vigilance should be related to resurgent political violence and continued harassment of peace-loving citizens in the country.

I wonder if there is any right-thinking Zimbabwean worth his salt who would want to reverse the gains of independence. Are some people more Zimbabwean than others? These divisive political relations aren-t good for us and Mugabe should, without further ado, desist from this cheap politicking. Zimbabwe doesn-t have enemies from Western countries (or any other part of the world) and Tsvangirai isn-t working with our so-called enemies. His friendly relations with Western countries are based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples. Are you suggesting that he should delink with Western powers so that he can be a friend of the exploitative Chinese?

I comment very directly on the society and times in which I live and my strong feelings about social injustice and oppression are the main motivating force behind my implacable position. I am kind of dejected because those above us (the political class) seldom look down to see where they put their feet. We have, as a result, become a compost heap upon which criminal tyranny flourishes. Our leaders are only awakening when it-s rather too late. There is no going back; international forces in Libya won-t leave until such a time Gaddafi leaves both power and the country. The Libyan opposition has made it very clear that they don-t want Gaddafi and his sons to be part of Libya-s future. What I see in Libya is an uncertain future but also filled with promises calling for Libyan people-s collective imagination and creativity. Gaddafi is a major stumbling block to this smooth transition from authoritarianism to democracy.

President Ouattara also faces a gargantuan task in trying to unite a country with a history of deep mistrust. I am somehow heartened because he has called for calm and reconciliation in the national interest. Security has to be restored and the country sorely needs to move forward. And those implicated in the atrocities against the people of Ivory Coast should be held accountable. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) is handy in this regard and I believe we shall soon see progress in Ivory Coast based on the work of the TRC.

Sovereignty revisited

It isn-t the first time I am talking about it and definitely it won-t be the last time I am talking about it. I am glad that I have Humanitarian Intervention as one of the courses I am taking this semester. I will forever be grateful to DAAD for the scholarship to study at Nigeria-s premier university. Like I said in one of my previous contributions, my studies are of special relevance for the social, political and economic development of our country. I am gaining the requisite skills that will enable me to be a leader at home, in the region and the world at large.

Events taking place in Zimbabwe, Libya and Ivory Coast are a legitimate concern of the international community. Governments should be held accountable when they fail to meet their obligations under the United Nations (UN) Charter and international human rights agreements. Sovereignty should not be interpreted to give governments exclusive writ over their populations. Governments deliberately subject citizens to massive displacement, starvation, killings and expect the international community to just stand by and watch.

Sovereignty cannot be dissociated from responsibility and Mugabe, Gaddafi, Gbagbo and any other dictator should not be able to claim the prerogatives of sovereignty unless they carry out their internationally recognised responsibilities to their people, which consist of providing them with protection and life-supporting assistance. Sovereignty thus is accountability both to the domestic constituency and to the international community. International human rights and humanitarian law oblige governments to provide for the security and well-being of all those under their jurisdiction. If they refuse or deliberately obstruct access and put large numbers at risk, the international community has a right-even a responsibility to step in and assert its concern. International involvement can range from diplomatic dialogue to negotiation, to political pressure, to sanctions or in exceptional cases, to military intervention.

For more a better understanding of the limitations of sovereignty I refer you, dear reader, to CHAPTER VII Articles 41 and 42 of the Charter of the United Nations. According to Article 41: The Security Council may decide what measures not involving the use of armed force are to be employed to give effect to its decisions, and it may call upon the Members of the United Nations to apply such measures. These may include complete or partial interruption of economic relations and of rail, sea, air, postal, telegraphic, radio, and other means of communication, and the severance of diplomatic ties.

Article 42 reads: Should the Security Council consider that measures provided for in Article 41 would be inadequate or have proved to be inadequate, it may take such action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security. Such action may include demonstrations, blockade, and other operations by air, sea, or land forces of Members of the United Nations.

Measures employed against Gaddafi and Gbagbo proved to be inadequate and this necessitated a revision of the methodology/strategy and Article 42 had an immediate impact in Ivory Coast and sooner rather than later, the same is likely to happen in Libya and Mugabe has had a fright. This he called continued aggression by Western powers! He knows his days are numbered especially if he goes ahead with the election he loves talking about. Zimbabwe won-t be an exception and Mugabe will live to regret if he continues to trample on our rights. At the heart of Mugabe-s dictatorship is a lack of respect for fundamental human rights and the people-s right to determine their own destiny. The idea of respect for human dignity and of unselfish help for those who suffer is in my opinion, an inseparable part of man-s heritage.

The late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr once said that: "When people are voiceless, they will have temper tantrums like a child who has never been paid attention to. And riots are massive temper tantrums from a neglected and voiceless people." Akuruma nzeve ndewako uye ndamba kuudzwa akaonekwa nembonje pahuma.

In conclusion, I believe no state claiming legitimacy can justifiably quarrel with the commitment to protect all its citizens against human rights abuse. Effective sovereignty implies a system of law and order that is responsive to the needs of the national population for justice and general welfare. Sovereignty shouldn-t therefore be used as a shield for crimes against humanity. May God bless Zimbabwe, Africa and indeed the world at large.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP