Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Harare (Agenzia Fides) – While Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe announces that the cholera epidemic has been “stopped,” South Africa is declaring a health emergency in the area of the country that borders Zimbabwe (to the north), where several cases of cholera have been reported.
Thus, there is a striking contrast between the words of one President who seems to be increasingly discredited by the international community, and one whose power seems to be in dispute, due to the severe discontent of the people and the military (see Fides 10/12/2008), and the situation remains a grave one.
The words of Mugabe seem to be dictated as well by the growing fear of a foreign military operation conducted under the pretext of a humanitarian intervention meant to save the lives of the people suffering from the epidemic. He has, in fact, stated that “now that there is no longer cholera, there is no longer any reason for war.”
While this is a possibility that remains for the time being, only discussed in areas of international diplomacy, Mugabe and his cohorts seem to have taken it into serious consideration. The government-sympathizing press has pointed the finger at the two bordering nations of Botswana and Zambia, claiming that they are preparing a joint operation to invade Zimbabwe, under the pretext of a humanitarian operation. The controversial tone has reached such a level, that the Foreign Affairs Minister and Defense Minister of Zambia have had to publicly deny the existence of any plans their country or Botswana could have of invading Zimbabwe.
Various foreign leaders have asked Mugabe (who is now 84 years old) to step aside in order to solve the extremely grave political, economic, social, and humanitarian crisis in which the country finds itself. Most recently, German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared in a speech given at an event held for the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “as far as the Zimbabwe case is concerned, we should do our best to guarantee a life free from the terror of President Mugabe. The excuse of national sovereignty cannot be used to shelter the completely unrestrained commission of serious human rights breaches.” In addition to Ms. Merkel, among the other leaders are the Presidents of the US (George Bush), France (Nicolas Sarkozy – also serving as President of the EU at the moment), British Premier Gordon Brown, and Kenyan Premier Raila Odinga...all of whom have launched an appeal calling for Mugabe's resignation. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 11/12/2008)
