Events in a Central African republic have taken centre stage in the news stakes over the last few years and look set to dominate the headlines for a good minute yet. Interestingly the righteous indignation that stirs in the bosoms of the defenders of all that is sacrosanct about democratic governance recurringly falls short of doing anything beyond ineffective verbal censure. The public marches against the latest round of madness in the Mid-East once again proved as did the Rwandan genocide and Kenyan post-election violence that Africa is still a "by-the-way" consideration in the field of purveying news-worthy news. As I suppose are many other parts of the world, but Africa pains me because it is the place that I call home - especially the special Central African Republic - Zimbabwe.
It is ill-advised for us to subscribe to a notion of globalisation when our geriartic president continues to grace the hallowed halls of the United Nations building and enjoy over-seas holidays with money looted from the central bank while the rest of the greater population wallow in a quagmire of escalating poverty that is now compounded by ravaging disease*. The spineless notion of one nation being another's keeper barring provision of issues of sovereignity is rendered legless by the amount of impunity displayed in expropriating possessions from their legal owners and thumbing nose at a regional tribunal that aims to restore legal possession to the legal owner.
While hiding behind the argument that Zimbabweans must provide a solution to their problems - the international community must desist from pretending that they can offer a solution to only leave it in the hands of a population whose eyesight cannot extend beyond survival. This in itself appears to be an oxymoron because others may say freedom is ultimately survival. Yet not all that survive are free.Independence was attained through the barrel of a gun and increasingly this heady price is looking the only way that matters can be decided on the land-mass that I call home. While shaking ones head in exasperation and wringing ones hands in frustration all the while gnashing one's teeth in anger one is reduced to wishing death upon another as some last ditch means of attaining freedom. Is this our lot ?
Why does it always seem that our liberator's were more driven by an envy of the oppressor's mantle than a disdain for the yoke of the down-trodden and lowly? If this were not so why are they no sooner done "liberating" us that they too begin to oppress us.
Cry the beloved country.
I sympathize with many of your thoughts Tich, but what is an "invisible cholera outbreak" and how was it manufactured in Britain?
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that international rule-sets should be promulgated to process failed states, but this is a slippery slope and encroaches upon sovereignity issues.
In any case, let us hope that a more permanent change is forthcoming to Zimbabwe.
@ The Recapitulator...when cholera broke out in Zim Sikhanyiso Ndlovu whose then ministerial portfolio now slips my mind went on record as saying there was no cholera and followed this up with if there was cholera it was sent to Zim by the British. Special.
ReplyDeleteI like your reference to sovereignity (oft referred to as the last refuge of scoundrels)but why is that failed states shout the loudest about sovereignity as if to say let us wallow in our filth? This is all very well but look at South Africa where many estimates have placed the number of Zimboz resident here (black white coloured indian etc) upwards of 4 million people. Almost 10% of the South African population and then say that Zim's problem is not South Africa's and on the basis of respecting sovereignity SA must do nothing?
Yes let us hope for a more permanent and desired change for Zim.