Rice: Mugabe Must Go
EmailABC News’ Richard Coolidge and Kirit Radia Report: Secretary Rice said today it was time for longtime Zimbabwe ruler Robert Mugabe to go.
Speaking to reporters in Denmark, Rice said "It’s well past time for Robert Mugabe to leave."
Every time you think things couldn’t get worse in Zimbabwe, they do. This week a cholera outbreak followed the breakdown of the water and sewage systems in Harare, infecting more than 12,000 and killing more than 500 people. After originally denying the problem, Zimbabwe’s health minister on Thursday finally admitted that the cholera outbreak was a national emergency. "Our central hospitals are literally not functioning," he declared.
Prior to the outbreak, it was the economy that was the main issue. Inflation is running at an incomprehensible 230,000,000 percent. What does this mean? It means that when you enter a grocery store, fill your basket with goods, and go to the checkout counter, the prices of those goods have already gone up and cost more than when you entered the store.
But first, you have to have money, and the central bank has restricted withdrawals — which people wait hours in line to get — to an amount that won’t even permit them to buy a loaf of bread.
Zimbabwe used to be the breadbasket of Africa, but food shortages are prevalent and UN estimates show that half the population may need food handouts within a month in order to survive.
The country is completely dysfunctional. Today, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a longtime critic of Mugabe issued a statement saying the dictator "is destroying a wonderful country," adding that Mugabe should be removed by force if he refuses to go, and face indictment in The Hague.
While the British government also issued a statement condemning Mugabe’s rule, the tide seems to be turning in Africa too, whom Western governments say needs take the lead on this issue. On Tuesday, the Kenyan Prime Minister said, "It’s time for African governments to take decisive action to push him out of power." Last week, Botswana’s Foreign Minister Phandu Skelemani urged Zimbabwe’s neighbors in southern Africa to impose sanctions on Mugabe.
There are signs that even his supporters may be giving up. Reports say soldiers attacked banks and looted stores this week because they couldn’t get their money.
Clearly uninterested in sharing power with the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, whom he signed a power-sharing agreement with in September after a sham run-off election followed a first round where Mugabe, despite violently suppressing the opposition, lost. It remains to be seen if the people of Zimbabwe will choose to "vote" him out of office by force.
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The people of Zimbabwe have my ‘vote’!
Posted by: Deep Release | December 5, 2008, 12:46 pm 12:46 pm
I guess Condo Rice is entitled to an opinion as much as anyone. However, from her involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity around the world, her credibility on this one is worthless. The rest of the world would agree that it is well past time for Rice to leave. If she tries to travel outside the country after January 20th, she could well face arrest and trial in an international court of law.
Posted by: JoeForSure | December 5, 2008, 2:40 pm 2:40 pm
clearly, Southern African leaders have failed in their midst to quell a Autoritarian in the name of Mugabe. If a small country like Botswana realizes the problems in Zimbabwe, why can not South Africa? What is more lacking is that the Zimbabwean people have stood by, choosing to move further away from the crisis! Mugabe and his right hand men and women should face the International Court of Justice…Atleast it is more humanistic than what the brutality he puts his people through
Posted by: Lebo | December 5, 2008, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm
Same land, same resources, different race in charge, and look at the outcome.
There is a reason that its called the “dark continent,” and it’s not due to the natives skin color. More of a reflection on the prospects of the inhabitants to move away from jungle law and mentality. Civilized people called it that when they first encountered it thousands of years ago, and we still call it that today.
Modern Europeans tried to create a stable Africa and were called racists for doing so. Sometimes you actually get what you wish for. South Africa will be next, remember they were once controlled by those same evil Europeans.
Posted by: worker man | December 5, 2008, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
America is not perfect by any means. But different peoples can coexist and work together and prosper. South Africa, America can be your role model. It doesn’t have to be about hate all the time. It will take a strong stateman in your country who will speak for the interest of south africa. All of south africa. The same for Rhodesia. The world is becoming too small we are all citizens of the world.
Posted by: RIC-ZA | December 5, 2008, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
Oh well… They wanted the productive farmers to be killed off, they were and now they reap what they have sown. And to say that this is the Europeans fault mught actually pass mustard. You see, if Euros hadn’t let the natives believe that they could be as productive as they were, the population might not have exploded, causing the present mess. In any case, I would like a left-wing do gooder to explain how evil colonialism is now, seeing the mess that they helped create by allowing the Mugabe’s of Africa to come to power.
Posted by: facts always win | December 5, 2008, 9:11 pm 9:11 pm
Rice is a complete failure. She has brought nothing but death and misery to the whole world. It is long past time for her to leave and face prosecution for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Posted by: JoeForSure | December 6, 2008, 3:37 am 3:37 am
Look at Zimbabwe. Look at Venezuela. Look at people like Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin….Isn’t it amazing, at times, how much conflict, suffering, and misery could be eliminated simply with one bullet?
Posted by: capnmike | December 6, 2008, 9:58 am 9:58 am
Its obvious that many of you commenting do not know about Mugabe and all that he has done. Mugabe is a maniac. Yet you would rather beat up Condaleza Rice because you know nothing at all about what has been going on in Zimbabwe for the past 20 years.
Posted by: Mars Bonfire | December 6, 2008, 1:59 pm 1:59 pm
<> That’s a REALLY untrue statement…where did you grab that from, anyway?
Posted by: Jazz | December 6, 2008, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
excuse mr deep release you as well could mugabe and capnmike dont be decived they all mugabes children and relations enjoying absolute power,we must fight,fight for the freedom of zimbabwe.mugabe must go! it is well past time
Posted by: jules | December 7, 2008, 7:59 am 7:59 am
Rhodesia was one of the most successful countries in Africa…until everyone from the British government to the Carter Administration had to stick their noses in there. In fact, the Rhodesian military (including blacks and whites) were waging a successful, though ongoing bush war against Communist insurgents from many adjacent countries. Instead of supporting them, PC and Communist sympathizing left them on their own.
Should the Rhodesian government had worked for more equality for all Rhodesians? Certainly. But that was a process that required more time and patience than the Liberals, Communists, and racists were willing to allow.
So, in the 1979 elections Bishop Muzorewa, a black Rhodesian was elected in free and fair elections. Few, including former PM Smith had a problem with him and were actually happy because he was a moderate.
But, noooooo, he wasn’t good enough because the leaders of the two main terrorist groups were not included, so Britain and other countries forced new elections and that’s when Mugabe, the former terrorist leader, took charge in the 1980 elections.
And now many of these same governments are complaining about him.
Idiots.
Posted by: Grand Old Party | December 7, 2008, 11:40 pm 11:40 pm
The end of this wicked system is at hand but government look what will happen to you at Daniel 2 verse 44 They will all be destroyed by Jesus the King.
Posted by: maxie | December 8, 2008, 6:24 am 6:24 am
so patronising! language language!Some of you are such die hard racists it will take centuries to change your mindset.Mugabe is like Hitler , the zim situation is about a senseless authoritarian who really does not care whether you are white or black.If you do not understand the historical /political perspective of the zim situation just stay in your cosy homes and do not contribute to this column. It upsets those of us who grew up in then Rhodesia then Zimbabwe.
Posted by: nandi | December 10, 2008, 7:03 am 7:03 am
New Orleans, after Katrina, got a “everything is going fine” message when it really wasn’t. “…heck of a job, Brownie”…
Still no water and supplies for parts of Texas after the hurricane just months ago, with toxic damage everywhere. But our FEMA says everything is just fine. Sound like this situation?
Posted by: James | December 11, 2008, 4:57 pm 4:57 pm
some1 has to help the ordinary zimbabweans…imposing sanctions is not going to help but let more people starve and die
Posted by: nicy | December 12, 2008, 5:39 am 5:39 am