Zimbabwe's Torture

[ethics]

Excerpt from The Atlantic:

As most of you already know, Zimbabwe's President, Robert Mugabe, has embarked on a campaign to evict white farmers from their land. As the political situation has deteriorated, torture of Mugabe's perceived political enemies—often in police stations or military facilities—has become commonplace, rising from twenty instances a day before elections last March to fifty episodes a day by the end of that month. "I think it's no joke to say that in Zimbabwe ... probably 20 percent of the entire population has had intimate experience with torture," says the clinical director of an organization that studies human-rights violations. One sobering lesson from Zimbabwe involves the destructive power of clemency:

The prevalence of torture in Zimbabwe is directly linked to a culture of impunity. That is, after every spasm of war or social upheaval since the 1970s war for independence, a law has been passed forgiving all those who committed human rights violations and other excesses ... "It's the way in which we Zimbabweans have elected to solve our political disputes. We don't have dialogue, we have violence. And when we have violence, we basically use torture. And when we're done with torture and with violence, then we forgive everybody."

—"Zimbabwe and the Politics of Torture," United States Institute of Peace (www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr92.pdf)

[Steve]

Let me first admit that my knowledge of Africa is limited mostly to geographical features, climatological changes, and the American slave trade. I'm peripherally aware of the history of colonial settlement.

Now, having admitted my ignorance, can someone please explain to me what it is, from my ignorant, outsider's perspective, that keeps the majority of these African nations descending further down the shithole of Third World status? Before long, we're going to have to create a new category, Fourth World, for most of Africa, because no self-respecting Third World, or developing, country will want to be associated with Africa.

Serious question: why are these nations, many with great natural resources, unable to lift themselves, if not into the 21st century, then at least into the 19th century?

[ShinyTop]

I know less than you SM but my take is they have not passed the stage of tribal warfare yet. They had enforced peace or ignored war under the colonial powers. When they became a drain on the European treasuries they were abandoned.

[John R. Beanham]

stevent,


"can someone please explain to me what it is, from my ignorant, outsider's perspective, that keeps the majority of these African nations descending further down the shithole of Third World status?"


In my strictly personal view Africa is a hopeless case that the west is simply going to have to write off.

There are about 50 countries and perhaps 350 million people where the tribal areas bear little or no relation to the national borders.

After decades of direct foreign food aid, World Bank and IMF loans, mostly spent on T.55s and AK 47s, there is nothing left to waste or steal .

Unlimited, FREE, food and other support would simply delay the inevitable for a few years. It would NOT solve the problem. It is the same with AIDS drugs, where unlimited free drugs will NOT save any lives, simply delay the inevitable.

Over to you King Solomon!


John.

[ditch]

Originally posted by stevent
Let me first admit that my knowledge of Africa is limited mostly to geographical features, climatological changes, and the American slave trade. I'm peripherally aware of the history of colonial settlement.

Now, having admitted my ignorance, can someone please explain to me what it is, from my ignorant, outsider's perspective, that keeps the majority of these African nations descending further down the shithole of Third World status? Before long, we're going to have to create a new category, Fourth World, for most of Africa, because no self-respecting Third World, or developing, country will want to be associated with Africa.

Serious question: why are these nations, many with great natural resources, unable to lift themselves, if not into the 21st century, then at least into the 19th century?

Africa is full of Africans. Many black Africans are one jump from the trees. Call me racist, but the comment stands.

[Sunriser13]

My very first education about African politics came early, in 4th grade, after one of my best friends moved to what was then Rhodesia with her family, who were missionaries. This was in the early 70's.

We got word two months later that they had all been brutally murdered in the uprisings and battles of what would become Zimbabwe.

[ditch]

An Australian was killed in Zimbabwe as the result of a robbery attempt (http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/01/06/1041566346702.html) yesterday.

This could happen anywhere but its not surprising Zimbabwe was the scene for this murder.