Who will save Zimbabwe from Mugabe?

I think it reaches a point in time when every man – however resilient and hardy – puts down his tools of trade and calls it a day. Well, all save for one Comrade Bob.

I am at my wits end on this one – seriously, how long will it take before someone saves Zimbabwe from this scourge that represents itself as the President? How long will it take before Zimbabweans are relieved of this unbearable yoke?

Not only has Mugabe decided that he will not accept defeat; he has also threatened to declare war if the unthinkable happens – if Morgan Tsvangirai wins the run off elections. And he will even seek the support of former war veterans to ensure that absolute power remains his forever. Okay, call me a ranting, raving b**** but frankly speaking, this guy is totally deranged, mad, out of touch with reality and good for nothing!

I cant believe that Africa just watches and goes on with business as usual, while our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe are suffering the height of autocracy and totalitarianism.This man; a man who was once the darling of Kwame Nkrumah’s Pan africanism dream, has steadily brought this erstwhile bread basket of Africa to its knees. And he doesn’t seem to be quitting either. He has destroyed a once vibrant economy, gagged the Fourth estate, frustrated democratic efforts by the Opposition and lobby groups and basically reduced the country to a shell of hopelessness and disillusionment.

And Thabo Mbeki hasn’t succeeded much in talking down Mugabe’s draconian ventures. Im still wondering what exactly Thabo is thinking...I mean, how hard is it for him to just tell Bob to get his act together?

What the world needs to know, and Africa as well, is that Mugabe’s reign of terror is not only affecting Zimbabweans, but the entire continent as a whole. Why? Because this is a scar on the conscience of the continent and it will never heal entirely, unless we all do something about it.

Okay, I know you're probably wondering what I expect people to do about a psychotic octogenarian who'se refused to release his clutches on power. Fine, petitions have been signed and protests staged. Leaders have joined hands to call for democracy in this country. But is it enough?

Zimbabweans are being coerced to vote for Mugabe, or die. Yes, due to the dwindling food supply in the country, the only people who will get their rations from the government are those who hold a ZANU PF party card. Unbelievable!

Something needs to be done; in this day and age, there is hardly room left for such dictatorial systems to prevail. I mean, come on! Even Nepal's monarchy is crumbling! This unbelievable cloak of sovereignty that Mugabe uses as a shield to "protect" Zimbabwe from “outside interference” shouldn’t stand. When will the International community stand up once and for all and demand Comrade Bob’s resignation? By hook or by crook?

He cannot rule forever. And neither can he rule a people who have lost hope and faith in him. He should read the writing on the wall: his time is up. Go home Bob!

Better Living

Adapted from Living Wisdom with His Holiness The Dalai Lama (Sounds True, 2006).

Here are beautiful guidelines from His Holiness The Dalai Lama for living an ethical life. At their heart is a way to keep ourselves from harming others and to cultivate a path of virtue in the world.

“Self-interest is at the root of any intention to harm others; it is not wholesome. Therefore, a bodhisattva (a follower of the Buddhist way of life) restrains the attitude of self-interest.

What does self-interest mean? We do not talk about completely forgetting ourselves, because in order to strive for buddahood, a bodhisattva must develop strong, determined self-confidence. But we have to clearly distinguish between this and an inferior kind of self-cherishing. This can be accomplished by following the Ten Virtuous Actions”—His Holiness The Dalai Lama

• Protecting and saving life.

• Giving and not taking what is not given.

• Treating your partner respectfully—respecting your marriage vows.

• Speaking honestly.

• Speaking with the goal to bring harmony among beings.

• Speaking gently.

• Refraining from gossip.

• Being happy for others’ accomplishments.

• Being loving toward all.

• Having a view that includes karma and understands the middle way between the two extreme views of eternalism and nihilism, accompanied by the two kinds of accumulations (of merit and wisdom).

Africa Liberation Day

Apparently, last Sunday(May 25^th) was Africa Liberation Day(ALD). Not that I had any idea, because sincerely speaking, my mind was quite out of focus. I happened to hear someone commenting about it on the radio in the morning and it raised my curiosity somewhat. Now, I bet there are quite a number of us who had no clue that ALD was yesterday.

A brief history lesson:

In years gone by, the Day used to be marked officially by several governments and unofficially celebrated by many groups in Africa and the Diaspora. Now there are only scattered activities by people who have not given up on the belief that “A different Africa is possible”. It is a day of solidarity with the various struggles of African peoples for justice, equality, human dignity, freedom, unity and liberation. It was founded in 1958 (April 15) and called Africa Freedom Day, as a result of the first All African People’s conferences called by the indomitable Kwame Nkrumah. I believe Nkrumah is the foremost Pan Africanist of all times, a fact remembered and honoured by Africans world wide who voted him Greatest African of the Millennium in a BBC poll in 2000.

When the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was formed in Addis, May 25 1963, Africa Freedom Day became AFRICA LIBERATION DAY (ALD) as a symbol of the resolve, commitment and support of all Africa for the total decolonisation of the continent.

Now, following this brief history, I can only assume that the spirit of the conception of the ALD was ideally to celebrate Africa; her struggle for Independence from the cruel and exploitive grip of colonialism and to usher in Pan africanism – celebrating our brotherhood and sisterhood as Africans; as one.

I must admit that even if I did know that Sunday was ALD, I probably wouldn’t have cared less. You can call me a washed-out non Pan africanist but I sincerely don’t see what there is to celebrate. Come on! Has anyone been paying attention to the news of late?

And if you decide to forget the news for a moment, what about the daily grind that our lives have come to be? Seriously, what is there to celebrate as Africans? I am damn well pissed at so much! I am disenfranchised, disillusioned and debilitated!

Let me break it down for all of you:

· While Africa has remained united against apartheid and colonialism, the same cannot be surmised anymore following recent events. Take the raging xenophobic attacks that have swept through South Africa’s main cities. I wont even go into the nitty gritty details; I assume you’re all aware of the situation there. Can we really say that the sceptre of apartheid is really dead and buried? What about the post-election clashes that are usually witnessed in most countries?

· Africa has been enjoying the pleasure of sovereignty for decades now. Our forefathers and founding fathers of Africa’s nations fought tirelessly and bitterly for our emancipation. But the leaders who followed them, were busy stifling the aspirations of their own peoples for real independence and an end to neo-colonial power relations; rather than continue supporting the Liberation of Africa. What is the end result years later? The political elite are maintaining power in the various artificial states bequeathed by colonialism. Increasingly, power struggles have characterised our politics and “democracy” as we know it has become nothing but a mere façade; a laughable ideology. Consequently Africa has became more vulnerable for the cold warriors, unequal international power relations, debt crisis, food and water crisis, disease infested and so on. Cause to celebrate?

· The majority of Africa’s people live in abject poverty. Hundreds of reports and statistics place us as among the most overworked, underpaid individuals on the planet. Living on less than a dollar a day and faced with high tax rates, poor public service delivery, transport crisis, fuel shortages, bad roads and so on. The list is so long that I fear I might take the whole day on this so I’ll stop. And the minority? Think politicians and parastatal heads; swimming in cash and enjoying life at the expense of you and me – the taxpayer. Call it the classic tale of the poor getting poorer while the rich keep reeling in the dough.

· Nkrumah’s famous dictum that the independence of Ghana is meaningless without the total liberation of Africa’s is still true today and even more relevant. Well then, why is it business as usual in most parts of the continent while our comrades in former Northern Rhodesia(now Zimbabwe) suffer under the draconian rule of the mercurial “Comrade Bob?” How do we allow such dictatorship to thrive while we are well aware of the dangers of such leadership to the dream of Pan africanism?

While I could continue “breaking It down,” I feel that my point has been made. Africa still has a long way to go before we can all really bring out the champagne and caviar, and play celebratory tunes on our drums and guitars.

I’m not in a celebratory mood yet. Africa to me is still hauling a great ball and chain around – its liberation hasn’t fully arrived yet.

Work Blues

Ok, so today is a whole Saturday - ok, hardly looks like one - and Im at WORK!! Bummer...
Anyway, I felt the need to come and build the nation but it doesnt seem to be working out quite as I anticipated.

Firstly, Im sleepier than a bat during the day, my eyes just cant seem to stay open...Im thinking my eyes look like one of KJ's(man, I miss the dude's cartoons) mchoros of some blacked-out chap in some nondescript pub...

Secondly, its a Saturday...for heaven's sake, why work on Saturday? Im not even in the Service Industry! Ok, granted, we all love it when the banks are open and the Customer Service(or lack of it) centres for Safcom and all are tending to our ffickle complaints...But me? What am i doing here on this dull, cold day when I should be catching zzs and enjoying La La land?

Thirdly, Im not in the best of moods....at least not after the Crisp Clean Bites that I had jana before I dozed off. :-

Anyway, I guess I can draw inspiration from the picture above...guess I neeed more than 1 pill..probably an entire bottle...

P.S: Atwoli should seriously consider this abolishment of the 6-day working week...need a petition? I'll get you a million signatures!

Not A Part Of My life…

Yeah, well…we all have dealt with this “phenomenon” at one time or another in our somewhat twisted lives.

Check it…you go to school(high school or primary, it doesn’t matter) or campus or college. You meet up with old friends and even make new ones. Now, the great thing about institutions(of learning), is that we somehow tend to coalesce into so-called groups/circles where we feel safer and/or more capable of handling the rigours of institutionalized life.

In simpler terms, we form cliques that help us move on with life in high school or campus. I know I was inculcated into one such group; trust me, it did me a lot of good while I was struggling with the culture shock that is campus life… And this explains, as an offshoot, how basically, sororities and fraternities came to be…

Well. The amazing thing here is that whereas we tend to become so tight with our so called “sistaz” and “boyz” while in these institutions, in a couple more years, everything changes. Yes, it does…and you know it.

I thought about this the other day, and realized that out of the battalion of friends I have made over the years, I can only confess to having retained roughly….ten or so friends. And I don’t mean the sort who only remember you when they’re broke or need your “expert career savvy opinions.” No, I’m talking about the real, honest-to-goodness friends. Just ten(or less).

Seriously, when do people cease to be a part of your life? Not because of some irreconcilable differences or anything of the sort; they just cease to be.

It may seem pretty trivial but the reality is that its more of a saddening scenario. A pain.

Because when you create bonds with people you’ve studied with and grown up with together for years, and then after your tenure with each other comes to an end, they simply vanish…it leaves a lot to be desired.

Gone are the days when friendships mattered. When friends looked out for each other and made an effort to be there through thick and thin.

I look at my phone book and sigh; there’s hardly enough persons there who I can actually confess to be really close to. I have even deleted some numbers…no sense in keeping them anyways coz after all, when will I ever use them?

This here attitude is what has degenerated the once vital gift of friendship. And its very easy to lose friends, I have realised. Harder even to get them back…

Technology has also not made it any easier. In this day and age of mobile telephony and the World Wide Web, its hardly necessary to see people personally, face-to-face. No! Why bother when you can always send a quick text, IM a few pals and send several emails?

Hell, we can go whole months without seeing our once “tighter than tight” buddies and feel nothing. Trust me, I know what I’m talking about – having friends; oodles of them, has ceased to be important. Why strain ourselves with the rigours of personal relationships when we can always make new online friends?

Oh yeah, and then there’s the ever-convenient excuse of being too busy. Our careers have held us hostage; we cant find time enough o hang out with our friends as we used to.

It really stinks; this whole scenario. And I dare say, its probably going to get worse with time. People have given up on relationships; I know I have. But I’m thinking its probably never too late to mend the ribbon now, is it?

Do I know where my high school buddies and campus clique are? Hardly; they have simply moved on. Perhaps a few who I still communicate with…but the majority? Well, they have ceased to be a part of my life. Did I have anything to do with it? Absolutely! Am I willing to reel them back in? Well, only time will tell for I’m still working on my issues…

Block arms shipment to Zimbabwe

Dear friends,

Trade unionists, church groups, and legal organisations across South Africa are joining to block arms shipments to Zimbabwe. Help show their leaders that the world stands with them--sign the petition now: CLICK TO ADD YOUR NAME! CAMPAIGN UPDATE In ten days, 155,000 people worldwide signed an Avaaz petition urging South Africa's Thabo Mbeki to press for democracy in Zimbabwe--and then flew a massive banner over the United Nations headquarters. The flight grabbed the attention of world media, from South African radio, newspapers, and TV to CNN and the BBC... and the next day, South Africa shifted its position. Click here to see coverage, and take the next step!

Even as the Zimbabwe crisis worsens, an extraordinary solidarity movement has taken hold across Southern Africa--sparked by a South African dock workers' union that refused to unload a Chinese shipment of Zimbabwe-bound weapons.[1]

Their refusal to facilitate Zimbabwe's crackdown has ignited a wildfire that is spreading across the continent. Now, as pressure builds,

China is publicly wavering--and might decide to bring the arms home.[2]

Kindly click below to sign a petition to keep arms away from Zimbabwe. The petition will be launched at a press conference in Johannesburg before the end of this week, and used to lobby key leaders until the crisis ends. Join the call now:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/no_arms_for_zimbabwe/5.php
(if clicking doesnt work, copy and paste the link on your address bar)

Three weeks on, the results of the March 29 elections have still not been released, and Zimbabwe's crisis is getting worse. Mugabe's government has unleashed a brutal campaign to retain power. The opposition says that ten have died, and hundreds have been injured; now, a "human wave" of refugees is fleeing to South Africa and other neighbouring countries.[3]

But even as the political emergency deepens, an African-led upswell of resistance has begun to turn the tide. In the last ten days:

· More than 150,000 Avaaz members worldwide signed the petition for democracy in Zimbabwe, including citizens of 53 of Africa's 54 countries. The goal: prod South Africa's president Mbeki to pressure Mugabe. To make sure the message got through, Avaaz hired a small plane to fly a 280 square metre (3000 sq ft) banner over the United Nations.[4] The next day, amidst pressure from other governments and worldwide media coverage of the Avaaz stunt, South Africa finally shifted its position on Zimbabwe.[5]

·

Last week, a Chinese ship carrying 77 tonnes of Zimbabwe-bound weapons and ammunition docked in Durban, South Africa--but, refusing to aid Mugabe's crackdown, the dockworkers refused to unload it. Unions, churches, and legal groups throughout Southern Africa quickly mobilized; the ship was forced to leave the harbour, and other ports in the region are vowing to block the weapons as well.[6]

·

As the grassroots outcry has grown, political officials have begun to press their case. Zambian president Levy Mwanawasa urged other African leaders not to allow the weapons to reach Zimbabwe.[7] United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and former UNSG Kofi Annan have called for democracy. And more and more other leaders in Africa and worldwide are joining in.

The Chinese arms ship is now sailing up the Western coast of Africa. Union officials tell Avaaz that it could stop in Namibia to refuel, but is probably headed towards Angola.[8] Time is short. A strong international outcry now can help support the groups in both countries--dockworkers, NGOs, and church leaders--who are working to block the weapons and support Zimbabwean human rights.

There is more at stake here than the weapons in this ship. Together, we can build a consensus that Zimbabwe should not be sold ANY weapons in this time of crisis--and in the longer term, we can build momentum for a strong international Arms Trade Treaty[9]. Moreover, stopping the flow of weapons provides a concrete, immediate step that leaders in the region can take on Zimbabwe--paving the way for stronger actions in coming days and weeks.

Add your name to the petition, and then send this link to friends and family:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/no_arms_for_zimbabwe/5.php

The situation in Zimbabwe is dire. But because of people power--the courage of ordinary workers and community members, standing on principle--the political currents are shifting, and hope is emerging for change. And in the global media, a new strain can be heard amidst the grinding stories of brutality and chaos.

This crisis has many layers, and raises issues that range from the legacy of colonialism to the uncontrolled international arms trade. At the heart of it is the simple idea that every human life is equally precious, and that every person has rights. The people of Zimbabwe took their stand in the voting booth. The dockworkers of South Africa took their stand at the harbour. Now, even if we can only offer a click, it is time to do our part as well.

With hope,

Ben, Ricken, Graziela, Galit, Paul, Iain, Pascal, and Veronique--the Avaaz.org team

Sources:

1. Business Day: "South Africa: Unions Bid to Halt Zimbabwe Arms Ship." http://allafrica.com/stories/200804220109.html
2. New York Times: "China Says Shipment of Arms for Zimbabwe May Turn Back." http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/world/africa/23zimbabwe.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
3. New York Times: "Human Wave Flees Violence in Zimbabwe." http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/21/world/africa/21zimbabwe.html?ex=1366516800&en=0378560da461b30a&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
4. SW Radio Africa: "Mbeki put under pressure at the UN over Zimbabwe" http://www.swradioafrica.com/news170408/mbekipressure170408.htm
5. Globe and Mail: "South African leader forced to speak up after long keeping quiet on Mugabe." http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080418.ZIMBABWEANALYSIS18/TPStory/TPInternational/Africa
6. Associated Press: "Zimbabwe's neighbors unite to block arms shipment" http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i4kT7pJlnuzY_vpKdTACcQYIPcvQD9077G780
7. Reuters: "Zambia asks African states to bar Chinese ship" http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnBAN223066.html
8. Ibid.
9. See http://controlarms.org.

________

The Garbage Truck Philosophy

Read this somewhere…really cool:

“One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.

My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.”

Well, I guess successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.

Love the people who treat you right, ignore those who don't.