The chance of anything good coming out of the Zanu PF - MDC talks is nil. Mugabe's demeanour and demands contrasted with those of his adversaries said it all.
Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara were both frightened and thrilled to bits; shaking hands with Mugabe. Mugabe patronised them and enjoyed every minute of it.
Tsvangirai’s demand that all violence must end, political prisoners released, etc. followed by the threat of not taking part in the talks is an old song. Mugabe, as usual, ignored the demand and Tsvangirai, true to form, forgot he ever made the threat.
Tsvangirai’s second demand was that “abusive” language should stop. His ego was roughed by being called a puppet. Mugabe in his reply said the British and Americans not interfere with a theatrical pause at the end pregnant with hidden meaning- “ Or their puppet!”
Arthur Mutambara said nothing, at least nothing of importance that any of the main media considered worthy. He was probably overwhelmed by the occasion, for once he was speechless!
As for Mugabe he was totally relaxed and in jovial mood. He should be; he just bully his way into State House forcing a quarter of million out of their homes, thousands were beaten up and over a hundred murdered in the process. But he has never ever cared about anybody; all he cares about is that he has absolute power! What tickled Tsvangirai and Mutambara is a mystery to me.
Mugabe made his demands: 1) His land reforms must not be touched. There is one overriding reason why the land issues must be reviewed; Zimbabwe has faced food shortage year on year ever since the 2000 farm seizures. Clearly the land reforms have not worked and so why should the whole nation starve? Mugabe does not want the subject reopened because many of the farms were given to his cronies and not the landless peasants as he has often claimed.
2) Mugabe wanted sanctions lifted. He has two reasons for this; the lifting would facilitate the expatriation of wealth accumulated by his cronies. Out of the misery of the majority a few have made staggering fortunes. Secondly, he wants attention focused on sanctions as the root cause of the country’s economic melt down and away from the real causes; i.e. years of gross mismanagement and rampant corruption.
In his statement to the media after signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Mugabe said he wanted the country’s political and economic crisis solved “The Zimbabwean way!” He has bullied his party so he sees himself as Zanu PF, since Zimbabwe is now de facto one-party state he is the Government of Zimbabwe and now sees the very embodiment of the Zimbabwean people. And Mugabe’s way of course is the use of brute force. So Mugabe’s brute force delivery system; the Police, Army, CIO, the militia, etc. are to remain.
The depoliticization of the state security agents is a must if democracy is ever to take root in Zimbabwe. If anything there should be a thorough investigation of the serious human rights violations, especially when those entrusted to hold the law and defending the people and the ones committing the human rights violation.
Mugabe has faced more formidable opponents in Ian Smith and Joshua Nkomo in the past and he managed to grind them into the ground. What more of some feeble like Morgan Tsvangirai. Mugabe has set his bottom line – the status quo is to be maintained. Little wonder the talks are set for two weeks; what is there left to talk about?
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