[Clive]

These are the notorious "Green Bombers", Mugabe's equivalent of the Sturmabteilung.

The ones that don't run away from the training camps and go into exile in South Africa become thugs and killers of the first order.

They consider themselves warriors in the Third Chimurenga, or " hondo yeminda".

They will ride proud in their new role and will have an aura of omnipotence until Mugabe finds it necessary to create a Schutzstaffel to replace them.

Then comes the Night of the Long Knives.

[Commander8]

Sounds like a bunch of street gang members to me.

[Clive]

Zim Online is a new online newspaper established by professional journalists put out of work by Mugabe's suppression of the press.

The site is has a South African domain.

I note that there are no by-lines so I cannot say who authored any of the articles.

[janetgreen]

I imagine these young people could be recruited easily with promises of food and shelter.

[tonycavanagh]

This looks like the start of the end for Mugabe. In a dictatorship you are heavily reliant on the Police, and reward them so. This creates a police service that becomes very reliant on the hand that feeds them.

But when they see the writing on the wall, i.e. the hand is running out of food or looks to be in danger of being replaced then like the self seeking corrupt individuals they are they will turn against there master to safe guard there own skins.

This is a major weakness all dictatorships have.

Tony

[dagnabbit]

Lord of the Flies.
2004 edition.