Stuffed ballot boxes found as Mugabe begins stealing poll

The Irish Independent ^ | March 9, 2002 | Tim Butcher in Bulawayo

[Devereaux]

Stuffed ballot boxes found as Mugabe begins stealing poll

THE discovery of ballot boxes stuffed with votes for Robert Mugabe spilling out of a police car involved in a crash gave the last day of campaigning in Zimbabwe's presidential election an almost comic air.

But few of the country's 5,607,812 registered voters were laughing as they prepared to go to the polls today after an election campaign that will be remembered as one of Africa's most murderous and turbulent.

Forty polling agents for the opposition have been arrested, electoral rules favourable to the government have been re-imposed - despite being deemed unconstitutional by the courts - and a shambolic voters' roll was found to place up to half of the electorate outside their districts.

The number of polling stations has been halved in urban areas, which support the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), and increased in rural areas where the ruling Zanu-PF is supported. Tens of thousands will be unable to vote.

So cruel were the mobs unleashed by Mr Mugabe to bring voters in line that one man was beaten to death by supporters of the ruling Zanu-PF party simply because his house had decorative mud hand-prints on the walls.

An open hand is the emblem of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change and this was enough to cost James Sibanda his life. The mob never stopped to ask his political affiliation. He was a lifelong supporter of Mr Mugabe.

Human rights groups estimate that around 40 people have died since the campaign began. Opposition members believe the number is at least double that.

The sad truth is that no one will ever know the exact number of casualties. Bodies will continue to be found for years to come in shallow graves or dumped out in the bush.

Huge tracts of Zimbabwe have become no-go areas for normal traffic. Towns such as Nkayi and Tsholotsho were judged by Mr Mugabe's cronies to be disloyal and were subjected to devastating terror.

The Zimbabwean army, trained partly by the British and combat-proven in the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was judged not to be sufficiently loyal for the job after some grumbling from the grassroots that perhaps a change of leader might not be such a bad idea.

So for the past seven months mobs of "youth militia" have been plucked from the swollen ranks of Zimbabwe's unemployed, given a pocket full of spending money and trained in the dark arts of stealing elections.

At camps dotted all over the country these louts have not only been taught Zanu-PF party songs. They have learned how to beat people without leaving bruises, how to half-drown people in buckets of water and the most effective way to use fear as a political tool.

Every approach road leading to Nkayi has been blocked by checkpoints run by these militia for weeks. Cars are routinely stoned or stolen. Ownership of an MDC membership card or even a copy of the independent Daily Newspaper can amount to a death sentence.

Two elderly white farmers, John and Margaret Sankey, who had sent their workers' identity cards to Bulawayo to prevent them being confiscated - which would rob the workers of their votes - were shot at as they drove to town.

One human rights lawyer estimated that 40,000 crimes had been committed during the campaign.

The MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai - the only challenger to Mr Mugabe for the presidency - held a rally among workers in an industrial area of Harare. He accused the President of destroying his people, and urged people to vote, despite "massive intimidation". The Daily Telegraph, London

Tim Butcher in Bulawayo

[nopardons]

If you only had to put up with WebTV ! LOL Go ahead, pick on my typos ; it sure beats having to have any actual knowldge and understanding of the situation in today's Africa. : - )

The spurious example, that you gave, is just plain silly. The white farmers and theor black workers, in Zimbabwe, and in South Africa are KILLED ; court judgements have NOTHING to do with the problems. Opponents are jailed, tortured, beaten , and KILLED over there. That doesn't happen here and isn't going to. There aren't going to be MASS court findings against the major companies and aggri-businesses of this nation . No matter how invidious and draconian some of our laws have become, whites do NOT have a history of ruining their on neighborhoods and / or nation.

Just admit that you're out of your depth and loosen your tinfoil hat.

[Carry_Okie]

Excuse me, but I really don't need an education of the fortunes of Messrs. Tsvangirai or Nkomo. I have been following the rot in Southern Africa for thirty-five years and spent not a little time in private debates with the ambassador to Malawi in college discussing this very topic long before it took its current shape (he was a real piece of work).

No, you just don't get it because you prefer to suffer in denial and blather the popular whizdumb that assumes we can continue to assimilate the current wave of illegals at an accelerated rate of influx. It's not true as anyone who has attended a primary classroom in Southern California or spent an evening at County USC can attest. Mexicans were cheering at 911. The majority thinks we deserved it. They are not our friends and many who have entered illegally to California have no intent of assimilation, seeing better potential fortunes in outright conquest. Many in our universities ARE MARXISTS, so there is no difference there either.

I have no objection to a rate of immigration that does not outstrip our ability to fund public institutions that manage their assimilation into American culture. That goal includes a facility in standard English that matches the average Japanese grade-schooler with an understanding of our Constitution to match. More than that is destructive to our liberty, and perilous to our children's future.

[supercat]

No, they blame " colonialism ". Truth be told, it was that " colonialism ", which saved many people , developed African, and now, so reviled , is its ONLY hope.

One of the major effects of colonialism was to hugely increase the carrying capacity of the land. Arguably many of the tribes may have been better off when the populations were much smaller, and it would not be entirely unreasonable to blame coloniamism for making impossible the continuation of hunter-gatherer societies. The fact remains, however, that whether or not the existence of a hunger-gatherer was a good one [actually, with the right natural conditions and population density, it's probably not bad] there is no way for Africa to return to such existence without mass starvation.

[Don Myers]

"Stuffed ballot boxes found as Mugabe begins stealing poll"

Is this guy a democrat?

[Don Myers]

The picture of Africa is a mirror of a Black-run America. The two pictures are alike.

[nopardons]

Some of the tribes, in S.A., 300 + years ago, weren't hunter-gatherers. Some grew crops, and some, such as the Zulus, were warrior / nation building / slave owning " states "; if one can call STONE AGE groupings a " state " .

They don't want to go back to that at all ; but, they are / shall ! Communism / Marxism is a failed philosphy. Add onto that a sort of " LORD OF THE FLIES " mentality , and that is what drives the black dictators.

[nopardons]

No, he's a Marxist. Opppppppps, sorry, pretty close.

[dougherty]

LetThemStarve.com is a domain name I will register that will explain why I oppose one dime of foreign aid going to relieve the famine that will soon hit Zimbabwe.

I'm with you on that one. We should not give a dime, not even a penny of aid to Zimbabwe. This famine is of their own creation, let them deal with it instead of having the 'evil, racist whites' bail them out yet again. Better yet, let Jesse Charlatan, Fat Al and Foolakhan take up donations for them. Also, the killing of the white farmers needs to be addressed, those savages. I've said once before regarding Zimbabwe and I'll say it again: Let them eat cake.

[gunnedah]

Where is the U.N.? Where is the outrage from certain circles in America?Wake Up Real Americans!

[nopardons]

Ummmmmmm ... in case you missed it, the damned UN held its RACIST / BLAME AMERICA AND ISRAEL dog & pony show, in South Africa last fall. They are on the side of these monsters. That's where the UN is.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Mugabe Talks of Retribution After Zimbabwe Vote: Places Army on High Alert--[Excerpt] At a briefing for foreign observers and media, the official Electoral Supervisory Commission Wednesday gave out scant information. It could not say how many ballot papers had been printed, the exact location of 4,548 polling stations or when voter lists would be made public. Nor could Commission chairman Sobuza Gula-Ndebele, a retired army colonel, say why only 23 local observers had been accredited out of 12,000 nominees.[End Excerpt]

Thousands Driven from Homes from Political Violence Can't Vote in Zimbabwe--[Excerpt] The Movement for Democratic Change has accused the government of waging a campaign of violence against opposition voters and of using new security laws to hinder the opposition campaign. Party officials said in the last few days 22 polling agents representing the opposition had been abducted by ruling party militiamen. [End Excerpt]

[jimtorr]

Some of the tribes, in S.A., 300 + years ago, weren't hunter-gatherers. Some grew crops, and some, such as the Zulus, were warrior / nation building / slave owning " states "; if one can call STONE AGE groupings a " state " .

Actually, it turns out that most of the people of Africa before Europeans took over were farmers. Two notable exceptions were the so-called Bushmen, the little guys who always remind me of the Australian aborigines, and the Masai, who pretty much subsisted on their cattle to the best of my knowledge.

They were stuck in the iron age, not the stone age. Even the Zulu were farmers after they got out of the army at something like 22 years of age. Sure, hunting was an important addition to their diet, but people go hunting even in USA.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Zimbabwe -- Farmers providing election support arrested

Michael Laban, left, a member of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, registers an appeal with Zimbabwe police Inspector Martin Mberi after being told that his name had been deleted from the voters roll at Avondale polling station in Harare on the first day of the Presidential Elections, Saturday March 9, 2002. (AP PHOTO) - Mar 09 6:53 AM ET

Mike Auret, left, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change MP for Harare Central is assisted by Presiding Officer Gladys Chirokote, center, and an election officer after he discovered he had been struck off the voters roll at Avondale polling station in Harare, on the first day of the Zimbabwe Presidential Elections, Saturday March 9, 2002. Auret protested and later in the day presented evidence of his citizenship, and the election officials allowed him to vote.(AP PHOTO) - Mar 09 6:43 AM ET

[father_elijah]

With the news coming from Zimbabwe, I feel almost overwhelmed by grief for the land I knew as a boy. I had hoped and prayed that somehow through this election the opposition would win. Now I am left to pray that Mugabe may meet his eternal reward NOW.

[GeronL]

no doubt the UN will say it was a fair vote with the 99% Mugabe victory

[yoe]

Africa is the tragedy of the world

No they can't even blame it on slavery as they still practice slavery. Mugabe and those like him are the result of billions in aid that see little change except to make those in power even more powerful. IMO, all monetary aid should be stopped; aid should be in the form of medicine, hospitals, schools and housing. The aid of chickens, cows, sheep and the like seem to work for those who are willing to work.

Africa has become the Welfare Capitol of the world...and we have seen what endless welfare can do to people; Africa is no different; poverty and starvation, crime and corruption is the African Way.

[Go Gordon]

Are there any countries ruled/governed by blacks where this sorta thing doesn't happen? I know it sounds racist to even ask the question, and maybe its my ignorance of the world's geo-political makeup, so everyone can flame away if it makes them feel better, but I'd still like to know what countries are ruled by blacks that have a peaceful, prosperous nation.

[norton]

Been following elections in south Texas or Orange County CA lately?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

With the news coming from Zimbabwe, I feel almost overwhelmed by grief for the land I knew as a boy. I had hoped and prayed that somehow through this election the opposition would win. Now I am left to pray that Mugabe may meet his eternal reward NOW.

This didn't happen in a vacuum. The Left did this---The perils of designer tribalism

Excerpted from "Hillary Clinton and the Radical Left"-- If others could understand your truth, you would not think of yourself as a "vanguard." You would no longer inhabit the morally charmed world of an elite, whose members alone can see the light and whose mission is to lead the unenlightened towards it. If everybody could see the promised horizon and knew the path to reach it, the future would already have happened and there would be no need for the vanguard of the saints.

That is both the ethical core and psychological heart of what it means to be a part of the left. That is where the gratification comes from. To see yourself as a social redeemer. To feel anointed. In other words: To be progressive is itself the most satisfying narcissism.

That is why it is of little concern to them that their socialist schemes have run aground, burying millions of human beings in their wake. That is why they don't care that their panaceas have caused more human suffering than all the injustices they have ever challenged. That is why they never learn from their "mistakes." That is why the continuance of Them is more important than any truth.

If you were active in the so-called "peace" movement or in the radical wing of the civil rights causes, why would you tell the truth? Why would you tell people that no, you weren't really a "peace activist," except in the sense that you were against America's war. Why would you draw attention to the fact that while you called yourselves "peace activists," you didn't oppose the Communists' war, and were gratified when America's enemies won?

What you were really against was not war at all, but American "imperialism" and American capitalism. What you truly hated was America's democracy, which you knew to be a "sham" because it was controlled by money in the end. That's why you wanted to "Bring the Troops Home," as your slogan said. Because if America's troops came home, America would lose and the Communists would win. And the progressive future would be one step closer. [End Excerpt]

[Euro-American Scum]

Stuffed ballot boxes found as Mugabe begins stealing poll

Gosh, just like here in California.