ICG says Zimbabwe continues to self destruction

By Violet Gonda
7 June 2006

The International Crisis Group has produced it’s latest report on Zimbabwe, and it makes for grim reading. It provides a concise and accurate précis of the tragedy that is Zimbabwe today.
It says the economy is in free fall but as the end of Mugabe’s presidency looms there are huge cracks in Zanu PF and also in the MDC. This threatens massive unrest and increasing violence.
“ZANU-PF’s policies, corruption and repressive governance are directly responsible for the severe economic slide, growing public discontent and international isolation”, says Peter Kagwanja, Crisis Group’s Southern Africa Project Director. “And the international community still lacks any kind of grip on the crisis”.
The MDC has of course been undermined by a leadership split and the report says that it is a matter of urgency that the opposition present a united front to take on the government - a government which is becoming more dangerous. The report also states that with scheduled presidential elections less than eighteen months away Zimbabweans have only increased violence to look forward to.
It continues by saying that ZANU-PF wants to avoid a popular vote by using the legislature it controls to establish a “transitional presidency” and appoint a successor to Mugabe. The rising influence of the military leadership in the succession struggle is also regarded as huge worry.
John Norris, Crisis Group’s Africa Program Executive says; “Recent government crackdowns and the spiralling economic crisis make it all the more imperative that the U.S., EU and others maintain and more aggressively enforce the targeted sanctions directed at the ZANU-PF leaders who are driving Zimbabwe to ruin.” The ICG recommends that as long as the regime ignores human rights and democracy it should be isolated. They also bemoan the fact that African leaders and the African Union have done very little about the crisis on their doorstep.The full ICG report can be accessed through the following link.
http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/b038_zimbabwe_continuing_self_destruction.pdf