Maravi

Let's learn from Zimbabwe's crisis

Let's learn from Zimbabwe's crisis
By Editor
Tuesday September 16, 2008 [04:00]

There was no other way forward for Zimbabwe other than that of a negotiated political deal or settlement. From the very beginning of the Zimbabwean electoral conflict, we urged a negotiated political deal and in so doing, we said: “We feel in the current political circumstance of Zimbabwe, a government of national unity is a very sensible proposition.

There is need for the political leaders of Zimbabwe to sit down and negotiate and come up with a political dispensation that will bring unity, peace and stability to that country. We feel whatever form of political organisation they come up with should promote unity, if possible; it shouldn’t be an artifice aimed at dividing the people.

But why are we calling for negotiations between Zanu-PF and MDC? The starting point for developing any framework within which to approach some large questions in the negotiating process is to answer the question: why should we negotiate?

There is need for negotiation in Zimbabwe because even if Zanu-PF today tries to hold on to power, it will no longer be able to continue ruling the country in the way it has done since 1980 and should be genuinely seeking some break with the past.

And at the same time, the MDC is clearly not dealing with a defeated Zanu-PF, and a total takeover of power by them in Zimbabwe cannot be without serious problems or challenges, may not even be realistically posed. Under the current political circumstances, we think neither Zanu-PF nor MDC can govern that country all by themselves. They certainly need a government of national unity of one form or another.

There is no need to wait until after so much loss and destruction of life and property, like we saw in Kenya, for them to form a government of national unity. The dangers can be foreseen and the measures can be taken to avert such a disaster.

Negotiated solutions can be found even to conflicts that have come to seem intractable and such solutions emerge when those who have been divided reach out to find the common ground. But when one negotiates, one must be prepared to compromise; when you negotiate, you have to accept the integrity of the other man.

And concessions are inherent in negotiations. That is the nature of compromising: you can compromise on fundamental issues, insignificant things, peripheral issues, don’t need any compromise. If you are not prepared to compromise, then you must not enter into or think about the process of negotiation at all.

If peace and stability is to be established or brought back to Zimbabwe, the primary requisite is to eradicate the cause of dissention between or among the people of that country, especially the key political players. This requires that all parties respect each other and that all of them in turn recognise and respect the government as a legal institution.”

This was what we said, among other things, in our editorial comment of April 12, 2008. We are pleased that the Zimbabwean crisis has ended this way, albeit after loss of life and destruction of property. And credit must be given to the Southern African Development Community leadership in general and to South African President Thabo Mbeki in particular for the very efficient, effective and intelligent mediation in the political differences in that country.

President Mbeki articulated the Zimbabwean issues very well and had the courage and conviction to do so amidst an international campaign to undermine and discredit his efforts. We think President Mbeki has been defending certain principles of tremendous value at a time of confusion and opportunism in Africa and in our region, a time when many of our politicians are prostituting themselves with imperialism and are feathering their own nests.

President Mbeki’s performance in helping to resolve the Zimbabwean crisis reminds us of what Nelson Mandela once said: “The peoples of resurgent Africa are perfectly capable of deciding their own future form of government and discovering and themselves dealing with any dangers which might arise.

We need to exert ourselves much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful; those in command of immense market power and those who dare to fashion the world in their own image. Africa, more than any other continent, has to contend with the consequences of conquest in a denial of its own role in history, including the denial that its people had the capacity to bring about change and progress.”

The unity of the Zimbabwean people and a unity of that country’s various political forces is the basic guarantee for overcoming these problems. It is only through the unity of the whole Zimbabwean nation that the problems and challenges facing that nation can be resolved or addressed. It is imperative to overcome anything that impairs unity.

There is a lot to learn from the Zimbabwean situation. One lesson we can all learn is that intervention only works when the people concerned seem to be keen for peace, for reconciliation.

The other lesson is that peace, as recent world events remind us so vividly, is a frail and fragile possession. So much in us and about us conspires against peace and unity. Progress would be destroyed by greed for power. The forces of discord that unleash themselves in the bloodshed are hidden in every heart.

Too often they surface, to the great distress of others, in the frequently lamented evils of exploitation, tribalism, nepotism, corruption, injustice in all its sordid and selfish guises.

What the Zimbabwean situation teaches us is that as well as claiming rights, we must accept and fulfill our duties. Unfortunately, there is sometimes too much emphasis laid on rights and too little on duties. One of the primary duties of every human being is to exercise the virtue of justice, which means respect for the rights of others.

There is the further duty of every person to love others. This duty is part of the first and most important commandment given to us by Jesus Christ: “I have a new commandment to give you that you are to love one another, that your love for one another is like the love I have borne you. The mark by which all people will know you for my disciples will be the love you bear for one another” (Jn 13:34-35).

This brotherly love consists of wishing our fellow human beings well and in taking a genuine and active interest in their material and spiritual welfare.

Brotherly love is violated by those who, in their political, social or professional activities, aim at the welfare of their own section of the community with little or no regard for the welfare of the other groups. We warn all against the snares of those who preach hatred and contempt of others under the guise of championing the rights of their own group.

We shouldn’t forget that it is said that hatred is more than want of love. This is so because hatred separates us interiorly from our neighbour. It destroys the only sound base of civil life. If it is directed against the person of our neighbour, it can be said to be always grievously sinful. Hatred grieves at the prosperity and rejoices at the adversity of others, exaggerates their faults and discounts their virtues.

It wishes evil, and it does not stop at malediction, calumny and detraction, but often assails the very life. Hence, the Bible says: “Whosoever hateth one’s neighbour is a murderer” (Jn 3:15). Again: “If a person says he or she loves God but hates one’s neighbour, that person is a liar” (1 Jn 4:21). The crisis that Zimbabwe experienced over the last few years or months is a terrible demonstration of what hatred can do.


All this reminds us of the need for tolerance and understanding: to live together peacefully and harmoniously, we must learn to tolerate the differences that exist among us.

Therefore, as we wish our Zimbabwean brothers and sisters the best in their new-found reconciliation and in their efforts to forge a government of national unity, let us not forget that the bells that have tolled on them may tomorrow toll on us if we don’t learn a lesson from them.

Labels: THABO MBEKI, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 6:08 AM