2008 Articles 25 Dec Kingdom Come 21 Dec Christmas 15 Dec Step Forward 5 Dec Beginning 1 Dec Amendment 30 Nov Facilitation 26 Nov Genocide 24 Nov Running Out 17 Nov Crisis 15 Nov Somalia 12 Nov What Next? 8 Nov Leadership 2 Nov Chipo 1 Nov Rome Burns 29 Oct Failure 25 Oct High Noon 19 Oct Never Easy 10 Oct Abyss 8 Oct Filibustering 4 Oct Chaos in Zim 29 Sept A Mule? 21 Sept On Step 16 Sept The End 12 Sept New Beginning 11 Sept Deal? 6 Sept Consequences 3 Sept Need a Deal 2 Sept Dollar Died 31 Aug Steering 29 Aug Unstuck 23 Aug Betrayed 18 Aug The Devil 13 Aug 13 Aug 08 12 Aug Today 11 Aug Cliffhanger 8 Aug Whats Going On 27 Jul Progress 22 Jul Agree to talk 21 Jul Mbeki kicks 16 Jul Crunch Time 13 Jul Economics 9 Jul Reality Looms 2 Jul Where? 30 Jun Looking Glass 26 Jun Battle 22 Jun What Now? 21 Jun The Commitment 16 Jun Do or Die 13 Jun Morning After 10 Jun Closing Doors 26 May Current Outlook 24 May Fan Club 19 May Tyranny 17 May End Game 15 May Flushing 8 May Violence 6 May Bizarre Process 25 Apr Cornered 20 Apr Electoral Fraud 19 Apr Jesse 17 Apr This Farce 11 Apr The Devil 6 Apr Wounded Buffalo 1 Apr Dying Kick 31 Mar Politcl Tsunami 27 Mar Current Situ. 26 Mar 4 days to go 21 Mar 8 days to go 15 Mar Election Time 27 Feb Games Begin 17 Feb Public Office 11 Feb Choices 4 Feb Decision Time 26 Jan Ambushed 25 Jan The Struggle 20 Jan Truth or Fiction 12 Jan Mugabe Mistake 8 Jan Surprise 2 Jan Kenya Lessons
Articles:- 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004-01
|
|
|
|
|
The Struggle for Democracy
10 000 years of human history has shown quite clearly that of all the
systems tried by mankind as a means of governing his collective
welfare, the
modern mix of a social market economy and democratic institutions of
State
is probably the only ones that work. You can refine that definition by
adding the 'separation of powers' and defining what are now
regarded as
'universal human and political rights' but you do not achieve much
more by
doing so.
But whatever system you adopt, you simply cannot get away from
democracy as
the basic means of determining who holds power and has responsibility
for
the State and the welfare of its citizens. Fundamental to this
understanding
is the truth that we must accept the flawed nature of mankind. Dress up
humanity any way you want, history clearly shows that he is basically
unreliable, corrupt and dishonest - left to his own devices mankind
turns
oranges into lemons every time.
This has been our experience in Africa. Not just Zimbabwe, although
that
happens to be my concern because it is my home. Leaders with little
understanding and no commitment to democracy came to power in country
after
country on the back of the cry 'one man one vote'. Once in power
they then
subverted everything they had stood for in the pre Independence days
when
they were struggling for power. Nothing unusual in that - it happened
in
Europe and in South America and the experience of the US was only
different
because of an unusual group of men and women who drew up the early US
Constitution on the basis of hundreds of years of negative experience
in
Europe.
Here of course we have Mugabe et al and their determination to use the
State
for all the wrong things and to then hold onto power at all costs
because,
in the words of a Chinese politician 'he who rides the Tiger cannot
get off'
. Those of you who have seen the pictures doing the rounds of a home in
Harare owned by one of Mugabe's close associates, will know what we
are
saying when we point out that while the economy of Zimbabwe has simply
crashed, a minority here has accumulated vast wealth. It is no doubt
that
some of the wealthiest people on earth are found in Africa.
But again that should not come as a surprise - how did the landed
gentry in
England build those huge houses that no one can afford to maintain
today.
Look at the Palaces of France and Germany. When they were built those
countries were impoverished feudal states.
But back to Mugabe and his crew. When we decided in 1998 to form the
MDC and
began working on the project, we had no idea that 10 years later we
would be
in the trenches and fighting an enemy that was so determined and
ruthless.
We should have known better. What is disappointing is that so few
modern
leaders are clear about what is needed to put things right.
When South Africa finally decided, after 6 years of collusion and
protection
of the regime in Harare, that it was not in their interests to continue
with
the status quo, they never knew just how devious and determined their
adversary would be. They set out very clearly in March 2007 what they
wanted - free and fair elections that cannot be disputed in March
2008. What
could be so difficult in that? After all Mugabe said he was a democrat!
What then followed was 8 months of tortuous negotiation - forced on
the
regime by persistent South African pressure. Then at the final hurdle
Zanu
began to fight back. This is, after all, a fight to the finish for Zanu
PF.
Mbeki tried gentle persuasion and then not so gentle, finally Mugabe
put his
foot down and said no to the reforms that would have restored our
democracy
and given us a reasonable environment for an election in 2008.
When we tested even the modest reforms we have secured and had passed
into
law this week, we found that they meant nothing and our political
environment was just as skewed as ever. 'We told you so' we heard
all over
the place - but really what alternative did we have but to try and do
everything in our power to preserve our democracy?
Mr. Mbeki is now trying the garner support from his African colleagues
for a
final attempt to force the issue of reform in Zimbabwe. I doubt he will
be
successful because he has to secure a consensus on the issue and
corrupt
leaders such as dos Santos of Angola simply will not go along with a
campaign that might ultimately threaten his own position. The price of
that
would be about US$1 billion a year to the Angolan ruling clique - too
much
to concede at this stage.
So we might have to just face reality and continue the struggle to
restore
our democracy. There is simply no chance of a free and fair campaign
and
conditions for the vote in this country in March. We must weigh up our
options.
It has been my view for more than two years that the greatest threat is
the
Myanmar syndrome - Mugabe just abandons any pretext of being a
democrat and
cancels elections altogether and runs the country through a military
Junta.
One of the greatest achievements of the past year has been the fact
that
Zanu has been forced to hold an election in March 2008 and to institute
some, albeit very limited, reforms. We do now have an election on one
day,
we have a reformed ZEC and the Police and Military are not directly
involved
in the management of the election system. We have reforms to the media
and
will see some international supervision of the elections.
But in the end it's going to be up to us - do we participate? Lots
of people
are saying no. But that means abandoning the only peaceful route to
change.
My view is that we must pick up where Mbeki left off, take what changes
we
have so far secured and fight this election together as a combined
opposition. The key is how to control the vote and the counting and
reporting - as Kenya has just shown very clearly. Can we do that?
Yes, if we
have the resources and equipment.
We have put the electoral alliance together now - it is being wrapped
up as
I write, so this is going to be a straight fight between Zanu PF and
the MDC
led alliance. There may be other minority parties - even CIO
sponsored
parties but they do not count in the final analysis.
What we need are people at every polling station and the means to
report the
results of the count as they come in from each station. We need to get
the
word out that every vote will count and people must register and then
vote.
We then need to trust the people and God and prepare for what could be
the
most important election in our history. There is just too much at stake
not
to do this one more time.
Eddie Cross
Bulawayo, 24th January 2008
|