This post is about Robert Mugabe’s campaign to win an election by violence in Zimbabwe - and it is shocking. This article highlights some of the physical violence used by those working for Mr Mugabe and his friends in their campaign to retain power in Zimbabwe. Not pleasant - but neither is Zanu PF’s campaign.

I picked up a link to the Sokwanele “This is Zimbabwe” website from Paul Canning’s blog:

Sokwanele - Zvakwana is a peoples’ movement, embracing supporters of all pro-democratic political parties, civic organizations and institutions in Zimbabwe. Sokwanele and Zvakwana both mean ‘enough is enough’ in the vernacular.

The website is an attempt to chronicle what is happening, and to campaign in support of a full democratic system in Zimbabwe.

The photo on the right is Manyika Kashiri, 55, an MDC activist from Chigumbu village in Uzumba, who had his foot smashed by an axe when militias stormed into his shack at midnight on Tuesday (I think May 6).

Kashiri woke after a bang at his door and rocks smashing against his windows. When he emerged, he was hit with a log by one of the militias and another tried to chop off his right foot with an axe in front of his grandchildren, one of whom was just four.

The second on the right is of a Member of Parliament - the Honourable Nelson Chamisa, MP, MDC (Tsvangirai), Secretary for Information – attacked at Harare International Airport, March 2007 by State Agents. He was to attend the EU/ACP summit in Brussels. He sustained fracture of orbital skull and deep facial lacerations.

The West cannot realistically intervene militarily, any more than we can do so in Darfur. But we can still continue to point to events, and it is media attention in the outside world that will persuade the surrounding countries to take proper action in the end.

There is even an appropriate place waiting for Mr Mugabe - since Idi Amin’s old retirement villa in Saudi Arabia has been free for some years.

For the next few days I will be running a Flickr Photostream from Sokwanele on the front page of the Wardman Wire to add my extra bit of publicity. If you have a blog, please consider reporting this crisis once again.

The posts below are quoted from the This is Zimbabwe blog. I acknowledge the copyright in the text and the photos. If you quote any of this material, link back there to give it more attention.

Zimbabwe Election Violence

Three year old child assaulted

This is little Samson (3 years). He was beaten on Golden Star farm, Shamva. His parents are ex farm workers who remained living on the farm after their white employer was evicted.

His parents were beaten on 21st April by militia who were saying “Whites left you on this farm, you are MDC, you want whites to come back and look after you”. Their houses and everything they owned was burned.

The mother is at the hospital with Samson; her husband and other two children are still somewhere in Shamva. She does not know where.

Mr and Mrs Rogers viciously assaulted; other farmers ‘re-educated’

On Tuesday night (6th May) Mr and Mrs Rogers (pictured) were viciously attacked in an incident between Chegutu and Kadoma. Their farmhouse was looted and trashed in the attack.

We have been told that their injuries are serious: Mrs Rogers was beaten and has suffered a cracked jaw and broken ribs. Mr Rogers has broken ribs and a broken nose - and his ear was bitten. He was shot at seven times and apparently said he felt one bullet going through his hair.

We received information today that last night, in the Chegutu area (south of Harare), farmers in the area were all called into the police station in Chegutu and were “re-educated” in a lecture on ‘how to vote’.

They were told that if they or their workers voted for MDC in an election run-off they would not be allowed to farm any more and would be evicted.

They were then told they would be escorted back to their farms this morning and that the war veterns and militia that have been harrassing them would be called off the farms.

Many of the farmers have been living in the town for security reasons after the vicious attack on the Rogers family on the 6th of May which left Mr. and Mrs. Rogers with serious injuries.

Beaten with Sticks

These injuries are of a 38 years old man from Kavasha village, Mutoko. On the 27th April he was beaten with big sticks on the buttocks by youth militia who were saying “stop supporting MDC”. What you see in the image is the result of extensive deep tissue bruising that has not received medical attention. This man has a very long road to recovery.

Medical Supplies Needed

Many of the injured in Zimbabwe are unable to receive medical attention for several days after they have been brutalised. The image above gives an idea of how delayed treatment is having a massive impact on the long term health and recovery of victims. We are in a hyper-inflationary environment and the costs of medical supplies are prohibitive and there is a real scarecity in the country. We understand that medical teams are battling with a shortage of basic requirements such as sutures and bandages (for example) and that this is impeding the work of those trying to deal with the injured.

The International Response

There are more Zapiro cartoons available on the Mail and Guardian website.

Wrapping Up

There’s not really a huge amount to say that is not being said already, and I think the British Government are being active on this crisis. It is a matter of keeping the spotlight on Mr Mugabe and his regime.

You can do the usual things. Contact your MP . Maintain a focus on Zimbabwe.

Perhaps especially visit the Zimbabwe - Enough is Enough website to keep up to date, to get more information than I have posted here, and to hear the truth directly.

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Scrutinise the Zimbabwe Elections with Twitter, Flickr: Sokwanele»