by Scott A Morgan
The period of time before the June 29th runoff in the Zimbabwe presidential election had a very violence plagued last two weeks. It is believed that dozens of supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were murdered. Others were driven from their homes as the politically motivated violence reached a crescendo. The results were what certain people wanted. Robert Mugabe was "reelected" President of Zimbabwe.
This week some more light into how the campaign of violence was orchestrated. Two divergent sources reported that the Junta that was running Zimbabwe between the dates of the elections hired some outside help to orchestrate the Violence. They went to a source that has had success in the past in not one but two different nations. They went to the FDLR. This group has a history that only a dictator could only love.
First of all who are the FDLR? FDLR are the Forces Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda. (Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda.) They were the perpetrators of the worst case of genocide since the end of the Second World War. In a period of several weeks and estimated 800,000 people were murdered despite the presence of UN Peacekeepers. The FDLR were driven out of the country by forces led by the current President Paul Kagame. They were maintaining bases in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The activitities of the FDLR in Zimbabwe does not come as a suprise to many people. A senior leader of the FDLR Protais Mpiranya, who was the former commander of the Rwandan Presidential Guards currently lives under the protection of the Zimbabwean government. Forces under his direct command are believed to have sexually assaulted and murdered then Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana and the 10 Belgian paratroopers that had orders to protect her.
The Actions of the JOC (Joint Operations Command) and ZANU-PF that were taken to ensure that they won the elections seem to follow some of the strategies that the FDLR used in Rwanda. According to some eyewitness reports the Rwanda exiles have been leaving refugee camps to join in the carnage. According to press reports the Rwandan have been even more vicious in their attacks then even the ZANU-PF supporters and security forces.
This brings up an interesting situation. When Russia and China vetoed the Resolution in front of the UN Security Council one of the reasons given was that the situation within Zimbabwe had no international implications. The government of Botswana dealing with hundereds of Zimbabwean refugees would like to know that. So if that didn't pass muster with Moscow and Beijing would this situation? Could this be the straw that breaks the Camel's Back with the "Mediation" efforts of President Mbeki of South Africa?
At the very least this has been indictative of what depths that Robert Mugabe would take to ensure that he would remain in power. Also it shows to what steps the security forces were willing to take to ensure that Morgan Tsvangari would not become President of Zimbabwe which according to various sources is what he did back on March 29 of this year.
Now a government of National Unity has been proposed for Zimbabwe. With the actions of the Security Forces over the last few months it is not a feasable idea in the eyes of many people. As long as the FDLR are active in Zimbabwe no one is safe in the country.
The author publishes Confused Eagle on the Internet. it can be found at morganrights.tripod.com
