Day By Day

Friday, May 27, 2005

Zimbabwe Update -- Mugabe Strikes Again: "The Arrests Will Continue"

Whoops, he did it again.

Just two days ago Mad Bobby Mugabe, his economy in shambles due to his insane racist and socialist policies, decided to do away with the only economic activity that was actually working -- the black market. He turned loose his gangs of ZANU thugs and rounded up 10,000 enemies of the state [post here -- follow the links for earlier posts]. Now comes news that he did it again, arresting 7,000 more. But the crackdown isn't going very well.

BBC Reports:
On Wednesday, when the police burnt an informal market in the Harare suburb of Glen View, street traders threw stones at the police and then looted several shops.

Despite the tensions, the police say the arrests will continue.

The government says it wants to stop the damage the black market is doing to the economy, namely stoking an already high rate of inflation.

But more than 80% of the people in Zimbabwe are jobless and for the majority of the population, the informal economy is the only way of making a living.

Read the article here.

This is the legacy of anti-colonialism in Zimbabwe -- oppression, civil disorder, an economy in shambles, widespread starvation, etc. Yet Mugabe, is still seen throughout southern Africa as a hero of independence.

Sigh!

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