For eight years now, Robert Mugabe has violated all known norms of democracy entrenched in regional, continental and International Instruments. Mugabe has rigged elections; brutalized political opponents; muzzled the press; harassed the judiciary and unleashed terror on the Zimbabwean people with impunity.
SADC, and African Union have watched helplessly as one man, with the aid of a politicized military and police force, condemn millions of people to starvation, suffering and fear of unprecedented levels. In the countdown to the Presidential Run-off scheduled for June 27, 2008, Mugabe unleashed wanton violence on all opponents. His ZANU-PF supporters continue to kill, maim and beat opposition supporters. Mugabe has diabolically precipitated a crisis that shall render a free and fair election impossible. MDC has now formally and legitimately withdrawn from the election run off and Mugabe has a free reign to run down Zimbabwe, both economically and politically. It is without doubt that Zimbabwe as it stands is a failed state under the stranglehold of an unrepentant dictator.
It is against this backdrop that we in the BCP strongly advocate for a tough multi-pronged intervention that shall involve individual countries, SADC, AU and the United Nations. Such intervention should be swift and should encompass the following:
