Zimbabwe, A Living Hell

This morning I received an e-mail from a dear friend of mine who lives in Atlanta, GA. She is originally from South Africa and knows all too well the uphill challenges that many of the African nations face. The e-mail she forwarded to me was not only eye opening, it was most distressing and gut wrenching as well.

As if draught and famine are not terrible enough, the government of Zimbabwe under the brutal and ruthless control of President Mugabe have brought utter decimation, and intense persecution to a large portion of the Zimbabwean population. The president, along with his close circle of cronies has blatantly ignored the nation's Constitution which was adopted in 1980. A promising country on the continent of Africa, Zimbabwe was once a place where personal freedoms, human rights and democracy thrived and were deeply valued. Today, through selfish greed and personal agenda's Mugabe and his allies are systematically destroying all the opposition to their oppressive regime. The reports of violence against humanity is staggering and woeful. Mugabe and his derelict thugs are apparently willing to use any and all means possible to secure the government, and Zimbabwe's national resources. Awful stories of torture, murder and displacement of the nations inhabitants are slowly leaking out of the country. Naturally the current government views this as a huge threat to its selfish motives, and is doing all it can to stop the hemorrhaging of information. Zimbabwe is now a human rights nightmare, in which literally all hell is breaking loose.

The various militias are rounding up those who oppose Mugabe and his tyrannical rule, and sending them to torture camps, where there is severe and hopeless suffering. Many of the inhabitants have been forced from their property by this greedy and sinister government. Displaced people are now forced to sleep in the streets, starving to death in disease ridden slums, and have no water to drink. Many people have fled the country and are now living the life of refugies. To the distress of many of us, this human suffering includes many little children. Amnesty International is telling us that the government of Zimbabwe is one step away from out right genocide.

Please keep the people of Zimbabwe in your prayers. Many people are suffering under the most horrific and terrible conditions. The main opposition to Mugabe and his government is the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

I encourage anyone concerned to contact the Rev. Mike Kinman who leads Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation at http://www.e4gr.org/. Other organizations to contact are the Nation Episcopal Church - http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/, or your congress representative.