Letters to the Editor
Readers write about elections and Chinese weapons in Zimbabwe.
Best to wait for Zimbabwe's votes to be validated
In response to your April 16 editorial, "Endgames for Zimbabwe's Mugabe": The recent elections in Zimbabwe have been declared free and fair by external observers. But everybody knows there is no such thing as a perfect, flawless election.
What gives an election some legitimacy is the provision to effectively investigate and correct any flaws or complaints raised. It is simply illogical for the electoral body to announce elections results before complaints have been addressed. Indeed it is in the interests of all voters that complaints be addressed before results are announced. It's only the dishonest cheats who will press for the premature release of results. Any person outside Zimbabwe has no honest reason to demand the release of the results when the Zimbabwean voters themselves are prepared to wait.
The least I expect from the international community is understanding and support for Zimbabwe's electoral process, not the demonization of President Mugabe based on subjective foreign media reports.
There is nothing more unjust than penalizing or demonizing a leader for equitably redistributing his country's God-given resources, as Mugabe has.
Alton Hadzisa
London
Regarding the recent articles and editorial dealing with the election and current situation in Zimbabwe: I visited Zimbabwe last December as part of a tour of four southern African countries. Several people I met in Zimbabwe, some with tears in their eyes, described their problems obtaining food, medicines, and other goods, and their concerns for their families.
One day I was driven past a large, once-productive farm that now lies fallow, apparently because the new owners are not interested in farming it or are unable to do so. On another day I walked across the Victoria Falls Bridge and passed men carrying 100-pound sacks of grain on their backs from Zambia to Zimbabwe because of the food shortage in Zimbabwe.
I have thought of these scenes frequently since returning to the United States.
Please keep advocating resolutions to the problems the Zimbabwean people are facing.
Jean T. Snook
London, Ohio
No Chinese guns in Zimbabwe
Regarding the April 23 article, "China slammed for arming Mugabe": As a Zimbabwean living in exile, I am appalled by the actions of China in supporting the fall of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a silent Darfur in the making. As we move toward the Olympics, China should not play with human blood by arming Mr. Mugabe.
The Chinese ship and its military contents should have been destroyed to embarrass Mugabe and the Chinese government. Those in Mozambique, Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, and Zambia must block the delivery of these goods.
It is high time southern Africans wake up and realize that no peace in Zimbabwe means no stability in these other countries. China continues to reduce the quality of life in Zimbabwe. The "look east" policy adopted by Mugabe is silently killing Zimbabweans, and, regarding Mugabeism and China, "Enough is enough." Elections in Zimbabwe should be honored as the will of the people.
Girley Tegama
Stanford, Calif.
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