Mugabe maintains grip on power

Another tragic election has taken place in Africa.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has through force and intimidation won another election. This is his 6th term (or 28th year!)in power.

The opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai had previously won the first round in March but had not been allowed to campaign for the run-off. He was arrested at least five times in June while 30,000 of his supporters were displaced in a wave of violence allegedly perpetrated by ruling ZANU PF militias. Human rights groups say more than 80 people have been killed and 1,300 wounded. Days before the election Mr. Tsvangirai fled to the Danish Embassy for protection and officially withdrew from the race as he said that the danger to his life and his supporters was too great to continue.

While I am normally not a supporter of our Conservative government I was glad to see that Canada is officially condemning President Robert Mugabe's government as "illegitimate and illegal" and is imposing sanctions following the country's widely discredited election.

The newly minted Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson announced the sanctions hours after the longtime ruler was sworn in during a ceremony Sunday, two days after the one-candidate, presidential run-off election.

The following sanctions will immediately take effect:

* Restricting travel, work and study of senior members of Zimbabwe's government within Canada.
* Banning Zimbabwe-registered aircraft from landing in or flying over Canada.
* Summoning the ambassador of Zimbabwe to Canada to convey Canada's position.

I believe that the sanctions should go much farther but this as a start. Sanctions that are aimed at the government members and their families are much better than ones that go after the whole country, i.e food/aid sanctions.

I have also been watching with some disgust the pansying of the AU (Afican Union) leaders at their summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Eygpt. There has been almost nothing bad said about this with the exception of 1 or 2 leaders.

On Canada Day this makes me especially thankful to live in such a free society.





HAPPY CANADA DAY EVERYONE!