Urban Thought Collective

Rwanda. Darfur. Somalia. Sierra Leone. When the world community hears these names we think war, strife, pain, injustice and terror. We imagine the countless displaced people, the murdered families, the lack of basic humanity. There are fundraisers, movies, television specials and the like dedicated to educating us on the issues plaguing those nations.

How about Zimbabwe? For many years, it was a symbol of what Africa could be. Hopeful, prosperous, and on the road to true democracy. Since 1980, Robert Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist. He was hailed as a hero who would heal the land after many wars and colonial wounds. He was the first leader chosen in an election that saw many black citizens voting for the first time.

To the moral and economic dismay of his countrymen, Mugabe became a selfish, paranoid “black Saddam Hussein” figure known for his heartlessness and depravity. Yet he ruled for decades.

But in 2002, an opposition leader who promised fairness, equal distribution of wealth and food, educational initiatives and an overall better life for the people of Zimbabwe emerged in human rights activist Morgan Tsvangirai. He was the anti-Mugabe. He campaigned and lost.

He tried again this year, and by all accounts, he won the election fair and square. People were able to breathe again, with just the very prospect of freedom and fairness. But it was not to be. Mugabe ignored the world and brought down a reign of violence so devastating, it is almost beyond comprehension.

Mugabe’s opponent Tsvangirai has since pulled out of the run-off, opting to save lives rather than destroy more for his cause. A sad moment in history.

Listen, I’m no scholar of African history. I can’t list off the prominent leaders or spout what is best for the continent. I am, however, deeply concerned and moved by the plight of the people in Zimbabwe. Over the past several weeks, I have symbolically felt the wind knocked out of these long suffering people. They simply want change. They simply want to live in peace. They simply want a say in how their government treats them and represents them on a world stage. They simply want to be. I sympathize with them more than I can fully express.

As much as we decry “the system,” as U.S. citizens we are blessed to have the trappings of democracy. I can write this column without retribution. I can hold a rally, create a movement. I can do all of those things without fear of beheadings or losing my family to a massacre. This just isn’t so in other parts of the world.

The people of Zimbabwe need a voice. They need a platform. They need to be able to speak to the world and ask for help and guidance through this prolonged repression. Mugabe is a victim of British rule. He made pledges to never be ruled by Britain again, that his people will never again be subject to white laws or influence. He is a man from a time that I can not imagine having lived through. However, it is his moral obligation as a leader to allow his people the freedom he promised when they entrusted him with their future.

Let’s all speak out in our own way against this travesty. Read more, learn more, be aware.

For more information on the political crisis in Zimbabwe, read this amazing article.

Ellene Miles has worked as an entertainment publicist for more than 6 years. Her collections of rants are featured exclusively on UTC for the good of the people.