A letter from Zimbabwe

Dear Friends

I know it is almost Christmas and I am fully aware of all the problems this world is facing and I am sure you too have some issues that are of concern to yourself. Also, you may have received this sort of letter before but I ask for your patience to read this one - its from "the horses mouth!"

Just give this a thought - if you were terrified of your government, if you knew that killings for opposing the government were happening every day, if you were starving to death (I MEAN ALL THIS - think about it), if you were sick and there was absolutely no medical help, if there were no longer schools for your children/grandchildren, if all whom you knew were unemployed and cholera was rife ......can you even begin to imagine it, truly imagine it for one second ...not easy! But get the full story below.

Peter and Nikki Nupen are close friends of mine whom I met when working in Namibia. We have kept in touch with very regular e-mails since I left Namibia in Oct 1997. They have retired to Cape Town. They are both from Zimbabwe. Peter has just been there to see how their remaining relatives are coping and to see for himself what is going on.

It’s a horror story. If you believe in prayer then pray HARD for Zimbabwe this Christmas. Those who do not pray try to act on Peter's request at the end of his letter......................

Dear Family and Friends,

I returned exactly a week ago from a trip to Zimbabwe, and have been gathering my thoughts and feelings in order to write this letter. Please read it carefully to understand what is happening in this country.

Whilst in Zimbabwe I was shocked beyond belief (those of you who have experienced this emotion will understand the feeling) by the situation in this country. It is a totally failed State. Ninety per cent unemployment with the serious ramifications of no jobs, no income and no food for the overwhelming majority in this land, and seemingly no way out of the dire situation there.. Government Schools mostly operated for twenty three days during 2008. No final public exams were written at either Government Schools or at the University in 2008. The salaries that Teachers and other wage earners for that matter ( apart from Police and Army Personnel, who Mugabe looks after for his own personal interests) are less than a Hawker can earn in the informal sector, trying to sell wares on the street. Zim money devalues so quickly that nobody deals it any more. Although it is illegal, the US Dollar and the Rand rule on the streets. There is very little or no water in the major towns, including Harare. The situation in the high density areas is far more severe as open sewers run through the streets due to the majority of water treatment works being non functional. Contamination of water sources with Cholera-infected sewerage is rife. Any water that one is able to obtain from boreholes or street vendors has the potential of being infected with Cholera and needs to be treated as such. I had the unfortunate experience of contracting this disease in Chegutu. Luckily, through contacts, I was able to get hold of Doxycycline (an anti-biotic) when the symptoms presented, and went straight onto basic re-hydration fluids of sugar and salt. It is relatively easy to treat the disease but where there are no drugs for the vast majority in Zimbabwe, particularly in the rural areas, it is a deadly disease. It has reached pandemic proportions. The deaths from Cholera in Zimbabwe are grossly understated, probably by four fold. On one day Mugabe is in denial about this epidemic in Zimbabwe, and the very next day his Minister of Information accuses Britain and America of Biological Warfare.

Please through this little episode, see the Zimbabwean crisis in its totality. In a country riddled with Aids, those who become infected with Cholera have little or no chance of survival. The vast majority of Government Hospitals have closed throughout Zimbabwe. I spoke to a Nurse in Chigutu who tearfully told me that if she went to work all she could do was to tell desperate patients that there were no medicines available, and no Doctors to treat them. That it was pointless her going to work to make sick people's lives more miserable.

There is very little electricity supply. Where I was staying, we had a period of eleven days with no power. The knock-on effect of this is that there was no electricity to run the bore-hole pump. Fridges and Deep-freezes cease to function and all perishable goods need to be thrown out. Toilet cisterns do not re-fill. There is no water for bathing. One has to find a friend who has a Generator to run a bore-hole, to get drinking water. PLEASE try to imagine yourself in that situation every day.

PLEASE GET THE PICTURE OF HOW BAD THINGS ARE IN ZIMBABWE.

Having outlined the scenario I will now come to the point of writing this letter. Desmond Tutu, our Nobel Peace Prize Winner has openly stated that Robert Mugabe needs to be brought before the International Court in Le Hague for Crimes against Humanity. This was no flippant remark, and he is absolutely right. The situation in Zimbabwe is the result of the behaviour of one man, who over the last ten years or so, with his political cohorts, has been driven by the evil of clinging onto political and financial power at all costs, and for his own gain. Knob-kerrieing and the machetteing to death of thousands who dared oppose him will still come to light. Here is a man who has no compassion for his own people. Here is a man who together with his political cohorts and ZANU PF Government Ministers (listed by the E.U. and other civilized countries in the world, who will have nothing to do with them) has grown super wealthy by raping Zimbabwe of its natural resources and wealth to the detriment of all Zimbabweans.

It is all too evident when the United Nations Security Council meet that the three Nations which help keep this failed dictator in power are China, Russia and South Africa. In Zimbabwe, right at this moment, virtually all the Chrome Deposits are in the hands of the Chinese - pay-back for China propping up Mugabe's illegal regime. China is also primarily responsible for the payment of all the fuel that crosses the border at Beit Bridge into Zimbabwe, as well as paying Zambia, Mozambique and the DRC for electricity supplies into Zimbabwe. China has, in the last two weeks, delivered some fifty three tonnes of weapons and armaments to Zimbabwe. This will be used against any opposition, particularly the MDC in intimidation and killings.

SOME HARD FACTS :

FACT NO. 1 THERE ARE NO SANCTIONS AGAINST ZIMBABWE BY ANY WESTERN NATION. No matter how many times South Africa mentions "targeted sanctions against Zimbabwe", this is simply not true. South African media houses work on the assumption that the more often " sanctions against Zimbabwe by Western Nations " is mentioned, the more likely uninformed people will believe this to be true. THERE ARE TARGETED SANCTIONS AGAINST A VERY SPECIFIC CRIMINAL ELEMENT IN ZIMBABWE who are the Government Ministers in the illegal ZANU PF Government. The fact that the IMF and WORLD BANK do not send funds into Zimbabwe is because these self same Ministers would steal these incoming funds for themselves. They will not used for humanitarian reasons. The funding destined for needy Zimbabweans from these two bodies was CORRECTLY terminated.

FACT NO. 2 KALEMA MOTLANTE, the current interim President of South Africa was the leader of the South African Observer Mission which declared that the last set of elections in Zimbabwe was both free and fair, WHEN EVERY OTHER OBSERVER MISSION DESCRIBED THEM AS THE EXACT OPPOSITE. Remember also that the current mediator in Zimbabwe, TABO MBEKE was the then President of the Republic of South Africa. I hope you begin to see the support that Mugabe has in the current political structure in South Africa.

FACT NO. 3 Mugabe was a leader in the liberation struggle and had the opportunity to be an international figurehead akin to Nelson Mandela.

However, he chose differently. It is fine for Liberation Heroes to support each other when good governance in terms of African Union guide lines are being observed in their respective countries. But why should Liberation Leaders, especially the South Africans, choose to support Mugabe when he is carrying out his own subtle HAULOCAUST IN ZIMBABWE (and this is why he is needed at Le Hague). Remember also, this illegal dictator has lost the latest National Election, and has been defeated in a Presidential Poll. Thank goodness the Civilized World has seen through Mugabe's criminal ways, and understand the necessity to be rid of him.

Let me briefly elaborate on Mugabe's Holocaust. In the early 1980s' Mugabe unleashed his notorious Fifth Brigade on the people of Southern Matebeleland, killing some twenty thousand MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, for his own political gain and terrorized Joshua Nkomo and the Matabele People into an Alliance with him. (The Matabele have regained their courage and are currently breaking away from this Alliance, the ZANU PF.) Also, Zimbabwe, once regarded as the Bread Basket of Africa, has been reduced to a country where five million of its people now require food aid to survive. Now, here is the rub. Only ZANU PF supporters are allowed to distribute food aid in Zimbabwe. Any person who is suspected of having ties with the MDC opposition, is refused food and is hounded out of food distribution centers.

Mugabe is a man bent literally on starving to death those who are deemed not to support him. If this does not equate to a HOLOCAUST, then I do not know what does. When people lie down to die, knowing it is easier to go that way, rather than being brutally savaged to death by showing resistance, then you know a HOLOCAUST is taking place.

The supportive behaviour by the leaders in South Africa for Mugabe defies all common sense and the norms of fair play and practice. President Motlante glibly states that " a solution must be found by the Zimbabwean People themselves ". Mugabe has total control of the Armed as well as the Police Services in Zimbabwe. (Something he will not give up, as can be seen by his current outbursts). Morgan Tsvangarai and the MDC have no protection what so ever from any law enforcement body in Zimbabwe. They are at the mercy of an evil and bitter Dictator. Should there be a murmur of dissent against Mugabe's illegal regime, the wrath of the CIO, the Military, the Police and the Green Bombers is unleashed to deadly effect.

Under these circumstances who is the ANC kidding that a solution in Zimbabwe "must be found by Zimbabwean People themselves" As I write this letter, some forty two MDC supporters have disappeared, and Morgan Tsvangarai threatens to pull out of the Unity Talks altogether if they are not released by Mugabe's illegal regime. When can a fair and just solution be given to Zimbabwe by the world at large. A Zimbabwean said to me "Tabo Mbeke has failed us, SADC has failed us, the AU has Failed us, the UN has failed us and the World has failed us. It is only God now who can save us."

I hope we, collectively, can prove him wrong.

I would like to believe that it is up to those nations in the world who truly understand the plight of the Zimbabweans and believe that something must be done to save the Zimbabwean people, that must act. South Africa has failed Zimbabwe for the past eight years and something must be done to apply meaningful pressure against South Africa to bring about a change in mind set of the ANC politicians which, in turn, will bring about meaningful change in Zimbabwe.

I WOULD ADVOCATE THAT THESE COUNTRIES START TO BOYCOTT THE SOCCER WORLD CUP DESTINED FOR SOUTH AFRICA IN 2010. PERHAPS AN IMMINENT BOYCOTT OF THE WORLD CUP WOULD BRING SOUTH AFRICA INTO THE FOLD OF RESPONSIBLE DEMOCRACIES AROUND THE WORLD, AND END THE UNTOLD SUFFERING AT ITS DOORSTEP.

The civilized countries in the world need to be seen to withdraw support from South Africa which is covertly supporting the SUBTLE HOLOCAUST IN ZIMBABWE. What ever different South African Politicians may say, this is a reality I have seen it with my own eyes. The Soccer World Cup is currently the pride and joy of South Africa, and for Seb Blatter to be advised to ask another country to host THE WORLD CUP in 2010 by pressure from civilized countries, may well be the catalyst to make South Africa change tack and bring meaningful change to Zimbabwe, and to once again bring hope to a broken people.

The closure of the Beit Bridge Border Post between South Africa and

Zimbabwe will cause Mugabe's regime to fall WITHIN A WEEK. Some people say that by cutting off resources would harm the poor people of Zimbabwe, yet from personal experience, it is hard to imagine that they could be any worse off than they are now.

PLEASE DO NOT BE DUPED INTO MUGABE WANTING TO CALL FOR NEW ELECTIONS IN TWO YEARS TIME, SHOULD THE CURRENT ROUND OF UNITY TALKS FAIL. This is a plan by Mugabe which will allow him a further two years to obliterate the MDC by continuing with his current HOLOCAUST. The Opposition has won, against all odds, both a National Election and a Presidential Election. This is now being denied to them by Mugabe. Please do not give in to Mugabe's plans, and allow him to obliterate the MDC for ever OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

I am tired now, and have probably written a rather poor grammatical letter, but I do hope I have managed to convey a very important message. I ask friends and family around the world to précis this letter and send it to influential news papers in your respective countries. I ask you to forward it on to your respective News Channels and Governments for action. Please pass this letter on to anyone who you think may have influence. Please do good for Zimbabwe this Christmas.

Yours in truth,

Peter Nupen

Thirty years of horror in what was once the most beautiful country on Earth. What is Britains response? To give the chief architect a knighthood(sic).