Violence in Zimbabwe

Terrible things are afoot in Zimbabwe, and have been since the March 29th election. Mugabe's farcical poll on June 27th and rushed reinstatement has done nothing to slow the terror.

Sokwanele provides some insight into what is happening on the ground. Their election violence map tracks post-election incidents, but only those that have been confirmed and verified - it represents the tip of the iceberg.

I'm not sure how to embed their map, so here's a screenshot from today:


Sokwanele also has a Flickr photostream. There are disturbing images of post-election violence.

Here are some photos from their set:





There are others I can't bring myself to repost: raw flesh and open wounds, huge deep red holes in buttocks and bodies from extensive beatings; axe wounds; burn wounds. And these are only the victims who are close enough to 'civilization' for their injuries to be recorded.

The government and its thugs are indiscriminate: they attack MDC activists (first photo above), white people (often elderly: the lady pictured above is 74), and ordinary citizens who appear poor weak and defenceless: anyone who is suspected of not being a whole-hearted supporter of the government, or anyone who seems easy prey.

It makes me sick and sad. Zimbabwe today is an example of unbelievable courage and extreme depravity.