Tuesday, April 01, 2008

HOLDING OUR BREATH........


ZIMBABWE HANGS ON A KNIFE EDGE................


.....and it is inexcusable that 60 hours after voting ended, so few results have been officially released. It is extremely worrying that so much time has passed, because it is almost impossible to imagine a scenario when a delay like this is not caused by some sort of vote rigging or other manoeuvering.


That election observers are already leaving the country before the results have been fully announced throws the whole thing under an even bigger shadow than the dark one that already looms over the integrity and fairness of this crucial election.


That the SADEC South African observers (with the exception of 2 DA members who refused to sign) have declared this election free and fair so prematurely is nothing short of immoral and criminal, given the level of suffering there and the number of lives who will be impacted by the outcome of this election. There is not a chance, given the number of reports filtering out of the country to the contrary, that this election has taken place in a free and fair way and the honesty and objectivity of many of the observers is as questionable as that of the ruling Government there.


All we can do is wait and hope that our family and friends will be safe, and that sanity will prevail, because it is going to be tense there, whichever party is finally announced as the winner. There was a miracle here, when the anticipated bloodbath did not come to pass in 1994. Let's hope the same thing happens there.............


In the meantime, we continue to hold our breath.
(The rather disturbing picture illustrating this post is a painting I did last year, and is called "Fat Bobcat". I just got up one morning and started painting and this was the result...it was obviously a result of the frustration and anger brewing inside me about what Bob Mugabe is doing at the expense of his people. When you talk to Zimbabweans and get a true picture of the suffering they are going through, and then you look at his new mansion on Google Earth.... and when the true tales of torture, brutality, intimidation and gross corruption are told, it is impossible to have any belief in the integrity or humanity of this man. The only word I can apply to him and his henchmen is EVIL, and I guess that is what poured out of me the day I did this painting, it even took me by surprise!!)

7 comments:

imac said...

Tricky time - tricky place.Fingers crossed.

Tom said...

As soon as I saw this picture I knew what was coming... it speak s volumes.. I have seen and looked at lots of your paintings and this one seems to be shouting from within...
What is going on there will indeed spill blood before it is sorted, it is just a matter of who's and how much. It should not be allowed to go on at all.

Anonymous said...

Still waiting to see what happens ... I hope Mugabe gets what he deserves ... a kick on the bottom!

Anonymous said...

Hi, I love your photographs and art. They are amazing. Do you have a gallery in Port Elizabeth? I now am about to ask you a question that I hope will not be offensive but is perhaps very random. I am a 26 year old female living in the United States. I am hoping to come to Port Elizabeth for three months this summer volunteering fulltime. My fiance is rather concerned about my safety there as an American visiting. So, because i loved your blog and art I thought it could not hurt to ask you opinion and perhaps you would have some helpful advice. thank you. Liz

Gillian Mowbray said...

Here in the UK, we are watching with baited breath too. Today we're getting reports that another election may be called for?

Fingers crossed for an outcome that will leave the lovely people of Zimbabwe some hope for a future of freedom. x

Tom said...

I showed this picture to Jane and Big Peter... both were moved by it... the news is full of the elections and when the results will be out.. and of course what will happen next.
Jane and Peter were much the same as me on this picture.. we all thought it very moving.

Suzi-k said...

thanks Tom, Jane and Pete!

Anonymous, that will be fine. E-mail me your e-mail address (mine is on my profile) and I'll happily answer any questions and give tips on what is ok and what to avoid. It is generally safe here and is a great town, so don't be afraid to come, but you just need to be a bit aware of how it works!