[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 45 (Thursday, March 15, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S3195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                ZIMBABWE

  Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, the events of the last few days in Zimbabwe 
are outrageous and warrant universal condemnation. It is time for the 
government of Robert Mugabe to cease its repressive and divisive 
actions and to allow Zimbabweans to pursue their hopes for legitimate 
political change and opportunity.
  Since Sunday, the world has watched with horror and outrage as the 
Mugabe government has cracked down on legitimate opposition, detained 
50 Zimbabweans attending a peaceful prayer meeting outside of Harare, 
and brutalized opposition leaders and ordinary citizens alike.
  A protestor was shot and killed. Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the 
Movement for Democratic Change, has been badly beaten and suffered 
severe head injuries. Lovemore Madhuku, the leader of the National 
Constitutional Assembly, reportedly has a broken arm and numerous other 
wounds. Many of their colleagues in opposition remain in Harare 
hospitals.
  The Government has responded to the outrage prompted by these attacks 
on human rights and legitimate expression with characteristic bluster. 
Once again, we are told that the opposition is to blame. Once again, we 
hear ominous warnings that the opposition is ``set to pay a very heavy 
price, regardless of who they are.'' Meanwhile, the true cause of the 
strife--President Mugabe's disastrous rule--remains unaddressed. To the 
dismay even of his own party, he has declared his intention to run for 
a new term in office in 2008.
  These events are shocking, but sadly they do not come as a surprise. 
For years, it has been increasingly apparent that the Mugabe government 
is interested only in its own survival and enrichment, not the welfare 
of the people of Zimbabwe. International observers--including the 
United States--concluded that the Presidential election of 2002 and the 
parliamentary elections of 2005 were not free and fair.
  The State Department reported just last week in its country report on 
human rights in Zimbabwe that: ``The government engaged in the 
pervasive and systematic abuse of human rights. The ruling party's 
dominant control and manipulation of the political process through 
intimidation and corruption effectively negated the right of citizens 
to change their government.''
  Meanwhile, the Government's corruption and mismanagement has brought 
the Zimbabwean economy to the brink of ruin. Estimates place inflation 
at a world high of 1,700 percent, and the IMF forecasts that this could 
pass 4,000 percent by the end of the year. Unemployment stands at 80 
percent. Poverty rates are soaring. Zimbabwe's economy is shrinking 
faster than any other country in the world that is not at war.
  I am heartened, though, that this political and economic 
deterioration has been met with growing calls for change.
  Within Zimbabwe, the opposition to Mugabe is showing resilience and 
courage. Factions of Mugabe's own party have indicated that they want a 
transition in 2008, and ordinary citizens are increasingly voicing 
their hopes for a new chapter.
  Beyond Zimbabwe, frustration with the Mugabe government is mounting. 
The head of the African Union has expressed his embarrassment at the 
situation in Zimbabwe. South Africa and the Southern African 
Development Community, which have been slow to criticize Zimbabwe in 
the past, seem to be losing patience. The United States, European 
Union, and the United Nations were swift in condemning this latest 
outrage and have been consistent in their calls for change.
  The United States must continue to stand strongly against the Mugabe 
government's abuses of power in Zimbabwe. We must join with our 
European allies, the United Nations, and--most importantly--the 
countries and institutions of the region to press for positive change 
in Zimbabwe. That means a peaceful democratic transition in 2008 and 
support for economic growth and opportunity--including the lifting of 
sanctions--once the dark cloud of Mugabe's rule is lifted and 
Zimbabweans are able again to reach for the new horizon they deserve.
  I call on President Mugabe to immediately release all political 
detainees and repeal the ban on political rallies, to end the use of 
violence and torture in the jails, permit a free media and abide by the 
rule of law. His government must also urgently address the humanitarian 
crisis that has put the mass of his population in dire need of 
assistance.
  Zimbabwe is a nation rich in history and rich in resources. Its 
talented people have known great hardship just as they have achieved 
great heights. When Robert Mugabe became President over a quarter 
century ago, there was great hope. Zimbabwe had emerged from British 
rule, claiming its freedom and its future for itself.
  Sadly, the freedom and opportunity for which Zimbabweans fought have 
been eclipsed in the last decade by repression and uncertainty. Instead 
of peaceful self-determination, we see Zimbabweans intimidated and 
beaten in the streets. Instead of the responsible management of 
Zimbabwe's state institutions, we see state-sanctioned corruption, 
violence, and property seizures. Instead of economic self-sufficiency, 
we see what was once one of Africa's most promising economies in a 
free-fall.
  Yet I am confident that the people of Zimbabwe will once again claim 
for themselves a better future. As they seek to hold their leaders 
accountable, as they try to rebuild their lives and their country, they 
must know that they have a strong and steady friend in the United 
States. The events of the last few days--and the Mugabe regime--must 
belong to the past, and the United States must work with the 
international community to help all Zimbabweans forge a better future.

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