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Saturday, April 14, 2007
A meeting in hospital
I read a great article a few weeks ago in the Independent by Basildon Peta who I really rate as a journalist.
He was giving an update on the medical conditions of the opposition members beaten up by police and what Tsvangirai was saying about it all.
Apparently some of the injured were being looked after in the same hospital as Mugabe's sister. Mugabe had to literally walk past the bed of the seriously injured secretary general of the MDC to get to see his sister. What an image. Apparently neither men said anything.
He was giving an update on the medical conditions of the opposition members beaten up by police and what Tsvangirai was saying about it all.
Apparently some of the injured were being looked after in the same hospital as Mugabe's sister. Mugabe had to literally walk past the bed of the seriously injured secretary general of the MDC to get to see his sister. What an image. Apparently neither men said anything.
Rant
The diatribe on Zim seems to have quietened down a bit in the past couple of weeks. Except for mine.
I'm wondering why the media haven't explored the reason for the failing of the two day strike called recently in the country. Beatings, arrests, court appearances continue - the situation hasn't improved or changed - so why no reporting?
It's easy to become cynical and (more than) irritated by how Africa is reported. Many people talk of the laziness journalists exhibit in reporting on an event/ civil war/ election in Africa or the personalities themselves. There's little context - historical or political - and a sort of despairing shaking of the head and the tinge of 'Look how badly the children are behaving.'
Newspaper commentary is amongst the worst.
One recent example: "This is a story of war and bunfights. Start with the party thrown by Robert Mugabe to mark his 83rd birthday. Herds of cattle were slaughtered and drums of beer imported for a banquet that filled a football stadium. Outside, the people starved and the morgues filled up....In Zimbabwe, the hangover of excess and brutality goes on."
None of this is untrue and it's supposed to be a dramatic opening but we've heard all this sooooo many times. Where's the sense of the complexity of Zim these days? Yes the bald facts are that Zim is in meltdown, Mugabe has lost touch with many of the wants and needs of his voters. His hold on to power has become a thing of ego and repression.
But surely there are other ways to comment and discuss this huge issue. Surely the journalist needs to ask - What or who enabled him to reach 83 and still be president? Why this show of power by Mugabe on the day to mark this grand old age? Who is he trying to impress - Zimbabweans or the region, China even? Who is he trying to provoke? He knows the economy is in serious trouble and he's hated by many. Anyone wondered who's having the last laugh?
The same journalist goes on. Apparently beefing up existing sanctions with travel bans and freezing assets will stop "dignitaries from buying their shoes at Gucci and having their varicose veins fixed in Harley Street". The height of outrageous behaviour obviously.
But British Airways can continue to run direct flights to Zimbabwe, British companies can continue to operate in the country (however unstable it may be). That's OK.
Rant over.
I'm wondering why the media haven't explored the reason for the failing of the two day strike called recently in the country. Beatings, arrests, court appearances continue - the situation hasn't improved or changed - so why no reporting?
It's easy to become cynical and (more than) irritated by how Africa is reported. Many people talk of the laziness journalists exhibit in reporting on an event/ civil war/ election in Africa or the personalities themselves. There's little context - historical or political - and a sort of despairing shaking of the head and the tinge of 'Look how badly the children are behaving.'
Newspaper commentary is amongst the worst.
One recent example: "This is a story of war and bunfights. Start with the party thrown by Robert Mugabe to mark his 83rd birthday. Herds of cattle were slaughtered and drums of beer imported for a banquet that filled a football stadium. Outside, the people starved and the morgues filled up....In Zimbabwe, the hangover of excess and brutality goes on."
None of this is untrue and it's supposed to be a dramatic opening but we've heard all this sooooo many times. Where's the sense of the complexity of Zim these days? Yes the bald facts are that Zim is in meltdown, Mugabe has lost touch with many of the wants and needs of his voters. His hold on to power has become a thing of ego and repression.
But surely there are other ways to comment and discuss this huge issue. Surely the journalist needs to ask - What or who enabled him to reach 83 and still be president? Why this show of power by Mugabe on the day to mark this grand old age? Who is he trying to impress - Zimbabweans or the region, China even? Who is he trying to provoke? He knows the economy is in serious trouble and he's hated by many. Anyone wondered who's having the last laugh?
The same journalist goes on. Apparently beefing up existing sanctions with travel bans and freezing assets will stop "dignitaries from buying their shoes at Gucci and having their varicose veins fixed in Harley Street". The height of outrageous behaviour obviously.
But British Airways can continue to run direct flights to Zimbabwe, British companies can continue to operate in the country (however unstable it may be). That's OK.
Rant over.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Lectures
Jeffrey Sachs is giving a series of lectures on the BBC giving his take on the world. The audience was mostly non-plussed, including Sir Christopher Mayer and a woman from GlaxoSmithKlein but Geri Halliwell and another young woman who said she was an 'optimist' are obviously devoted.
He says it's all about Choice. I like the idea that there are people who are powerful or friends with people who are powerful who think with gusto and make new connections between people and between people and places, rather than just shrug their shoulders because of corruption, donor fatigue and the way it's always been. People in the audience asked again and again 'But how...?' and although they're right, where's the passion?
The next lecture will be broadcast from China but today's lecture is from the Royal Society
The UK's The Independent featured a reaction which also makes interesting reading.
He says it's all about Choice. I like the idea that there are people who are powerful or friends with people who are powerful who think with gusto and make new connections between people and between people and places, rather than just shrug their shoulders because of corruption, donor fatigue and the way it's always been. People in the audience asked again and again 'But how...?' and although they're right, where's the passion?
The next lecture will be broadcast from China but today's lecture is from the Royal Society
The UK's The Independent featured a reaction which also makes interesting reading.
Absence
It's now two months since I last posted anything on here - I don't understand how that happened. I'm now back in England and obviously I seem to have been struggling to find thoughts to post.
Zim has been kicking off since I was there just before I came back and when the first of the demonstrations happened. Driving into one suburb and seeing riot police and water canons was a surprise and came out of nowhere.
A few streets away people didn't even know what had happened. The demo had been given the go-ahead but then apparently the police didnt think they had the manpower to cope so instead the shields, dogs and canons were called in and beat people up. A ban on all demos - government and opposition - followed. Opposition members were arrested.
And since then articles, new pieces and commentary on Zim and Mugabe haven't been far off the lead story.
Zim has been kicking off since I was there just before I came back and when the first of the demonstrations happened. Driving into one suburb and seeing riot police and water canons was a surprise and came out of nowhere.
A few streets away people didn't even know what had happened. The demo had been given the go-ahead but then apparently the police didnt think they had the manpower to cope so instead the shields, dogs and canons were called in and beat people up. A ban on all demos - government and opposition - followed. Opposition members were arrested.
And since then articles, new pieces and commentary on Zim and Mugabe haven't been far off the lead story.
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