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April 1, 2005
Pavlovian Response
I wasn't optimistic about the Zimbabwean elections, but this is a sign that Zimbabwe's society has crossed some horrible threshold.
But the crucial factor in Mr. Mugabe's victory, some democracy advocates said, was five years of strong-arm rule that they said had conditioned voters to fear government retaliation if they supported the opposition.
A relaxation of that intimidation created the appearance of a free election in recent weeks, as foreign journalists and observers entered the country, but did not reverse the impact of years of violence and threats, they said.
It's going to take a lot more than the international community sitting on its hands and the occasional scolding to solve the Zimbabwe situation, because after years of starvation and oppression, people power has been effectively smothered.
Posted by Kelvin at April 1, 2005 7:06 PM
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