Superb coverage of the Angola elections from Unstrung is on offer to all interested. They seem to be in a similar position to South Africa: democratically sealed hegemony, with a single party’s power ensuring that the standard strength of accountability featured within the democratic system is not in evidence.
Accordnig to the Times Brown is leaving it up to the neighbours of Zimbabwe to deal with it. Given that the previous efforts entailed a “Deal” suggested by Mbeki for Simba to act as an utterly undemocratic “Compromise” between the Zanu PF’s longing to stay in power and everyone elses urge to get rid of Mugabe this might be somewhat unwise. Their efforts previously have also been somewhat lacking.
However Brown has been placed in something of a tricky position by Mugabe’s skillful political positioning: if he makes a more active effort to bring freedom to the suspended Commonwealth member he will most likely do more harm than good. Mugabe used the prospect of re-colonisation to secure his position throughout his reign and there is precious little prospect of Britain being able to exert more soft power over the process than will be returned in counter at the prospect of supposedely imperialist influence.
It might be for the best that he’s taken the stance he has but judging from past form I fear the rest of Africa will refuse to resolve this issue, even now.
While we are sitting quite contentedly writing about elections in London and Zimbabwe, life in the rest of the world continues as usual. A French yacht has been seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia, and no contact has been made with the crew. This is a big problem in those waters, apparently, with 25 such incidences occurring last year. An aid ship was recently escorted by the French Navy because of the threat of pirates. Read more, courtesy of the BBC.
It’s a brief reminder of the world outside the M25.
South Africa is to allow culls on elephants because the population has leaped from 8000 to 18000 in the 13 years since killings were banned. This is controversial for two reasons. Firstly, because elephants are in short supply worldwide, and killing some seems a little unnecessary. Secondly, because it is unlikely that the elephants will be killed in a thoroughly humane way.
People who live near elephants hate them. They ruin crops and can be dangerous if they get close to people and buildings. If there are too many elephants near people, surely we should move them to open areas. In short, let’s not needlessly kill these animals, let’s transport them to a more appropriate living space.
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