Zimbabwe

I have no hesitation in forwarding this post which I received this morning.

Dave

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Dear friends,

The people of Zimbabwe cast a brave vote for change in March. Did President Mugabe accept their verdict? No, he declared he would rule until God removed him, murdered scores of his opponents and their families, shut out observers and prepared to steal back power in the run-off to be held this Thursday, 27th June.

Finally, this Sunday, the opposition withdrew from the run-off, calling the elections a "violent sham." Indeed, this isn't an election at all -- it's a one-sided war.

But against the odds, there is hope. Amidst growing international condemnation and pressure, Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and the opposition have entered private talks and legitimate government may be possible yet.

The United Nations Security Council unanimously held on Monday that free and fair elections are now impossible in Zimbabwe. The UN Secretary-General spoke out. But it is African leaders, most of all Thabo Mbeki, who hold the key. Even Mugabe cannot cling to power without their cooperation. Today, we're launching an emergency campaign, petitioning these leaders to call an immediate summit, isolate Mugabe, and broker a legitimate government for Zimbabwe. Our call will be published in big newspaper advertisements in South Africa, Tanzania, Angola, and Mozambique this week -- click here to see the ads and endorse their message:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_zimbabwe/3.php?cl=100522815

Last week, 27 year old Abigail Chiroto, the wife of Harare's mayor Emmanuel Chiroto, was abducted with her 4-year-old son by men in uniforms and found brutally beaten to death. Reports abound of systematic and targeted torture, with scores of MDC activists and their families killed. Bodies have been found with their eyes gouged out and their lips and tongues cut off.

Last week Kofi Annan said to Mugabe, "The victor of an unfair vote must be under no illusions: he will neither have the legitimacy to govern, nor receive the support of the international community." Southern African leaders are already calling for the postponement of the election, but there's a real danger that they may not stand up to Mugabe's mockery.

So our campaign will publicly name those African leaders who hold Mugabe's last remaining lifeline -- key allies and neighbours, the states charged by the Southern African Development Community with overseeing this election and Tanzania, which will chair an African Union summit late this week. Robert Mugabe may have saved Zimbabwe from colonialism, but now it's time for African leaders to save Zimbabwe from him.

If we do nothing, Robert Mugabe could succeed in his de facto coup against the democratic process and solidify his deathgrip on a wavering ZANU-PF party and an imploding Zimbabwe, meeting little more than mild protests from his neighbours. His thugs will run riot, and chaos will spill over the borders destabilizing the whole region.

But if we act now, by stiffening the nerve of the neighbours who control Zimbabwe's borders and supply its electricity and goods, enough regime officials will accept the need for change and for Morgan Tsvangirai as leader of the next government.

If we can muster 250,000 voices this week, including a great roar from every country in Africa through a major ad campaign, we can make this happen. Please click here to see the ads and sign the petition, then forward this message to friends:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_zimbabwe/3.php?cl=100522815

With hope and determination,

Ben, Alice, Paul, Graziela, Mark, Ricken, Iain, Veronique, Pascal, and Milena -- the Avaaz.org team

PS: For more information and sources for the facts above, see:

Thabo Mbeki and the emergency talks for a settlement:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article4200177.ece

United Nations Security Council declares free and fair elections "impossible":
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL2026827820080624

Elections going ahead despite MDC pull-out:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7468849.stm

Mugabe: "Only God will remove me!"
http://www.thetimes.co.za/SpecialReports/Zimbabwe/Article.aspx?id=788598

Regional leaders criticizing Mugabe:
Tanzania's Kikwete - http://allafrica.com/stories/200806200336.html
Rwanda's Kagame - http://allafrica.com/stories/200806190003.html
Kenya's Odinga - http://allafrica.com/stories/200806190949.html
Uganada's Museveni - http://allafrica.com/stories/200806120016.htmlABOUT AVAAZ

Back to Roman Times

The New Mersey Gateway Bridge is to go ahead. However, when it opens there will be a hefty toll. Not only that, but the old bridge (which is now free) will be made toll.

All this means that there is no free crossing of the Mersey till one gets to Warrington.

Two thousand years ago, when Rome ruled, the only free crossing was also at Warrington!

Thank you Mr. Brown and New Labour for giving us a glimpse of the past!

Toyah RIP

Today we said goodbye to our old friend, Toyah.
She first came to us over fourteen years ago, having been rescued from an owner who neglected her and was violent. For some time afterwards she became aggressive when seeing a man carrying anything which looked like a stick.

However, she settled in with the family and went with us on days out and holidays. Her favourite place was the sea and that is why I have included this photograph taken in North Wales. She also liked rescuing things from ponds and lakes and came back home with many a stray football.

Toyah also came with us on our many Medieval re-enactment weekends and was well known in re-enactment circles. She once enjoyed taking part in a mock hunt at Eastnor Castle, along with a group of other dogs. She did her last re-enactment at Rockingham at the beginning of the month.

Two years ago she had a stroke and we thought it was the end, but she recovered. Her chasing days were over as she would run for a short distance and then fall over! However, since the beginning of the month she became steadily worse, unable to walk. In the last five days she found it hard to breathe. The vet found that she had Leukemia of the Lympth Nodes and so the end came.

We thank God for her life and all the joy she has brought to us and those around us.

Our Duck

Our female duck has decided to nest under the bushes. Not great news I know, but this is our first attempt at blogging from our mobile phone.

Quite often we take pictures we would like to share but somehow never get round to it. Perhaps this will spur us on to do something when we are on the move an thoughts and images are fresh.