ELECTED OFFICIALS TAKE FACT-FINDING TRIP TO ZIMBABWE

HE FOOD SHORTAGE

Another thing the American press uses to badmouth Mugabe is the food shortage. When Barron, Davis, Powell and Trotter went into the urban community of Harare - where about 80% of people vote for the MDC - they asked the people there about it.

Even here they found that there isn't an intense anti-Mugabe feeling and that most of the people associate the food shortage not with land reform, but with the draught. There are diehard political opponents who want to say land reform is to blame, but it simply makes no sense. As Barron commented, "Africans knew how to farm long before the Europeans came. Then they were farming the land after the colonization because they were forced to do it for the Europeans. What would make anyone think that they lost a sense of farming now that they have the land back for themselves once again? The logic escapes me."

Another thing the legislators wanted to find out about was the situation as to elections in Zimbabwe because we hear Mugabe called a dictator who refused to hold elections, and when he finally did, they were rigged.

The fact is, Mugabe was first duly and democratically elected in 1980, and since then there have been parliamentary elections every 5 years and presidential elections every 6. He's won with approximately 70% of the vote every time. And when you look at the breakdown of the votes, it's very hard to believe the elections are rigged because the other parties make a decent showing also.

The MDC said that during the 2000 election Mugabe's ZANU-PF party used intimidation and violence. When asked about it, official representatives of ZANU-PF said that some of that did indeed happen. It occurred on both sides, but more so on the government's side. However, Mugabe had known nothing of it at the time; he certainly hadn't initiated it, and he condemns any of that kind of action now.

We also hear allegations that there were "rape camps" where women associated with members of the opposition were molested. But when the 4 men asked people on all sides about this, they found absolutely no one who verified it. Everyone said there was no such thing.

Other reports have reached this country that Mugabe was beating, jailing even killing homosexuals. Across the board, people said that was ridiculous. Mugabe had said some negative things, but basically in African society they declare that you can be what you want to be, however you just can't do what you want to do in public, whether you're hetero- or homosexual.

One of the things all 4 elected officials saw was the double standard this country uses in judging Zimbabwe and its history, and our own. They won their freedom in 1979 and had their first election in 1980, just one year after. "But," said Powell, "this nation took 13 years just to have an election for president. We had General George Washington running the country from 1776 until 1789 when he was first elected."

Barron added, "It's important to see that America is 226 years on the other side of its so-called democracy in progress. Yet, we still have Native American reservations, Black ghettos and Latino barrios. We continue to have institutionalized racism, individual bigotry, police brutality, injustice to women, homophobia - you name it. We've still got poverty, homelessness, and people starving in the country that produces more food than anybody. Yes," he continued, "Zimbabwe, has a lot of problems, and criticisms can be made of Mugabe. But they're only 23 years on the other side of their revolution. That's the perspective that we've got to keep."

And Councilman Davis came away feeling very sure that Zimbabwe deserves the support of the US government. He makes the point that even though their struggle for independence was funded by the Soviet Union, Cuba and China, after they won it, "They chose to fly under the flag of democracy." And he states, "I implore the countries of the so-called 'Free world' such as America and England that supposedly believe in democracy, not to forget this young country called Zimbabwe. It's outrageous that America would cast them aside instead of helping them develop their land redistribution, and aiding with their human rights issues and other issues such as their HIV and AIDS crisis and their food crisis due to draught. That was what it was all about for me: making sure we do not forget this little babe of democracy."

Davis, Barron, Powell and Trotter all agree that even though in 4 days you can't find out everything, it was a credible fact finding trip. They were all very glad they went and felt greatly educated by what they saw.