Exclusive: secret film reveals how Mugabe stole an election
Only a moron could be genuinely surprised to find that the vote in Zimbabwe was rigged, but this film, made with the help of The Guardian, shows just how blatantly the rigging was carried out. People were literally made to vote right in front of someone who was known to be one of Mugabe's men. In this case we witness prison officers being told that they can only vote by post, a postal vote that they must complete in the presence of their employer. An employer who has already stated that only Mugabe and Zanu-PF can be allowed to win the election.
Shepherd Yuda, 36, the man who made the film, states that Zimbabwe has been let down by Thabo Mbeki, the South African leader who, rather than intervene, continued to talk about "pan-Africanism".
I've made my views on that clear too many times to repeat the argument now.
"I had never seen that kind of violence before," said Yuda, of the run-up to the election. "How can a government that claimed to be democratically elected kill its people, murder its people, torture its people?"The video speaks for itself, though I don't expect it to have any effect whatsoever. Mbeki and others know that the vote was rigged and yet do nothing. It's astonishing to witness a President of South Africa, of all bloody places, watch a black neighbouring population being denied their democratic rights, and - not only remain silent - but actually to give support to the person who is beating them out of those rights.
The film, made for Guardian Films, shows how Yuda and his colleagues at Harare central jail had to fill in their ballots in front of Zanu-PF activists.
Yuda also obtained footage of Zanu-PF rallies where voters were told they should pretend to be illiterate so that an official could fill in their ballot for them on behalf of Mugabe.
He was able to film the MDC's general secretary, Tendai Biti, in leg irons in jail. Biti, now on bail, faces treason charges which carry the death penalty.
Having completed filming, Yuda left Zimbabwe with his family for a new life and is now at a secret destination.
"I don't regret doing this, although it is a painful decision I have taken," he said. "We can live without the memories of seeing dead bodies in the prison, dead bodies in the street, dead bodies in my family.
"I've lost my uncle. My father was also beaten by Zanu-PF. I am praying to God: please God deal with Zanu-PF ruthlessly."
One would hope that international pressure will see the resolution carried, but I still fear that South Africa will ask China and Russia to veto anything which puts too much pressure on Mugabe.International pressure is mounting against Mugabe. It emerged yesterday that a US draft resolution to the UN will call for sanctions against Mugabe and demand that his government immediately begin talks with the MDC.
If adopted by the Security Council, the resolution would freeze the financial assets of Mugabe and 11 other Zimbabwean officials and ban them from travelling.
I remember in the eighties when the ANC used to beg the world to place sanctions on the Apartheid regime that was oppressing them in South Africa. It is actually quite horrible to think that South Africa might now be the very nation working behind the scenes to prevent sanctions being placed on Mugabe.
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