Somebody has got to stop the madness in Zimbabwe

Now, the people of the southern African nation of Zimbabwe are dying from a cholera epidemic. What will it take for someone, anyone, in a position of global power to say, “Enough?”

As we have acknowledged on many occasions, what is happening in a country in Africa that is not in America’s national interest certainly doesn’t rise to the level of the war on global terrorism or the world’s economic crisis.

But, the deaths of innocent men, women and children, regardless of where they live or their importance in the arena of global politics, must not be ignored. A moral nation cannot pick and choose when it comes to saving lives.

Zimbabwe under President Robert Mugabe, whose rule by gun has resulted in thousands of his political opponents being killed, disappearing or escaping to neighboring countries, has been brought to its knees.

The economy is in shambles — the inflation rate cannot be accurately calculated — food and medicine shortages have caused widespread suffering, and now, because of the infrastructure collapsing, deaths from cholera are rising at an alarming rate.

The United Nations has said that more than 500 Zimbabweans have died and more than 12,500 have been inflected. All this in four months.

And now, the very individuals who offer the last hope to the masses, the doctors and nurses, have become the targets of Mugabe’s murderous thugs posing as police.

Economic, health crisis

The doctors and nurses were protesting the deepening economic and health crisis when riot police charged. A few blocks away, police stopped teachers trying to join the same protest. At least six protesters were taken away in trucks.

But Mugabe’s more than two decades reign of terror may be losing its effectiveness. On Monday, soldiers who have demonstrated their loyalty to him by burning down villages populated by his opponents, went on a rampage after they were unable to withdraw wages from banks, which have been short of cash.

Zimbabwe’s government is cooperating with aid agencies to try to stem the spread of cholera, but has stopped short of declaring the epidemic a national emergency.

“Cholera is a disease of destitution that used to be almost unknown in Zimbabwe,” said Louis Michel, the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid.

The European Commission is providing more than $12 million for drugs and clean water, while the International Red Cross was also releasing more funds to deal with the epidemic.

While these are necessary humanitarian actions, they do not address the core problem in Zimbabwe: Mugabe’s continued rule as president. The time has come for the African Union and the United Nations to make it clear to him that his days are numbered.

If he does not respond to reason, then he should be given an offer he cannot refuse: go voluntarily, or be driven out by force.

How many more lives must be lost in a miserable, shattered country before the man responsible is held to account?