Published: June 29, 2008 01:13 am         

Our View: Time to act on Zimbabwe

Last week’s election in Zimbabwe shows why the United States and its partners of the United Nations can and should intervene in the corrupt politics of the African nation.

President George W. Bush rightly described the election as a sham, as 28-year reigning strongman Robert Mugabe was the only candidate. His opponent withdrew from as his supporters around the country were beaten and killed in a wave of violence.

The U.N. Security Council met Friday on the elections and Security Council President Zalmay Khalilzad of the United States said, “Conditions for free and fair elections did not exist and it was a matter of deep regret that the elections went ahead in these circumstances.”

Bush vowed to push for U.N. sanctions, including an embargo on arms sales and a ban on travel of regime officials. That may be a start, but possibly not enough to punish this brutal dictator and his regime.

Mugabe’s opponent in the March elections won a plurality of the vote, but not a majority and that forced this week’s runoff election.

By dozens of legitimate objective observers, the election wassimply a power grab by Mugabe. Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change party, pulled out when it was clear his supporters faced increasing violence. In the end, many were forced to vote in favor o Mugabe or face retribution. Many were asked to imprint their finger with ink so Mugabe’s “election officials” — or henchmen — could tell who voted. While Tsvangirai urged his supporters not to vote, he realized many would have to or face harm.

Mugabe faced rising opposition.His policy of taking commercial farms away from white owners and giving them to black individual farmers has been a tragic disaster. Zimbabwe, once Africa’s second biggest exporter of corn, is now the top grain importer in the continent. Zimbabwe is in the 10th year of a recession, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said about 5 million people, or 40 percent of the country, will need food aid next year.

The United States and European Union are so far united on sanctioning Mugabe’s government. Those sanctions can’t come too soon.