Integrating Missionally

Tomorrow is the International Day of Prayer for Zimbabwe. The crisis there is grow worse by the day. Violence is escalating and it appears China is trying to influence the region. Of note:

Incidents of Violence and Intimidation

1. The number of land grabs has increased to 120. Workers on the occupied farms have been severely beaten, chased off the lands and told that if they return they would be killed. The crops, so desperately needed by the country, are not being harvested and sheep, cattle and chickens are being slain indiscriminately. Police intervention, when called for, is not all that forthcoming.
2. At least 150 cases of torture have been treated by Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights members since the elections ended. This is the tip of the iceberg considering that most of these attacks take place in remote areas and that the overwhelming majority of victims don’t go for treatment.
3. At least two more MDC supporters were killed in Karoi and Mudzi respectively
4. In Magunje, a Chinese psychological torture method was employed by making villagers hold bullets while contemplating their reasons for voting MDC. They were then asked: “Do you want to start a war with Zanu PF?”
5. Mugabe’s private militia have been issued with army combat gear to prevent the victims from distinguishing official soldiers from his private militia.
6. In Magunje, two village elders who defied the threat from soldiers were stripped of their eldership by the soldiers.
7. Villages in the vicinity of Chatsworth and Chiguhuni were raided and polling agents who worked for the MDC during the elections were abducted.
8. More than 500 villagers’ houses were raided and set alight in Mutasa South.
9. An MDC supporter in Gokwe was admitted to hospital after having been shot in both legs.
10. In Seke, Zaka, Tsholotso and other rural areas, a group of war veterans wielding guns, threatened to kill those who voted for the opposition and their families.
11. More than 50 MDC members were arrested as a result of the MDC organised stay-away.
12. Students demonstrating against Mugabe at Bulawayo’s Nust University were beaten indiscriminately by police, which led to the demonstration turning into a riot.

The Chinese Factor
Cracks in Messrs. Mugabe and Mbeki’s ‘By Africans For Africa’ are showing. Over the past 24 hours, there have been at least two Zimbabwe-related incidents that sports direct Chinese involvement:

1. Confirmed: A Chinese ship bearing arms destined for Zimbabwe, is at anchor in Durban harbour at the moment Although the shipment is said not to have cleared yet, nobody (police, harbour authorities, customs etc.) is prepared to say whether these arms will be allowed to access Zimbabwe via South Africa or not.
2. Confirmed: A group of Chinese soldiers were spotted working with Zimbabwean soldiers in the eastern border city of Mutare. According to the Holiday Inn in Mutare, both the Zimbabwean and the Chinese soldiers are staying in their hotel. The soldiers are armed with pistols, AK 47 rifles, batons, tear gas and water canons. According to the Holiday Inn, the group is booked to remain for a week.

China has everything to gain: A jab at the West, access to Zimbabwe’s largely untapped diamond, gold and platinum resources, and ivory.

HT: The Word Write

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