Zimbabwe Power Sharing Talks Underway

As noted earlier, talks are underway in South Africa between Zimbabwean rivals Zanu PF and MDC. 

The delegates, from Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF, and both factions of the Movement for Democratic Change, are expected to devote the next 14 days, uninterrupted, to the negotiations.

There have been reports that it may be possible for the delegates to reach final agreement within that timeframe. 

While not specifically incorporated in the agenda for these talks, the security forces, and particularly the Joint Operations Command, will require close attention from the delegates. The Joint Operations Command is run by a senior party official, the various military commanders, the chiefs of police and prisons, and the country's senior intelligence official. 

Raftopoulos says this group is the power behind Mr. Mugabe.

"The Joint Operation Command has basically been running the country, certainly during this election period. And they have played an enormously destructive role in the violence, in fact coordinating it and orchestrating it," he added. "So their future role obviously requires a reform of their role and certainly a re-look at the security apparatus generally."  (Link)

The militia issue is not trivial.  These "green bomber youths" wreaked havoc in Zimbabwe prior to the runoff election and now are feeling a bit vulnerable since President Mugabe appears to be abandoning them and their victims have new power.

Two of the young men, who had spent months beating, looting, raping and killing people in their neighborhood near Harare, sat recently with anxious eyes and furrowed brows. They looked so non-threatening that it was difficult to picture them beating up a 12-year-old just for wearing red, or helping to burn a house where people died in the flames in the months before the June 27 presidential runoff. They behaved like guilty boys, defensive about their "chores.

Like his victims, the 25-year-old lives with fear. He believes the spirits of those he killed will come and take vengeance. He is afraid to walk alone in his neighborhood, because an angry mob might rise up and kill him for what he has done in Mugabe's name.

And he's afraid of his superiors.  "If you don't do it, they can just tell you, 'You are a spy;' they can start beating you, or kill you."

He's remorseful, up to a point; but mostly he blames his commanders. He was only "following orders." (Link)

Ah, the old "I was only following orders" defense.  Some truly horrible deeds have been done throughout history using that defense. 

Needless to say, the Zimbabwe situation is perilous.  Given Mugabe's actions and statements prior and just following the rigged and illegal runoff election,  one might presume his intentions are not all that honorable.  Let's hope for the best.