2008 Woodie Awards
Faculty debate future of Zimbabwe after runoff elections
Editor-In- Chief
Issue date: 7/9/08 Section: Campus
G-8 countries, foreign investors, and the England and Wales Cricket Board have one common topic of discussion on their agendas this week: what to do about Zimbabwe.
In response to that question, two Miami University faculty members have differing answers.
Provost Jeffrey Herbst, a scholar of African politics, said sanctions won't make a significant difference and its unlikely President Robert Mugabe will be forced from power.
Alternatively, associate professor of political science Abdoulaye Saine holds out hope that Zimbabweans will be able to "pull themselves out of this mess."
Mugabe, who claimed the opposition party did not win a majority in the March 29 elections, intimidated Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his followers until the party withdrew from runoff elections less than a week before they occurred in late June.
Mugabe has served as president of the country for the last 28 years since the country formerly known as Rhodesia became independent of Great Britain. In that time period, inflation has increased significantly and Mugabe's land reform policies have come under repeated criticism.
Now, a week after Mugabe was sworn in to his sixth term in office, politicians, financial analysts, and academics debate the country's future.
Herbst said proposals of sanctions or a unity government are not solutions to the problem facing Zimbabwe.
"We're not going to cut off food aid, because that would hurt Zimbabweans," Herbst said.
He said President Bush's mention of an arms embargo wouldn't be approved by the Security Council. Even if it was, Herbst added, there are so many arms in the world, an embargo wouldn't matter.
However, Saine said "smart sanctions" against members of Mugabe's inner circle may prove effective. These sanctions don't harm most Zimbabweans, but target Mugabe's associates by freezing their assets or not allowing their children to study at universities in developed countries.
In response to that question, two Miami University faculty members have differing answers.
Provost Jeffrey Herbst, a scholar of African politics, said sanctions won't make a significant difference and its unlikely President Robert Mugabe will be forced from power.
Alternatively, associate professor of political science Abdoulaye Saine holds out hope that Zimbabweans will be able to "pull themselves out of this mess."
Mugabe, who claimed the opposition party did not win a majority in the March 29 elections, intimidated Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his followers until the party withdrew from runoff elections less than a week before they occurred in late June.
Mugabe has served as president of the country for the last 28 years since the country formerly known as Rhodesia became independent of Great Britain. In that time period, inflation has increased significantly and Mugabe's land reform policies have come under repeated criticism.
Now, a week after Mugabe was sworn in to his sixth term in office, politicians, financial analysts, and academics debate the country's future.
Herbst said proposals of sanctions or a unity government are not solutions to the problem facing Zimbabwe.
"We're not going to cut off food aid, because that would hurt Zimbabweans," Herbst said.
He said President Bush's mention of an arms embargo wouldn't be approved by the Security Council. Even if it was, Herbst added, there are so many arms in the world, an embargo wouldn't matter.
However, Saine said "smart sanctions" against members of Mugabe's inner circle may prove effective. These sanctions don't harm most Zimbabweans, but target Mugabe's associates by freezing their assets or not allowing their children to study at universities in developed countries.
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