Posted on 11/14/2017 7:04:26 PM PST by NRx
The military in Zimbabwe appears to have taken control of the country’s airwaves amid high tension in the capital and reports of explosions.
After securing control of the state broadcaster, a military spokesman made a televised announcement early on Wednesday saying President Robert Mugabe and his family were “safe and sound and their security is guaranteed”.
He said the army was targeting “criminals around” Mugabe, who were “committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in order to bring them to justice”.
He said “as soon as they are done situation will come to normalcy.” The army spokesman said it was not a military takeover.
The announcement came after witnesses in Harare reported a number of loud explosions and saw armed forces assaulting passers-by in the early hours of the morning.
Soldiers were also seen loading ammunition near a group of four military vehicles. The explosions could be heard near the University of Zimbabwe campus, Reuters reported.
During the drama, the US embassy in the capital tweeted out a message citing “ongoing uncertainty.” A statement later posted by the embassy told US citizens in Zimbabwe to “shelter in place until further notice”.
The British government said that due to the “uncertain political situation” British nationals should remain at home.
Reuters said its reporter in the capital had encountered aggressive soldiers telling passing cars to keep moving through the darkness.
“Don’t try anything funny. Just go,” one said on Harare Drive.
Two hours later, soldiers overran the headquarters of the ZBC, Zimbabwe’s state broadcaster and a principal Mugabe mouthpiece, and ordered staff to leave. Several ZBC workers were manhandled, two members of staff and a human rights activist told Reuers.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
I was thinking Suharto deposing Sukarno in Indonesia.
A general deposes a revolutionary hero and president-for-life who has outstayed his welcome and whose shenanigans, economic incompetence, absurd foreign policy, lavish lifestyle and lack of clear successor has just pissed off too many vested interests.
The end result is the same, everyone breathes a sigh of relief and sits back and waits for the purges to begin, new president installs himself, gets too comfortable, repeat process again.
“I was thinking Suharto deposing Sukarno in Indonesia.”
I would swap Indonesia for Zimbabwe anytime, anywhere if I lived in Zimbabwe.
The Ceaucescu family was unavailable for comment.
Indonesia is a lovely place, which would surprise many people here.
“Indonesia is a lovely place, which would surprise many people here.”
Zimbabwe is also a nice place to visit. I went to Victoria Falls recently. The airport was brand new, the roads were in good shape, the signs were all in English, everyone spoke English, and the people were gentle and friendly. Got to rub the bellies of lion cubs, and take them for a walk.
I only saw the tourist area inside the National Park, where a lot of the folks working there actually lived across the river in Livingstone, Zambia. I did interact with some locals selling handicrafts though. Although they seemed to have been eating well enough, I was approached by one who offered to trade for the shoes I was wearing, another for my pants, another for my shirt, and another for my sunglasses. Zimbabweans would travel 300 miles or more to sleep outside of tourist attractions (like a big baobab tree) just for the chance of occasionally selling a trinket for a few dollars. Business did not seem good for them, but they were quite polite nonetheless.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a move to set up their (China’s) first puppet state there.”
The Chinese have been inside Zimbabwe for some time already, and have long had the political class eating out of their hands. The Chinese operate mines in Zimbabwe that are fenced off from the locals, and they come and go from their own airstrips.
This looks to me like a succession struggle within the ruling Zanu-PF Party, and they just sought clearance from the Chinese before launching. Sanctions on the country for a coup could further devastate the poor in Zimbabwe, but it is China that keeps the bank accounts of the Party elite full. They had to be sure that they did not endanger their own iron rice bowls.
Exactly. And which PLA mandarin will be the first to vector plague back to the Dynasty?
Part of China’s flanking movements.
“Anything would be an improvement to Mugabe”
It sure would be a challenge to do worse than Mugabe, but if anyone can do it, it is the Zanu-PF Party (which is staying in power, just with a new boss).
Isn’t it odd how places one would assume to be hell-holes from the way they are portrayed in the media turn out to be actually quite nice when you get there?
When I read about Indonesia in the comments in this forum I often have great difficulty in recognising the country they are talking about as they bear no relationship to actual life in Indonesia.
There is good and bad in all places, and all people.
Like the blind men describing the elephant, if you are just getting one aspect reported, you miss out on the rest.
I was leery of going to Mexico for quite some time, based on reports I’d heard. Even though the reports were true (some squalor, crime and corruption), the overall experience was so nice that I’ve gone back several times.
They have a long history in Rhodesia and some unfinished business. They see a lot of cheap labor and mineral resources to be had, and a hapless government to do anything with it.
They are in there for good, and are certainly are not shy using military force once they get established and the locals figure out they have been played. They will be the dominant economic and military power in Africa in 10 years, which is 7 years further than what we plan for.
Dissention? ISIS? Al-Shabaab? The Chinese will have a true blue water navy and accompanying naval infantry, supported by a port in DJ. They will just liquidate them once they have a stronghold, and take hold of Africa's resources, while propping up puppet governments.
Once that happens-- a new world reserve currency is introduced. Checkmate. You can see this coming a mile away.
Don’t go to Aceh or Halhamhera. Both places are bad for non-muslims. The north part of Sulawesi has Christians still, and is a very good place to go, especially for the snorkling. The middle part is good, too, for the coffee and the Toraja village.
Most of the rest that I went to were nice enough, especially Bali, although, remember, Indonesia is a huge country that has a thousand cultures, and I only went to a few places. I have no idea what the south-eastern islands are like (Ambon, Timor, etc), but I’d like to go there.
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