June 03, 2004

CHEER THE DEFIANT MONSTER

Those journalists who applauded Robert Mugabe’s speech at the World Summit on Sustainable Development will be delighted by their hero’s latest brave stand against wrongdoers:

The government in Zimbabwe has proposed new contracts for all Internet service providers that will force them to block content or report "malicious messages" to the authorities.

The proposed contract, a copy of which was obtained by AFP on Tuesday, obliges Internet service providers to "take all necessary measures to prevent" any content inconsistent with Zimbabwe laws to be carried on its network.

Police in Zimbabwe last year arrested 14 people accused of circulating a subversive electronic mail message calling for "violent demonstrations and strikes to push Robert Mugabe out of office".

Sounds like that "crushing of dissent" you sometimes hear journalists complaining about.

Posted by Tim Blair at June 3, 2004 02:14 AM
Comments

But the journalists agree with Mugabe, so those who disagree are wreckers, not dissenters.

Posted by: An at June 3, 2004 at 03:03 AM

It's disgusting *anyone* outside of Mugabe’s sycophants applauded this guy. He's starving his own people. He's using food as a tool to gain more power and punish those who would dare be against him.

I wonder how Amnesty International ranked Zimbabwe, in terms of human rights' abuses?

Posted by: Chris Josephson at June 3, 2004 at 03:18 AM

Do "chill winds" blow in Africa?

Posted by: Sean M. at June 3, 2004 at 04:10 AM

"violent demonstrations"

I'm guessing those bad old folks over in Zimbabwe aren't allowed to tap into their populices emails to avoid "violent demonstrations". Unlike all those free countries.

Sounds like the Patriot Act to me. He's a patriot defending his country against "violent demonstrations" during his presidency. Why would it be okay for Bush to do it if not this guy?

Oh, he's not one of the chosen so when he does it it's crushing dissent but when Bush does it it's protecting national security. Yeah there is indeed some double standard going on.

Damn reporters.

Posted by: IXLNXS at June 3, 2004 at 09:31 AM

No, no, no, "Crushing of Dissent" only happens in the US. Also, "Prisoner Abuse", "Racism", "Antisemitism", "Repression", Etc. If something similar happens in a non-democratic country, that`s not news.

Posted by: Scott at June 3, 2004 at 10:20 AM

Whatever you do, don't try to use a dodgy self defence ploy as mitigation in Zimbabwe- they will see right through you. He must have self-inflicted the axe and stab wounds to get sympathy from the fair and equitable Zimbabwe court system.

Posted by: Habib at June 3, 2004 at 11:52 AM

There is a Zimbawabean Govt site.

I started out writing a reasoned argument against their what amounts to confiscation of mining companies assets when the message box was cut off. Anyway, go their and flood it with handy tips like:
Mugabe wear brown pants because we're coming to blow your tonsils out through the bacteria you call a brain you murdering poofter.

Posted by: d at June 3, 2004 at 02:51 PM

There goes that wacky IXLNXS again, morally conflating people fighting against a murderous regime with people fighting to overthrow a democratic government and replace it with a murderous regime.

What a strange, warped little window he sees the world through.

Posted by: Sortelli at June 5, 2004 at 02:26 PM