News: Manic Monday

• Zimbabwe, of course: Mugabe has once again turned to exacerbating racial tensions as a political tool, claiming that the MDC is “unleashing” white farmers to “re-occupy” land taken from them in Mugabe’s many land redistribution campaigns. This is blatant fear-mongering, using colonial and liberation rhetoric to garner support for his flailing government. Mugabe also directed his loyal “war veterans” (veterans of the independence struggle) to invade and reclaim the few remaining white-owned farms in the country. Mugabe issued a fresh order to the ZEC to withhold election results, while demanding a recount and arresting several elections officials. A New York Times reporter arrested during a raid on foreign journalists was badly injured while in detention, and required hospitalization when he was released on bail. Haven’t had enough yet? Check out these articles in the Christian Science Monitor and the New York Times.
• Liberia: Truth? What’s that? A witness at the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) says he was paid by a commissioner to lie in his testimony against an alleged rapist.
• Sri Lanka: The government bombed a suspected Tamil Tiger base, in response to the assassination of a government minister. (See yesterday’s post for the details.)
• China: The Olympic Torch Relay is being interrupted by protests everywhere it goes. Hmmmm, I wonder why that is…