I often feel that I'm frivolously blogging while Zimbabwe burns - after coming across a post by a Capetonian blogger, Dianne McNaughton - Poor Zimbabwe! thought I'd also just add a small voice of protest about the appalling situation just a few hundred kilometres away from here. What can anyone do? I'm ashamed of the inaction and tacit acceptance by our government of the repression and corruption of the Mugabe regime. I wish someone, anyone, would go and take the bullies out and restore health and hope to that tortured land. I spent the first nine years of my life there, when it was the breadbasket of Africa, and feel sick at how it has been brought to it's knees, now literally to it's belly with greed, cruelty, ineptness and corruption. The information minister's latest crazy choleric pronouncements of Britain's 'biological warfare' is just more propaganda that Zimbabweans are fed to deflect anger from the rightful targets. But I think the people are too weak, ill and exhausted to be angry, or to act on it. What can anyone do? As Dianne suggests, support organisations such as Medicins Sans Fronteires or Save the Children who do wonderful hands-on work, or just hold the Zimbabwean people in your thoughts, and pray, if that is your practice.Above is a kind of cartoony sketch I did a while back while listening to yet more desperate news - Mad Bob murdering the Zimbabwe bird... I hope this makes me feel better about it all, but I doubt it!
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10 comments:
Thank you for this shocking sad illustration of Mad Bob killing the Zimbabwe bird. We cannot fully know and understand the day to day misery going on there. I'm praying that God will bring a swift end to the Mugabe regime and that He will "restore the years that the locust has eaten..." It is just so, so sad and one does feel so helpless. Hopefully your symbolic sketch will reach more praying people...
Dear Cathy, you are right to add your very eloquent words to the growing outrage that we feel regarding Zimbabwe. I spent 7 very happy early childhood years in Salisbury/Harare so I have a special love of the place it once was.
Your illustration is incredibly powerful, you have a wonderful talent there, have you published your illustrations?
I feel very honoured that you provided a link to my site, thanks!
Gillian, yes, it's not something anyone wants to think about at this time of year (I know it's constantly on your mind too) but it's happening and too real to so many. Any end to it all is way, way overdue.
Thanks Dianne - and for the nudge to say my bit! We lived in Bulawayo and enjoyed blissful childhoods too - charmed lives, really, in comparison to what is happening now.
I have done illustrations for various small publications over the years, but am trying to move towards the finer arts now, though am still a jack of all trades/arts!
Good job on putting your creative energy to work on releasing your anger and frustration — and for sharing that with us.
Thanks also for the link to Medicins Sans Fronteires — a remarkable group of people who need all the support we can give them.
Suzanne, thanks - I'm not sure anger and frustration are what people want to see on blogs, but sometimes it seems necessary - wish I could do something more concrete!
Cathy - I'm sorry if I am posting four copies of the same message - I can't tell if these are actually being submitted or if they are just disappearing!
Anyway, thank you for giving your voice to the people of Zimbabwe. There is so little news about Africa that comes through to America. The last time I heard a news item about Zimbabwe was when I tuned in to National Public Radio very late at night and they were carrying the BBC news!
In Minnesota, when I lived in one of our few large cities, we had many Ethiopians and Somalians living there and they did a good job of trying to keep us aware of the problems in the horn of Africa. I know it broke their hearts a bit that we should know so little about their homelands, but they were strong and determined that we Would Know!
Andrea, in Minnesota, under a blizzard warning, at six below zero fahrenheit currently
Hello Cathy, found your blog through Di McNaughton. Love your work and your If it's Friday... blog is terrific. Will be checking it out often.
Hi Andrea - whew, freezing and blizzardy, sure is a long way from Africa! - thanks for your concern - it must be hard to keep track of all that's going on on this large continent. CNN here reports on Zimbabwe quite regularly, but I think we get the international service.
Hello Liz - thanks for visiting - it's so nice to find a new batch of SA blogger artists. I haven't done If it's Friday for ages, am trying to narrow my focus slightly! I'll check your blog too - thanks.
"Greed, cruelty, ineptness and corruption"--sounds familiar. There are so many people struggling and suffering in various horrible and no doubt preventable ways everywhere everyday. The question of what our role is or can be to mitigate others' pain is one I guess we all revisit with each new provocation. "Hope" is the watchword now here in the U.S.: let's hope it's grounded in tangible outcomes and not hype and that it will spread!
I share all your frustration and anger and sadness...it can't go on like this forever, somewhere it must end?
Ronell
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