Zimbabwe and the AU: Getting Away With Murder

Robert Mugabe lost an election to Morgan Tsvangirai in March. But instead of gracefully transferring power, he intimidated Tsvangirai’s supporters with threats and violence, A June 27 run-off election offered a ballot that carried only Mugabe’s name. While some leaders in Africa have demanded Mugabe’s ouster, most have remained timid, as Zimbabwe's dictator attended and addressed an African Union summit just days after the rigged election. Some countries argued in favor of a compromise power-sharing deal between Mugabe and Tsvangirai. But many other nations support a policy of non-interference, which allows corruption and violence to continue in their borders as well. Mugabe’s actions defy the African Union’s mission statement, which includes the goal of promoting “values of integrity, transparency, good governance and mutual respect.” Neighbors who look the other way when violence emerges, not speaking out at all, shouldn’t be surprised when the entire neighborhood crumbles into instability. – YaleGlobal