Sir, - I refer to your editorial headline "Zimbabwe moves on" (July 21st). Thanks to Robert Mugabe's outrageous campaign of intimidation in the run-up to last months general election, the Movement for Democratic Change had no hope of gaining the majority it deserved. Without democratic change Zimbabwe cannot "move on".
Mr Mugabe continues to inflict his policies of communism for the masses in conjunction with an unbridled leap into capitalism for himself and his singularly rapacious politburo.
The agriculture-dependent economy of the country is in tatters while the international community looks on stonily and the world turns its face against the plight of the commercial farmers of Zimbabwe; it seems, because they are white. They have suffered a very tough 20 years with Mr. M. in charge. Along with endless shortages and stunning inflation, they now have the real threat of being killed because of their colour and land ownership.
By and large farm workers were treated well in Rhodesia/ Zimbabwe. The treatment these workers are receiving now from Mr Mugabe's thuggish veterans is almost past belief, and nobody lifts a finger to help them.
Tens of thousands of Africans in Zimbabwe are dreading the future, a future that depends in part on the survival of commercial farmers.
The direction in which Zimbabwe is going, threatens all of southern Africa. - Yours, etc.,
Richard Devane, Campile, Co Wexford.