NationStates Jolt Archive

{OOC: This is an open RP, not set on any specific Earth. Feel free to denounce Zaire, impose sanctions, recall your ambassador, voice your support for either the newspaper or the Mobutu government, etc.}


Elima

"A Nation in the Throes of Chaos: The Human Cost of Living in Mobutu's Zaire"

by Jérôme Bamba


For over 41 years, a climate of fear, an atmosphere of malaise, has pervaded our country. One of the world's greatest thieves, whose acts of theft include stealing the mantle of leadership from our legendary founding father Lumumba and stealing untold billions from the nation itself, continues to misrule our beleaguered people, while his unscrupulous cronies continue to plunder and rape the country. Mobutu has delivered promises many times, only to break them, proving that his capacity to lie matches or exceeds his capacity to steal and kill. Ten years ago, a popular rebellion nearly toppled the government. While led by a less than stellar personality, the rebellion enjoyed support from the people due to their weariness with Mobutu and yearning for change. That the people would so readily embrace a known monster as Kabila, speaks legions about how abysmal Mobutu's regime is in the eyes of the people. It was only due to foreign intervention that Mobutu saved the regime - and by extension, himself.

Mobutu has made some cosmetic changes since then. Most notably, he has expanded the size of the military, and he now properly and regularly pays the armed forces, upon whom his survival depends. But the underlying causes of popular discontent - poverty, repression, corruption - loom larger than ever. While Mobutu's generals and their underlyings grow fat off the fat checks he doles out to them, Zairian families struggle harder than ever, as they watch their children grow sick and die, their relatives disappear in prisons, their lot in life grow dimmer. Zairians, as a whole, are less free and less well-off than even a decade ago, when it seemed things could get no worse.

The country is effectively bankrupt. Mobutu is richer than ever, but of course he doesn't pay the armed forces with his own money. He uses his friends, the Parthians, the Transylvanians, the Ottomans, for that. Inflation is over 29,000%, nearly triple what it was ten years ago. Infant mortality is the highest in the world. Only 2 in 10 Zairians are formally employed, and their wages are not nearly sufficient to survive. Virtually everyone - except Mobutu and his cohorts and the repressive forces that sutain them - lives below the poverty line. Nearly half of Zairian child die before age five. Life expectancy is lower than it was at the time of Kabila's rebellion. Infrastructure is a shambles, hospitals are overflowing with patients, but bereft of medicines. Crime is on the rise. The state of the country is catastrophic.

A humanitarian crisis looms. Zaire is well on its way to becoming the poorest and least developed nation in the world - while our leader climbs higher on the list of the world's richest men. Unless fundamental, radical, and above all genuine reforms are made, I fear Zaire could confront a disaster on a scale never previously seen, dwarfing the Shaba invasions, the Congo Crisis, and even the Kabila rebellion.

We, the staff of Elima, call upon the President of the Republic to introduce multiparty democracy, increase honesty, effiency, and transparency in the government, liberalize the economy, do more to alleviate the socioeconomic conditions of the poor, and address the rampant and myriad human rights abuses afflicting our country.

We do not seek, nor endorse, revolutionary or violent change. We seek only peaceful change, and, God permitting, a better life for ourselves and our posterity.

AGENCE DE PRESSE ARIDDIENNE
News briefs
www.apa.org.ari/en

Humanitarian crisis in Zaïre: Ariddia to offer assistance?

The current situation in Zaïre has not escaped attention in Ariddia. Jérôme Bamba's article has been commented on in La Voix du Peuple, Ariddia's most read newspaper, and PINA (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Public_International_News_Ariddia) has covered the horrendous crisis extensively.

Now, there has been talk in Rêvane (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/R%C3%AAvane) of sending humanitarian aide to the country. We've talked to Secretary for Health Natasha Jones.

APA: Comrade Secretary, thank you for talking to us. First of all, is it true that the government is thinking of offering humanitarian aide to Zaïre?

Jones: Yes. The people of Zaïre are being subjected to extreme suffering. It's very important to realise that, and it's very important that the international community should help.

APA: What kind of assistance exactly are you considering?

Jones: Zaïre must help itself, of course - and by that I mean those with influence within the Zaïrian authorities. But the urgency is to provide medical aide to the people of Zaïre. We're going to ask Kinshasa for permission to send the Red Star (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Ariddian_Red_Star) into Zaïre to provide medicine, assist the country's doctors and hospital staff, and provide emergency infrastructures for new hospitals. That's our priority.

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/713/pinazairesmxj7.jpg
PINA reports on the crisis in Zaïre

APA: Zaïre is run by a brutal, repressive government. Do you think they'll accept foreign humanitarian help, or will President Mobutu see that as an admission of... well, the fact that his government has catastrophically mismanaged the situation?

Jones: We're concerned that may be the case, yes, but that's one of the reasons why we're announcing our intentions publicly before approaching the Kinshasa government. Hopefully we can pressure them - the international community can pressure them, if necessary, into accepting our assistance. The key issue is that lives are at stake, and that we can, quite frankly, go in there and save lives.

APA: President Mobutu's government is openly hostile to communism. He's allied to another repressive, anti-communist government, that of Shah Khosru III in Parthia. Zaïre is part of an anti-communist alliance, the ACTO, which has sometimes been described as an international gang of thugs.

Jones: Yes, but there's also the fact that we, Ariddia, are a Third World country reaching out to help another Third World country. We're hoping to present this as a form of Third World solidarity, which it is. In the long run, if Mr. Mobutu's government opens up to allow new ideas and debate within his country, perhaps Zaïre can benefit from the Third World Open University (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Third_World_Open_University) too. But that's in the long run. The immediate priority is saving lives.

APA: Are you concerned about the safety of Red Star personnel once they get to Zaïre?

Jones: Yes, we are. If Zaïre allows the Red Star in, we'll have careful discussions as to how to ensure their safety. Sending a small number of forces from the Ariddian Red Army (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Special:Search?search=Military+of+Ariddia) would be one possibility, but I don't think Mr. Mobutu would take very kindly to that.

APA: It's been said Dr. Telkijski - Ambassador Sergei Telkijski - may accompany the Red Star. Dr. Telkijski is of course a key member of the Red Star, a medical doctor himself, and also a diplomat. Isn't it a little unusual to send someone like this to a country with whom the PDSRA has no diplomatic relations?

Jones: The reason why we have no diplomatic relations with Zaïre is because we've never approached them on that issue. There are a lot of countries out there, and we have limited means to maintain embassies abroad, so we can't have ambassadors everywhere. But we're not averse... Well, you'd have to ask the Secretariat for External Affairs, but in general our policy has been to talk to anyone who's willing to talk to us. In my personal view, refusing to recognise a foreign country is childish and counter-productive.

APA: Pareesa Rahmati (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Pareesa_Rahmati) is a reporter who works for PINA and covers most of the Red Star's humanitarian missions abroad. She's also a refugee from Parthia. Wouldn't it be rather dangerous for Comrade Rahmati to go to Zaïre?

Jones: If Comrade Rahmati wants to accompany the Red Star, of course we'll allow it. But again this highlights the need for assurances that all our personnel in Zaïre will be fully protected. Still, we're talking hypotheticals here. We need authorisation to enter Zaïre first.

APA: What can people do to help?

Jones: Donate. Go and see your local doctor, or the local authorities. They can be in touch with the Red Star, and they'll tell you exactly how you can help.

APA: Thank you very much, Comrade Secretary, and good luck.

Jones: Thank you.

The television screen filled with an image of a serene sky of heavenly clouds. In the background, very faint, distant, began to swell a choir of voices. The music gradually builds to a crescendo, as the clouds part, ever so slowly, and from them emerges a face, dark and handsome, his eyes conveying an aura of invincibility behind thick-framed spectacles. The camera holds and the faintest trace of a smile crosses his face. The face radiates charisma, intelligence, cunning, compassion, though not a single word is uttered. It is clear to viewers that this man, with a leopard skin toque perched atop his head, is no ordinary mortal.

And thus begins the 8:00 evening news in Kinshasa.


Zaïre Actualites

(Note: The correspondent is speaking in French)


"Good evening, fellow citizens, and welcome to today's edition of Zaïre Actualites. Today, Citizen President Mobutu strongly denounced the Kinshasa daily Elima for "Spreading seditious, unfounded rumors that not only border on treasonous, but are fully devoid of truth and accuracy." The editorial in question, "A Nation in the Throes of Chaos: The Human Cost of Living in Mobutu's Zaire," by Jérôme Bamba, alleges - falsely, according to the President - that Zaire's political, social, and economic state is at an all-time low and declining rapidly. Information Minister Dominique Sakombi Inongo told our correspondents earlier, "These claims - these baseless claims - are nothing more than insidious neo-colonialist propaganda contrived to foment disloyalty to our Chief." When asked if Mr. Bamba would be arrested, Justice Minister Félix Vunduawe Tepe Mako said, "I cannot comment on that at this time, but Mr. Bamba should know that he is treading a thin line. We will not brook slander against our Chief, our Messiah." Earlier today, members of the JMPR ransacked the office of Elima and also sprayed pro-government graffiti outside Mr. Bamba's home. There are rumors that the 31st Airborne Brigade may be deployed downtown in the event of demonstrations, but we cannot verify that at this time. In the meantime, this is Evariste Ngbendu, signing off."

"After careful consideration, the Government of Zaire has given approval for the Red Star to enter Zaire, provided it steers clear of local politics and devotes itself strictly to humanitarian work. Any subversive activities will not be tolerated, and will result in the immediate expulsion of all Ariddian personnel from Zaire."


Jean Nguza Karl-i-Bond
Foreign Minister of the Republic of Zaire
http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/images/Coat_of_arms_of_Zaire.PNG

Zaïre accepts Red Star assistance

The Republic of Zaïre has accepted humanitarian assistance from the Ariddian Red Star, a State-operated humanitarian organisation affiliated to the International Red Cross (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/International_Red_Cross_Organization).

The Red Star will be providing doctors, medicine, medical equipment and new infrastructure to enable hospitals to help a greater number of patients.

Ariddian Secretary for Health Natasha Jones has commended the authorities of Zaïre for their decision, and has promised that the Red Star personnel will not involve itself in any way in Zaïre's politics.

"Our only concern is to save lives", she explained. "We have no intention of doing anything that might jeopardise that."

PINA will provide coverage of the Red Star's operations.

Secret IC

"An Open Letter to the Ariddian Red Star"


Dear Red Star,

My name is Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/%C3%89tienne_Tshisekedi). I am 74 years old, and have been active in Zairian politics for many decades. Since the late 1970s, I have been an active member of the opposition. With several colleagues, I wrote an open letter to President Mobutu in 1980, outlining the corruption and human rights abuses characteristic of the regime. For this, we were imprisoned. In 1982, I helped found the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, which for many years was banned. I have been imprisoned nearly a dozen times over the years for my activism.

The aftermath of the Great Central African War (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Great_Central_African_War) ended Mobutu's brief fictitious flirtation with democracy that he launched, solely to appease the West, after 1990. Since then, Zaire has once again become a one-party state, and is now more repressive and dictatorial than ever.

Now, you are probably wondering what the purpose of this letter is. As you are aware, the Zairian people are suffering tremendously - suffering greater than anyone can imagine. What you are doing for Zaire and for Zairians is a laudable, noble undertaking, to which I give my warmest thanks and support. Surely God guides your humanitarian intuitions. On a more somber note, I feel it necessary to warn you: Mobutu does not take kindly to NGOs, of any nature. I advise that you keep a low profile, and do not, repeat, do not challenge the authority of the security forces, who are extremely ill-disciplined. Mobutu's popularity is very low, and he is running out of scapegoats; you could be just what he's looking for.

I also ask that you, if possible, document as thoroughly as you can the atmosphere of repression in Zaire, and report your findings to Ariddia and to the world. Few people truly understand the extent of our suffering, and if you could shed light on it, all of Zaire would be grateful.

I earnestly hope your mission is a successful one, and in the meantime, thank you for taking the time to read my letter.

Warmest regards,
Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba

(OOC: If possible, this will have been channeled back to Tshisekedi securely. If not, consider it an undisclosed guideline to Ariddia's intentions.)

Dear Mr. Tshisekedi,

We would like to thank you for your letter, and to assure you that we are extremely concerned about the suffering of the Zairian people, and that the Red Star will make every effort to alleviate that suffering. We are also aware that, as a foreign presence in Zaïre, we will be watched closely and may, despite ourselves, provide Mr. Mobutu with political capital to further denounce foreign intervention in Zaïre. The Red Star will be very careful not to provoke the government, police or military in any way. We would like to thank you for your warning and advice.

The Red Star will be accompanied by the Ariddian media, and we will all endeavour to document the true situation in Zaïre, and report upon it to Ariddia and the world once we are no longer conducting humanitarian operations in the country. We must make our humanitarian efforts our priority, and not risk expulsion until we have brought concrete medical help to the people of Zaïre, but once our personnel has left the country you may rest assured that we will tell the world exactly what we have seen.

Your efforts on behalf of Zaïre have been and are admirable. Should you wish to obtain a medium to express yourself to the international community, PINA (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Public_International_News_Ariddia) inform me they would be honoured to interview you and broadcast your words to a wide international audience.

Respectfully,

Sergei V. Telkijski (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Sergei_Vyacheslav_Telkijski),
Ariddian Red Star

(OOC: If possible, this will have been channeled back to Tshisekedi securely. If not, consider it an undisclosed guideline to Ariddia's intentions.)

Dear Mr. Tshisekedi,

We would like to thank you for your letter, and to assure you that we are extremely concerned about the suffering of the Zairian people, and that the Red Star will make every effort to alleviate that suffering. We are also aware that, as a foreign presence in Zaïre, we will be watched closely and may, despite ourselves, provide Mr. Mobutu with political capital to further denounce foreign intervention in Zaïre. The Red Star will be very careful not to provoke the government, police or military in any way. We would like to thank you for your warning and advice.

The Red Star will be accompanied by the Ariddian media, and we will all endeavour to document the true situation in Zaïre, and report upon it to Ariddia and the world once we are no longer conducting humanitarian operations in the country. We must make our humanitarian efforts our priority, and not risk expulsion until we have brought concrete medical help to the people of Zaïre, but once our personnel has left the country you may rest assured that we will tell the world exactly what we have seen.

Your efforts on behalf of Zaïre have been and are admirable. Should you wish to obtain a medium to express yourself to the international community, PINA (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Public_International_News_Ariddia) inform me they would be honoured to interview you and broadcast your words to a wide international audience.

Respectfully,

Sergei V. Telkijski (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Sergei_Vyacheslav_Telkijski),
Ariddian Red Star

{OOC: Tshisekedi is not currently in Zaire, for safety reasons, so your letter won't need to be secure to reach him. If you wish to interview him, arrangements can be made for him to visit Ariddia for such a purpose.}


Dear Mr. Telkijski,

Thank you for your reply to my letter, which I was delighted to receive. Thank you further for everything you have done, and will do, to help my people. For too long, much of the world has turned a blind eye to the strife, turmoil, and tragedy in Africa, including my home country.

Please be especially discreet in your hotel rooms, or wherever you will be staying, as the possibility of them being bugged can not be discounted. If possible, travel with the Ariddian ambassador when you leave the capital or major cities, as the security forces are highly unlikely to demand a bribe or make overtures toward you in the presence of a diplomat; or, if that is not possible, present yourselves as personnel of the Ariddian embassy.

I would of course be more than delighted to be interviewed by PINA. The more people I can reach with my voice, the better.

In the meantime, thank you again, and best luck and best wishes.

Warmest regards,
Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba

{OOC: Tshisekedi is not currently in Zaire, for safety reasons, so your letter won't need to be secure to reach him. If you wish to interview him, arrangements can be made for him to visit Ariddia for such a purpose.}


{OOC: PINA can meet him at a secure location if that's preferable, or he can be invited to visit Ariddia, yes. The interview would be as long as Tshisekedi wishes, to enable him to say everything he wants to say. PINA is broadcast in quite a few countries (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Public_International_News_Ariddia#Television), so his message would reach a fairly large public.

PINA will also do a full report on the situation in Zaïre after the Red Star has left. Not before, so as not to get any of its reporters (or, worse, Red Star humanitarian personnel) expelled from Zaïre.}

{OOC: Sounds good. Do you have MSN or Yahoo messenger? Perhaps we can RP the interview on one of them.}

{OOC: I used to have MSN, but I'd stopped using it, so I didn't re-install it when I changed my very old computer for a newer one. I suppose I could re-install it, or we could use TGs - though that's not very practical - or the forum.}

{OOC: I'm happy with whichever one. You decide.}

{OOC: The forum may be easier than TGs. Do you prefer to use this thread or another one?}

{OOC: This one is fine. Do you want to start the interview, or shall I?}

PINA (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Public_International_News_Ariddia)
Interview with Étienne Tshisekedi

Rahmati: Ladies and gentlemen, good day, whatever time of day it may be for you. I'm Pareesa Rahmati (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Pareesa_Rahmati), here at a location which... will remain undisclosed for security reasons. And I'm with Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/%C3%89tienne_Tshisekedi), one of the leading voices in the pro-democracy movement in the Republic of Zaïre.

Mr. Tshisekedi, good afternoon, and thank you very much for being here and coming to talk to us. We're honoured to receive you here at PINA. Before we start this interview, for the sake of our viewers, a quick look back at your life so far, in pictures.

You were born in Zaïre, and you've been in politics a very long time. You're a diplômé of the Lovanium University School of Law. You actually were, initially, a member of Mr. Mobutu's government, until you resigned due to the repression and corruption in that government, and you - and several others - family published a lengthy list of accusations against President Mobutu.

You then co-founded the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Union_for_Democracy_and_Social_Progress), which is a broad coalition of people who may have different views on a great many topics, but who all want reforms to bring about democracy in Zaïre.

For that you were arrested several times, you spent time in prison, until suddenly Mr. Mobutu, under international pressure, began initiating democratic reforms, and you became Prime Minister. That didn't last, however. You were very popular, but Mobutu opposed you, and eventually tried to have you assassinated. You were forced into exile for your own safety, leaving Zaïre in the condition it's now sunk to, with endemic corruption, political repression, extreme poverty, high infant mortality rates and many people lacking access to even basic necessary facilities.

To start this interview, is there anything you'd like to add to that, Mr. Tshisekedi? Also, do you consider yourself to be the legitimate Prime Minister of Zaïre today, and what... What do you believe the immediate future holds for your country?

Tshisekedi: "First off, let me thank you for your time...well, as for what you have said so far, it's all very accurate. Do I think I am the legitimate Prime Minister? I can't say. Mobutu has never held a truly free election, even during our six year 'democracy' farce. I believe that is up to the people of Zaire to decide, but as you know, the people have no voice, no say in how they are governed. The future of Zaire as I see it...the future of Zaire, it's not good. It's very bleak. I see only difficulty ahead."

Rahmati: Of course, there doesn't seem to be much of a glimmer right now, with the situation rapidly worsening. What would it take, do you think, for President Mobutu to initiate genuine reforms? Do you think it's possible, under any circumstance? Can international pressure play a role? Or... is there any hope if the Zairian people themselves try to bring about change from within?

Message to the nation of Ariddia.
We have an abandoned Embassy that we left after being falsely accused of inciting a riot. We can send you the codes that would allow you full access, due to the security measures we implimented, the complex should be safe from bugs.

-Lone Alliance

Tshisekedi: "Mobutu is at times very sensitive to world opinion. It was largely due to pressure from the West that he legalized opposition parties in 1990. Even then, however, he firmly maintained his grip on power, brutally cracked down on dissidents, and did his utmost to undermine the transitional government, of which I was a member. As for change from within, I cannot see that happening. Mobutu is more powerful than ever. He learned from the past. His army's disloyalty is what caused Kabila to nearly succeed 10 years ago. Now, he pays his troops handsomely, and often. There is no chance of a military revolt. People are afraid to clamor for change. Even the most peaceful demonstrations are often crushed militarily. The secret police, trained by SAVAK, are everywhere. There are informers everywhere.

Most of all, Mobutu has a reliable network of foreign friends he can readily turn to when in trouble: Parthia, Savimbi's Angola, The Transylvania, Ottoman Khaif, ACTO, his Hutu puppets in Rwanda and Burundi...Mobutu has many friends. And he is very good at playing on the 'Mobutu or chaos,' thesis. According to him, the only options the world has are a Zaire with Mobutu, or a Zaire in chaos. According to Mobutu, without him, Zaire would be wracked by instability, chaos, terror, and turmoil. But, if you think about it...isn't that basically what we have now?"

Rahmati: To continue on that specific point... If Mobutu can be pressured into initiating reforms, or if a new government somehow comes to power, undoing the damage is going to be a daunting task. Bringing about safety and stability, fighting poverty... You remain very popular in Zaïre. If the circumstances allow, would you feel ready to tackle the huge challenge of running a Zairian government? Are there people in Zaïre that you could call upon to help you run a democratic, stable government capable of coping with the current crises?


= = =

OOC: Re The Lone Alliance: Do you mean an embassy within Zaïre? If so, that wouldn't be possible.

Tshisekedi: "It would not be easy, that's for sure. I alone could not alleviate Zaire's crises...not without international assistance. It would not be easy at all. And it would take many years."

Rahmati: That bring us to another important question. What role do you think the international community can and should play - right now, and in the long run? How can the world best put pressure on Mr. Mobutu, do you think? Through selective sanctions? Through dialogue, or through isolation?

Tshisekedi: "That's difficult to say. In some cases, sanctions have no debilitating effect upon the regime in power, but serve only to impoverish the citizens of that regime - the U.S. sanctions on Iraq or Cuba, for example. In both cases, not only did the respective strongmen - Hussein and Castro - remain firmly in power, but they also watched the economic lot of their citizens deteriorate, and also provided them have a ready scapegoat to which they could pin their nations' problems. Other times, sanctions can work; in my opinion, there is little doubt that the former apartheid regime in South Africa conceded to the winds of change thanks to the sanctions their former allies implemented.

But Mobutu enjoys substantial - and I do mean substantial - aid and support, especially from Parthia. Even if nearly every other nation embargoed Zaire, the massive infusions of aid by Parthia would more than keep the regime afloat.

I believe, personally, the best course would be to engage in constructive dialogue with Mobutu, pressure his external patrons to make future aid conditional on improved human rights, and expose the odious nature of the regime to as many people in the world as possible."

Rahmati: And one way to urge various governments to put pressure on President Mobutu is to increase the awareness of international public opinion, regarding what's going on inside Zaïre. I don't know whether it would be feasible to try and apply pressure to the government of Parthia, but we've invited you here, Mr. Tshisekedi, so you can tell the world what the situation is for the people in Zaïre. Of course you've had no opportunity to go back there recently, it would be far too dangerous, but are you in contact with people within Zaïre? Do you have a precise idea of exactly what's going on right now?

Tshisekedi: "Yes. I frequently meet and speak with refugees from Zaire. The number of political prisoners is at an all-time high. People are 'disappearing' with increasing frequency. The military is behaving with more and more reckless and brutal abandon and enjoying complete impunity for the crimes it commits. Torture remains institutionalized and rampant. Just last week, a peaceful demonstration was crushed, with several dozen fatalities. According to Amnesty International, 'The human rights situation in Zaire has reached an all-time low. The killings, torture, plunder, rapes, and assorted government-condoned savagery continue without end.' With the economy in free-fall, domestic unrest is growing; however, even the mildest protestations against the regime often bring death. In the past, Mobutu would often simply arrest or 'rusticate' troublemakers - now they are shot on the spot, or dragged to their homes and tortured to death in front of their families. It is tragic, absolutely tragic."

Rahmati: Ghastly, yes. It's important for people outside Zaïre to realise exactly what's happening there. Well, now the leaders of the world have heard you, Mr. Prime Minister, and let's hope your words won't go unheeded. Now, we were talking about the role of the international community. As you may know, Ariddia has established diplomatic relations with Zaïre... with Mr. Mobutu's government. In very concrete terms, if Ariddia were to use those relations to... to do some good for the people of Zaïre, how might you suggest they go about it? And that could be suggestions for the international community as a whole.

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/3662/ebgnews1zz.png
28 January 2007
news.ebg.co.eu

Eurasia Sends Aid To Zaire

After the horrific human rights problems in Zaïre, Sir President Phillip Sinclair announced that a massive aid programme would be launched next week to assist in alleviating Zaïre's problems.

"As a libertarian commonwealth dedicated to freedom, justice, and liberty for all, Eurasia must doeverything in its power to support the people of Zaïre,and this relief programme is the best way to do so," stated Sir President Sinclair this morning. "If we failed to intervene somehow, Eurasia would be failing the rest of the international community."

This relief programme is a joint measure between the Ministry for Health, the Ministry for International Development, and the Ministry for Trade and Industry.

"Our first measure will to be to start the construction of hospitals, clinics, and hospices in Zaïre," explained the Minister for Health, Dr. Elizabeth Nordström. "Health is key to any nation - how can there be freedom if the individuals who need that freedom are dying rather than voting?"

"Secondly, we are going to attempt to develop vital infrastructure in Zaïre," elucidated Chase O'Dubhda, Minister for International Development. "This will lead us to be able to initiate the third phase of our relief programme - promoting free trade."

Daniel T. Griswold, the associate director of the Cato Institute's Centre for Trade Policy (http://www.freetrade.org/node/37) mentioned the strength of this plan. "Economic openness and the commercial competition and contact it brings can directly and indirectly promote civil and political freedoms within countries. Trade can influence thepolitical system directly by increasing the contact a nation’s citizens experience with the rest of the world, through face-to-face meetings, and electronic communications, including telephone, fax, and the Internet. Commercial communication can bring a sharing of ideas and exposure to new ways of thinking, doing business, and organizing civil society. Along with the flow of consumer and industrial goods often come books, magazines, and other media with political and social content. Foreign investment and services trade create opportunities for foreign travel and study, allowing citizens to experience first-hand the civil liberties and more representative political institutions of other nations."

Tshisekedi: "It's difficult to say. There is little that can be done that would not threaten the safety our lives of dissidents or their families. I believe activism abroad and private dialogue with the government of Zaire would be the best courses of action the Ariddian embassy can take now."

"We are heartened and grateful for the generous aid Eurasia has offered to the People of Zaire. Their humanitarianism is a blessing to Zairians and a boon to the future of Africa."


Jean Nguza Karl-i-Bond
Foreign Minister of the Republic of Zaire
http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/images/Coat_of_arms_of_Zaire.PNG

Zaïre Actualites


"Good evening, fellow citizens, and welcome to today's edition of Zaïre Actualites. Today, Jérôme Bamba, the seditious editor of Elima, a daily newspaper infamous for its libelous stories about our Messiah and Mulopwe, Citizen President Mobutu, was found dead in his Kinshasa home. Doctors estimated the time of death as 4:00 A.M. No cause has been discovered, though a heart attack is strongly suspected. Bamba, 42, was married with six children. No funeral has been scheduled yet. A government press release has stated, 'Whatever his faults, we are sorry to see Bamba go. Reactionary and retrograde he may have been, but he did have a wife and children to feed and clothe.' "

Tshisekedi: "It's difficult to say. There is little that can be done that would not threaten the safety our lives of dissidents or their families. I believe activism abroad and private dialogue with the government of Zaire would be the best courses of action the Ariddian embassy can take now."

Rahmati: "Well, they'll have heard you now. While you're on air, Mr. Prime Minister, before we conclude this interview, is there anything else you would like to say, directly to the international community?"

Tshisekedi: "Well, I would like to conclude by saying-"

At this point, a Zairian woman walks in, whispers into Tshisekedi's ear, and leaves. Tshisekedi's face registers shock.

Tshisekedi: "I...I have just heard that a very dear friend of mine, Jérôme Bamba (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/J%C3%A9r%C3%B4me_Bamba), who authored the editorial 'A Nation in the Throes of Chaos: The Human Cost of Living in Mobutu's Zaire,' has died this morning of a 'heart attack.' How does a healthy 42-year-old man die so suddenly and unexpectedly of a 'heart attack?' I attribute his death to none other than SNIP (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/National_Service_for_Intelligence_and_Protection), the Service National d'Intelligence et de Protection, Mobutu's own Gestapo."

Rahmati: "That's... That's awful. I'm very sorry. Of course we... all remember Mr. Bamba's article. A very brave man, who dared to speak his mind and oppose Mr. Mobutu's government. I suppose there'll never be a proper investigation as long as the current government is in place. It's been standard procedure for SNIP to act with complete impunity."

Tshisekedi: "Thank you for your condolences. Mr. Bamba was a good man, a peaceful man, a political moderate steadfastly opposed to extremism and violence. Yet, for daring to speak the truth, he was put to death...it just goes to show how afraid Mobutu is of his own people. How tenuous his confidence must be, if he thinks one single man can pose such a threat. An inquiry into Mr. Bamba's death will never happen. He will continue to exist it was due to natural causes, even though anyone capable of independent thought - which encompasses most Zairians - will refuse to believe such a lie."

Rahmati: "Which leads us to the question... Mobutu represses freedom of expression, and makes heavy use of propaganda. Zairians have little access to genuine, independent information sources, have they? Does that enable Mobutu to effectively... control what peole think? Or, as you said, do Zairians on the whole see through the propaganda? You mentioned you don't think there'll be any kind of popular uprising... Even if people grow angry with the lies and repression?"

Tshisekedi: "Mobutu does of course stringently restrict free expression, and utilizes propaganda to cow the masses into submission, but whether he'll admit it or not, his efforts often fail miserably. Many Zairians tune their radioes to stations in neighboring Brazzaville, or smuggle in foreign newspapers via the Central African Republic and Tanzania, or through embassies sympathetic to Zairian dissidents. In 1989, after Mobutu's old friend Ceauşescu was overthrown by a popular uprising, many Zairians in Kinshasa made jokes about 'Mobutu Seseşescu,' showing clearly that they are capable of following the international news. They were well aware of the revolutions sweeping Eastern Europe, and of Gorbachev's perestroika in the U.S.S.R. Mobutu at first denied that Zaire needed perestroika, but the death of Ceauşescu, coupled with the cut-off of Western aid, compelled him to change his mind. So, in sum, I would say that Mobutu has never really effectively controlled the people, at least not in mind and spirit. Zairians, even uneducated ones, are not stupid. Even some of Mobutu's most rabid sycophants see right through his propaganda, but of course they don't say so. Disgust with Mobutu is widespread in Zaire, and the only thing keeping his regime afloat is the foreign support he enjoys. Without it, his military would abandon him, his inner circle of corrupt politicians and stooges would abandon him, everyone would abandon him. His sick, parasitic government would wither on the vine and collapse like a house of cards."

Rahmati: "And there doesn't seem to be much likelihood of Parthia cutting off its support for Mobutu. On that issue, have you, or other opponents of President Mobutu, ever attempted contact with Parthian dissidents?"

Tshisekedi: "Yes, we have, but we have had no success finding any. We know there are many Parthian dissidents abroad, of course, but they are adept at hiding. Those who are not, are more often than not snuffed out by SAVAK. Interestingly enough, SAVAK has recently begun playing a major role in training SNIP. The chances of Parthia terminating aid to Zaire are non-existent. Mobutu and the Shah's family go way back. Moreover, in return for Parthian aid, Mobutu gives generous privileges to Parthian corporations, military bases for the Parthian military, and support for Parthian interests in the international arena."

Rahmati: "Indeed. Well, Mr. Prime Minister, before we received news of Mr. Bamba's... death, you were going to say a few words in conclusion? A direct message to the international community listening to us now?"

Tshisekedi: "Oh, yes. To those who are watching...please take a moment to pray for all the Zairians imprisoned in their current predicament of unending poverty, repression, misery, and terror. Please write to your governments and urge them to use diplomatic and economic leverage to pressure Mobutu to bring about democratic change, real democratic change. Please also support organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, and Freedom House, which are working to highlight the prevalent abuses of the Mobutu regime. And if possible, please donate generously to humanitarian agencies working in Zaire, such as the Ariddian Red Star. I believe that, if we, the children of God, put our hearts together as one, we can make a difference. Thank you."

Rahmati: "Let's hope your message is heard and acted upon. Thank you very much, Mr. Tshisekedi, for talking to us. It was an honour to welcome you to PINA, and we hope the situation will soon improve in your country."

Tshisekedi: "Thank you very much."