Saturday, April 14, 2007

Operation: Go to Sleep.

Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls. It's a slippery slope.
Living Under Operation Go to Sleep:


As early as seven in the evening there is no sign of life at the Mamina shopping centre in Mhondoro, a village 100km west of Harare, the Zimbabwean capital. Since the police crackdown on the opposition in March, an unofficial curfew has been in place across the country. Residents have complained of raids on shopping centres, particularly pubs. A policeman who participated in the crackdown said the raids had been codenamed 'Operation Chirara' (Go to Sleep), and their superiors had told them the action was necessary to forestall unrest.

A month ago, Mamina was a hub of activity: in its numerous liquor stores loud music blared till late at night while local residents sat drinking with the workers from nearby farms. "Since political disturbances flared up in Harare and elsewhere in early March there is virtually no night life here in Mhondoro," a resident told IRIN. "The police here have all but imposed a curfew on the people, and they are afraid to venture out after dusk."


Read it all here. Wack.