06-27-2008, 11:40 AM
Cincy disowns sister city
The Enquirer and Associated Press • June 27, 2008
Mayor Mark Mallory announced today that Cincinnati is suspending its sister city relationship with Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, to protest the government's election intimidation.
“Cincinnati cannot maintain a relationship founded in friendship with a country where violence is being used to subvert democracy,” Mallory said in a statement.
“The situation in Harare is unimaginable. Everyone in Cincinnati should keep the people of Harare and all of Zimbabwe in their prayers.”
Widespread voter intimidation and low turnout marked Zimbabwe’s one-candidate presidential runoff today, further damaging the vote designed to bolster longtime President Robert Mugabe’s credibility.
The wife of recently elected Harare Mayor Emmanuel Chiroto was murdered and his house burnt down.
Residents said they were forced to vote, threatened by violence, arson or roving bands of government supporters searching for those without an ink-stained finger.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who withdrew from the runoff citing a campaign of state-sponsored violence, said the results would “reflect only the fear of the people.”
“What is happening today is not an election. It is an exercise in mass intimidation,” he said at a news conference.
Harare, Zimbabwe has been Cincinnati’s Sister City since 1990.
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll.../306270037
The Enquirer and Associated Press • June 27, 2008
Mayor Mark Mallory announced today that Cincinnati is suspending its sister city relationship with Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, to protest the government's election intimidation.
“Cincinnati cannot maintain a relationship founded in friendship with a country where violence is being used to subvert democracy,” Mallory said in a statement.
“The situation in Harare is unimaginable. Everyone in Cincinnati should keep the people of Harare and all of Zimbabwe in their prayers.”
Widespread voter intimidation and low turnout marked Zimbabwe’s one-candidate presidential runoff today, further damaging the vote designed to bolster longtime President Robert Mugabe’s credibility.
The wife of recently elected Harare Mayor Emmanuel Chiroto was murdered and his house burnt down.
Residents said they were forced to vote, threatened by violence, arson or roving bands of government supporters searching for those without an ink-stained finger.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who withdrew from the runoff citing a campaign of state-sponsored violence, said the results would “reflect only the fear of the people.”
“What is happening today is not an election. It is an exercise in mass intimidation,” he said at a news conference.
Harare, Zimbabwe has been Cincinnati’s Sister City since 1990.
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll.../306270037