Two weeks ago, Robert Mugabe started his “Operation: Clean-up” which has destroyed the market stalls of thousands of Zimbabweans and now left up to two million homeless. On both the human rights and geopolitics scale, the role that China plays in Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular is especially important. They have been making inroads into the continent for years and the effects are starting to show. The opposition Sokwanele blog explains:

Now let’s look at more recent developments. Riot police have just been sent into the flea markets in Harare, and been set upon street traders who ply their trade in the city. Their stalls have been torn apart, and all of their goods confiscated. One source has it that this was Giddyup Gono’s latest move to flush out more forex. He is crucifying these traders for exacerbating the forex shortage, as they buy it on the black market, cross into neighbouring countries and import goods to sell at a profit in Zimbabwe. Well perhaps they are, but so what? Put all their forex together, and you wouldn’t get anywhere near what the average zanupf politburo member salts away in forex every month! The other rumour is that the hordes of Chinese traders who have been allowed to flood into the country just before and after the elections, have found that they are facing stiff competition from the flea markets and street vendors. They got together and made a complaint to no less than vice-president mujuru. As a consequence, she ordered that all flea markets be closed! So much for empowering the citizens of our country! Hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans have lost their only (legal) source of income! So where will they earn a living now? Considering the fact that these traders are almost all unemployed people from the low (or zero) income group who have scraped money together to try and earn an honest living, this has got to be one of the more morally devoid and treasonous acts perpetrated on the Zimbabwean people, whatever the truth is behind this inhumane act. Another little pearl dropped from a friend today – the milling and oil processing companies have just been informed that there will be no soya bean crop this season. A crop failure? Drought? Nope! The entire crop has been bartered with the Chinese to cover our debts on military spending for the elections! What about the soya oil that the local market is crying for – in short supply already? What about the foods and stockfeeds that are in short supply on the local market? You guessed it! We are going to have to do without!

So just what is bob mugabe up to? Here’s a hint – he only ever said that we would never be a BRITISH colony again (he never said anything about the Chinese). He has mortgaged his country to the hilt for military equipment. But the Chinese are not philanthropists! Far from it. Did mugabe even realise what the Chinese were up to, giving him such easy credit terms? I wonder? No – true capitalists, these Chinese, they have allowed Zimbabwe to become over-extended. Now they are taking what they want, at whatever prices which they dictate! What do they care if Zimbabweans starve?

More to the point, Mugabe has now shown his true colours. This traitor is so intent on remaining in power that he is prepared to sell his country and his people into slavery to the Chinese. People of Zimbabwe, wake up and see the sun rising in the East! If you think that the British were amoral colonialists, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Wait until the full light of day!

That’s from the end. Make sure to read the entire thing.