[ARG] Call to Zimbabwe

[Naio90]

President of Argentina Lt. Gen. Adolfo Cambiasso would make a private call to the Charmain of the Provisional Executive Council of Zimbabwe .

J.Hyde

 

[J.Hyde]

Naio90

Trevor was quick to answer the phone in his private office.

"Hello? Trevor Hawkins, Chairman of The Provisional Executive Council."

 

[Naio90]

"Mr. Hawkins, how are you today? On behalf of the Republic of Argentina I would like to say that we have been following the situation in your country and we are very preocupied with the high death toll and damage to your infrastructure and economy. In such a delicate situation asking for international support was a wise thing to do, and that is the reason of my call.

Argentina has had for long now an important south-south cooperation policy in which we encourage support between southern nations, who can face similar problems and require cooperation to overcome obstacles. Under this framework, I wanted to personally talk to you on how Argentina can help, first stabilizing your internal situacion, and afterwards contribute to kicking off your economic growth and development on a long term and sustainable basis."

J.Hyde

 

[J.Hyde]

Naio90

"I'm doing well, under the circumstances," Trevor responded before swiftly switching the topic back to Zimbabwe's welfare. "With the collapse of Mugabe's regime, the police and military, which had their ranks stacked with party loyalists and cronies, have disintegrated. The barracks, police stations, and jails lay empty, devoid of soldiers, officers, and wardens. The bureaucracy that collected taxes and operated the nations other state apparatus have fled. We are starting from scratch here, which is why we are in need of international support. Since the country has ceased to exist, we do not have the ability to make an appeal for a resolution to be considered by The Global Assembly to establish a peacekeeping force.

In addition, we need people, people we can rely on, so that we can establish interim measures for matters like food and water. The rural communities tucked away into the forests and jungles need clean water to drink and clean themselves, while they can, for the most part, rely upon the subsistence farming that is a staple of such poverty-stricken areas to feed themselves. The cities require both food and water, since the borders and airports were shut down. Ever since Mugabe came to power, agriculture has suffered greatly to the point where we rely on food imports to keep ourselves fed, instead of having a very healthy surplus under the previous minority rule regime of Rhodesia. Commercial enterprise will not want to dispatch food to Zimbabwe when it's this unstable.

We will also need technicians, individuals who know their way around complicated machinery, because the power plants and water pumps have been abandoned. They weren't in the best of condition anyway, since we needed to, again, import our electricity from our neighbours. I hope this makes clear how dire the situation is. We have, overnight, suddenly gone from a modern, yet oppressed, society to a standard of living akin to neanderthals squatting in the ruins of a futuristic civilisation they stumbled upon. The only reason I can send emails, make TV broadcasts, and speak to you right now is due to the fact that Mugabe's cronies provided important buildings with backup generators to keep them functional during the frequent blackouts.

However, they run on diesel and petrol. Those are becoming scarce too. A few more days, and Zimbabwe will go dark in every way imaginable."

 

[Naio90]

"The Republic of Argentina would like to offer a broad, multi-stage, relief program to Zimbabwe. Obviously starting with the more urgent matters of guaranteeing the supply of food, water and medical products for the population and restoring public services like energy and drinking water.

We can ship those supplies though our Air Force, together with specialists and support staff to help in the distribution as well as safekeeping of these goods.

A further stage would include the deployment of experts team to assess the situation of your infrastructure and devise a plan to guarantee essential services for your economy to restart: logistical links between production and urban centers, power and water plants and a acceptable supporting structure for the running of the government."

J.Hyde

 

[J.Hyde]

"We'll take everything you've got," Trevor responded simply. "There are fears amongst the council that if we do not move quickly, then former supporters of Mugabe might drift towards the banner of one of his higher ranking lackeys. Bishop Abel, a priest who, like myself and my colleague in my political party, experienced The Bush War. The majority of Mugabe's cronies are inept, but some were solid military men. One such man, Solomon Mujuru, was Mugabe's top military man during The Bush War, and became chief of the army after they won and took power. He's vanished, along with the rest of his leader's ilk, but he is from the Zezuru tribe, a sect of the majority Shona population in Zimbabwe. Suffice to say, if there was to be a man capable of replacing Mugabe, and able to fight a solid guerrilla war, it would be him.

The French contingent already present in the country advised the establishment of a militia to act as an interim peacekeeping force, but against a determined guerrilla enemy lead by a professional, they wouldn't stand a chance."

 

[Naio90]

"We can immediatly being planning the deployment of cargo planes with supplies and peacekeeping forces. However, we would need you to designate an area within or next to the airport limits in order to use as logistical support base. Our only requirements are a seal off area with some buildings to use as deposits and offices. We will provide our own electricity generators and mobile water purification plants.

Once settled, we will begin planning jointly with your council how to best proceed. I see that under the circumstances you mention maybe we could also provide you security to avoid any potential Coup."

J.Hyde

 

[J.Hyde]

Naio90

"We need all the help we can get, sir." Trevor stated gravely. "I have been informed by the rapidly disintegrating telecoms companies that were owned by the Mugabe Regime that telecommunication and internet service will cease sometime at the end of the week. Zimbabwe will be cut off from the outside world, with zero methods of communication bar physical means on foot or by animal due to the fact that petrol and diesel are becoming scarce.

The fact that this conversation has lasted so long without me being cut off by the backup generator beginning to fail or the telecom system struggling is nothing short of a miracle. I fear for the embassies that exist in Zimbabwe. Not only are the citizens of the country now without food and water, but the foreign missions in the country will suffer the same fate very soon as well.

As for a place for your aid detachment to set up in, Mugabe International is on the outskirts of Harare, and there's plenty of space both around and on the airport grounds for you to establish a base of operations. The airport itself will soon be abandoned, since it was also operated by a state-owned entity. There's no, in many senses, no state, so there's no owner of the company, no one to pay the workers. They'll all head home and abandon the airport. So, you could operate out of the airport itself in conjunction with any other nations that provide aid to this struggling country."

 

[Naio90]

"If the situation is so grave, and to mantain an active and safe link with the outside world, we can also send a team of air traffic controlers and operators to take control of the operations of the airport. Of course we will need the help of whatever personnel there is still working there.

We will begin the planning of "Operation Foundation" immediatly."

J.Hyde

 

[J.Hyde]

"I can't guarantee their continued cooperation." Trevor said. "Once they realise that there won't be a paycheck coming at the end of the month, why should they continue to devote their time to operating something that won't result in compensation for their labour? You could work with the French and Canadians, who have all offered support in a number of forms, as a multi-national force to keep an air-bridge open from Mugabe International to the rest of the world."

 

[J.Hyde]

Naio90