Free Tendai Biti

In an eerie parallel to Nelson Mandela's suffering at the hands of the old South African government, Tendai Biti is a political prisoner of an oppressive, undemocratic regime. Mr. Biti is the Secretary General of the MDC, and his only crime has been his ability to run an effective political campaign. Like the apartheid regime in South Africa, Mugabe correctly understood that tyranny can only survive if competent democratic voices are stifled. So Mr. Biti was arrested, and he now faces the possibility of the death penalty should he be convicted of a trumped up charge of treason.

Of course, there is no substance whatsoever behind these charges. They have been fabricated by a desperate man who will do anything to hold onto power. If Thabo Mbeki were an honest broker, he would have demanded for Biti's release by now. Biti worked closely with Mbeki's people on the "quiet diplomacy" program, and Mbeki knows that the treason charges are patently false. But Mbeki isn't an honest broker.

We hold Mbeki liable for any harm that befalls Tendai Biti. Mbeki must tell Mugabe's regime to drop the false charges against Mr. Biti and to immediately release him. Mbeki's inaction will only cause us to step up our efforts to boycott the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.

Email Aziz Pahad, South Africa's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Tell him that South Africa must publicly denounce Tendai Biti's illegal detention. Tell him that the world will hold South Africa liable for any harm that falls on Tendai Biti while in custody. Tell him that the world will boycott the World Cup should South Africa fail to act. Mr. Pahad's email address is: Dmpahad@foreign.gov.za