"If we gather a crowd of 20,000, the government will not use its guns"

Some brave words from Zimbabwe's Archbishop Pius Ncube, who nobly says that he is "ready to stand in front" in what he hopes will be the country's biggest popular demonstration calling for an end to the despotic rule of President Robert Mugabe. Following the brutal bludgeoning of opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai during a prayer rally last week, a crowd half the size hoped for by Ncube would be impressive, but regardless of how many turn out, it's hard not to feel a terrible sense of foreboding about such an event. In my mind, at least, a potential Amritsar massacre-style tragedy is looming. Will that be enough to rouse South Africa and other leading nations of the continent out of their slumber and take action in Zimbabwe? Because I think it'll be awhile yet before anyone else deems the situation to be of enough geopolitical importance to give a damn.