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Zimbabwe: Not Just a Black-White Struggle
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L'Express (Port Louis)
OPINION
24 July 2008
Posted to the web 24 July 2008
Peter Craig
Port Louis
I am disappointed by the superficial comments made about the situation in Zimbabwe in the local press. I understand the position of Mr Lenoir who sees this as a black-white struggle, though the ambiguous positions of two diplomatic experts and the rush of the Mauritian government to hide behind the skirts of the SADC and President Mbeki of South Africa are far less comprehensible.
I certainly condemn the white only regime of Rhodesia and the Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Ian Smith. However, there were far-sighted black African leaders such as Bishop Abel Muzorewa, the first Prime minister of Rhodesia-Zimbabwe who sought to bring about a government of national unity.
Unfortunately his interim government lasted only a few months (late 1979-February 1980 when elections were held. These elections were far from free and fair and were characterized by violence and intimidation by the ZANU of which Mr Mugabe was now the leader. The "outcome" was that he was elected President.
In October 1980, President Mugabe met with President Kim IL Sung of North Korea who provided hundreds of military experts to train what was to become known as the Fifth Brigade, a military element not controlled by the Zimbabwean army but directly under President Mugabe.
Then began an ethnic cleansing of the Ndebele speaking Matabele, a minority in Zimbabwe, whose leader, Joshua Nkomo, had been a companion in arms with Mugabe in the struggle for independence.
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The estimates of the Matabele killed range from 10,000 to 30,000. All this took place in the general indifference, as in Burundi-Rwanda, of the international community since, I presume, they were black Africans fighting black Africans.
Peter Craig and Port Louis, attempt’s to invoke “it is not a white/black issue” is hypocrisy at the highest level and a lot of self-righteousness on their part. The examples provided offer a window to see how these white Anglo men think and Function. The Bishop Muzorewa’s Prime Ministership failed because white “Rhodesians” could not accept black rule or give up and share military power. Bishop Muzorewa was sincerely, while Anglo whites were never really sincere. The shona’s who supported the bishop will never forgive white Anglos…..for that!!!
The cleansing of the Ndebele by Robert Mugabe and the silence of... [Read Full Text]
I totally agree with Phiri This Paragraph says it all “Yes, this is not a “white/black” issue it is certainly an issue for Zimbabweans regarding white Anglos. After all it is not the Swedes or Germans who did damage to Zimbabwe!”
Dragging the culprits by their Nationality from the behind the phrase ( white) often used as a cloaking term must now be done more often. ,Far too long has some European Nationals committed grave acts against none European countries and their peoples and proceed to hide within the bosom of Innocent Europeans... [Read Full Text]
"May her Gods rise up and protect her" May her Gods give Africa the same sense of unity that the Europeans have used for centuries to invade and dominate other countries. Once they have this, they will have the protection that they need against foreign predators. Unfortunately too many Africans seem to be caught up in their little group, i.e. tribe, clan, etc and not enough into cultural unity as the Europeans are. One need only to observe how the Europeans (+ white America) united against Robert Mugabe once he started asserting the African rights to own and control their... [Read Full Text]
dLoser, you really have no idea. I really get sick and tired of correcting you and pointing out your racism. You mention (+ white america). Its the governments policies you need to be concerned with, adding racial overtones to your comments just points out the racist that you are.
I think you'll find that if Mugabe had a free and fair election and the people of Zimbabwe werent beaten and murdered during his campaign of intimidation to greedily keep power, the west would have nothing to say.
The land issue has gone, past, and I think you'll find most people... [Read Full Text]
aWorthless, You're the one who is clueless here. First of all, (right after I don't give a rats what you are sick and tired of), white racism, which is so pervasive in the world, is not My racism since I'm not white. Secondly one does not become a racist by calling attention to past and ongoing racism, I don't care how many racist try to avoid the truth by making this bogus accusation. Thirdly, if whites do not wish to cease their racist acts, I certainly have a right to call them on it as I chose. As for the... [Read Full Text]
seeing as you are all and one fond of recalling events from eons past to prop up your prejudices I might as well follow suit...Were the zulus and xhosas living peacfully as neighbours prior to the colonialists arriving in africa??? Were the ndebele living in loving and understanding communities with the mashona?? the sioux and the cheyenne were the best of mates??? the ethiopians were at peace with...oh why do I bother. In your guys' world the whole world that had not been touched by the white man lived in blissful harmony till the day the white settlers landed and... [Read Full Text]
turnex, the shona and ndebeles live side by side. In my matebele grandmothers village, shonas live there as well. It is very rare in Africa to have different tribes share the same village. Zimbabweans will in the near future rewrite the foolish idiotic history of Zimbabwe which is currently written by "old" white minority racists Rhodesians.
What I see on wikipedia Zimbabwe is typical of white minority (< 1%) attempting to justify white foolish Rhodesia rule. I guess it is still a white "Rhodesia"/ main stream Zimbabwean when it comes to racial issues.
You are just trying to distort African... [Read Full Text]
Phiri...I read some of your posts and nod my head in agreement..even if you are using agnry language to support your argument..But you are scraping the barrel of incredulity here if you are trying to paint a picture of tribal cooperation between the zulus, shonas, xhosa, hutus, tutsi, ndebeles prior to white folk setting foot in Africa. We know the chinese were locked in tribal wars with the japs..the erroneously named American Red Indians were scalping each other long before Columbus sailed west. Even the very white folk eg English you despise so much were fighting at any given time... [Read Full Text]
turnex, the shona and ndebeles live side by side. In my matebele grandmothers village, shonas live there as well. It is very rare in Africa to have different tribes share the same village. Zimbabweans will in the near future rewrite the foolish idiotic history of Zimbabwe which is currently written by "old" white minority racists Rhodesians.
What I see on wikipedia Zimbabwe is typical of white minority (< 1%) attempting to justify white foolish Rhodesia rule. I guess it is still a white "Rhodesia"/ main stream Zimbabwean when it comes to racial issues.
You are just trying to distort African... [Read Full Text]
Phiri, I thought Rhodesia was no more. If you regard all people who were born during Southern Rhodesian colonial time as "Rhodesians," then that makes all Zimbabweans born before independence Rhodesians too. If YOU were born pre independence then you are Rhodesian too or are you just being hateful and racist to the white folk remaining in Zimbabwe.
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