Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Anyone lauding Mugabe has no idea what he is responsible for. He has the blood of hundreds of thousands on his hands, Zimbabweans of all colors and tribal origins. He doesn't care as long as he can maintain absolute control. He is the reason term limits should be in place.
The SADC also bears responsibility for allowing things to go on this long.
THE full Supreme Court bench yesterday threw the coalition government into political turmoil after it ordered President Robert Mugabe to call for a string of by-elections before the end of next month in a shock ruling which could change the current composition of parliament and collapse the Global Political Agreement (GPA).The court’s judgement could lead the country into a mini-general election or leave the main political parties engaged in renewed combat and negotiations over the timing of full general elections.
It could also have far-reaching implications, not just for the GPA and inclusive government, but also Sadc facilitation and resolutions. Internally, it could change the balance of forces in politics as it might drastically change the composition of parliament and the fortunes of the three GPA parties. The ruling might also affect Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s positions, powers and authority.
Quote:
Originally Posted by markg91359
Its a very sad situation and there is much blame to go around for it.
This about sums it up.
Last edited by Zimbochick; 07-18-2012 at 10:18 AM..
In some ways, what has happened in Zimbabwe is the same thing that happened in Haiti over 200 years ago. Its amazing how people ignore history and then go about repeating it. That's great when the results are good, but when they are bad, well...
By the way, I think Wild Style is just an anti-white racist. That's the only way that I can make sense of someone supporting a beast like Mugabe. So many lives completely destroyed!
Here, look into the "paradise" known as Zimbabwe:
*Start of sarcasm* As everyone can see, since the whites are finally out of the picture, everyone is singing cumbaya and living a blissful life. A dream come true! *End of sarcasm*
With this I don't want to leave the impression that Rhodesia (or Zimbabwe under white rule) was ideal, that place needed reforms one way or another. Its just sad that some people let their resentment get the better of them, to the point that they support mass murderers, destroyers of civilizations, destroyers of wealth, destroyers of lives and hope like Mugabe.
Somehow, the terms "Mugabe" and "elected government" seem to be mutually exclusive. And whether or not anyone wants to be politically incorrect enough to acknowledge this, there's not going to be a solution to the problem until he's either permanently exiled...or dead.
In some ways, what has happened in Zimbabwe is the same thing that happened in Haiti over 200 years ago. Its amazing how people ignore history and then go about repeating it. That's great when the results are good, but when they are bad, well...
By the way, I think Wild Style is just an anti-white racist. That's the only way that I can make sense of someone supporting a beast like Mugabe. So many lives completely destroyed!
*Start of sarcasm* As everyone can see, since the whites are finally out of the picture, everyone is singing cumbaya and living a blissful life. A dream come true! *End of sarcasm*
With this I don't want to leave the impression that Rhodesia (or Zimbabwe under white rule) was ideal, that place needed reforms one way or another. Its just sad that some people let their resentment get the better of them, to the point that they support mass murderers, destroyers of civilizations, destroyers of wealth, destroyers of lives and hope like Mugabe.
There are many "what ifs" of history. My own personal belief is that Zimbabwe could have evolved into a respectable country. Its near neighbor, Kenya, has done that. In west Africa, the country of Ghana has made bold strides. Nelson Mandela proved to the world that a peaceful transition to majority rule is possible if the right people are in charge. The example of these countries proves that there is nothing that inherently prevents Africans from running their own countries and doing so successfully.
After white Rhodesian leader, Ian Smith, had broken away from the United Kingdom and purported to declare his independence, a couple of secret meetings took place with British Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Smith and Wilson discussed terms under which Rhodesia would "return to the fold". Wilson and Smith apparently came close to a deal. Wilson was determined that there would be black majority rule in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. Smith was trying to prevent that. However, Smith and Wilson did discuss an arrangement where the white population held majority rule for the first few years of independence and that a gradual transition would be made to black majority rule which would be supervised by Britain.
Its worth pondering if a deal that provided for a gradual transition to black majority rule over say a 10 to 15 year period might have produced a peaceful transition and a state that protected everyone's rights. Considering the example of Kenya, I think there would have been every reason to be optimistic. What was required was "give and take" and that didn't happen.
Unfortunately, Smith and Wilson couldn't strike a deal and the resulting war and subsequent election of Robert Mugabe as "lifetime president" of Zimbabwe is history.
In London, a couple of years ago, I had an interesting discussion with a taxi driver who was a political refugee from the country of Sierra Leone (West Africa). The driver was quite interested in the Zimbabwean situation and was totally against Mugabe. He gave me the "native African" perspective on Mugabe and basically let me know that almost no one other than friends and family supported that butcher. He wholeheartedly supported groups like the British Commonwealth of Nations which were trying to bring about peaceful change in Zimbabwe.
There are always a few people who will support Mugabe or other equally bad leaders. Some people believe any government headed by someone of their race is better than the best government headed by someone else. Others, out of some false sense of pride will defend an incompetent because they think admitting failure somehow spills over onto them or the cause of independence. Mugabe is truly one of the worst leaders a country has ever had. I hope someday his own people rise up against him and set things right. Sadly, there will probably be rivers of blood shed before they get rid of this kook.
Africa can unite and become a great super power. If it wishes- The oppression and cruelty by colonialism has left one crippling by product- Intense hatred of all that is white...This is the real curse of the whites who were evil- Once they induce hatred and it becomes an inner spiritual sickness......You are ruined for generations- A person in hate- can only bring about suffering to others and destruction of themselves- stop teaching your children to hate- It is like chopping off their hands and feet..You do your child and the next generation a dis- service- Forget the scars of the past...stop looking at them and move forward.
I'm really also not sure why Africans resented being pushed out of the way so that our resources could be stolen and sold to the highest bidder. The Congolese, for example, should've been grateful that they were civilized even if it meant that many hands and feet had to be chopped off and people were enslaved to harvest rubber. Why, indeed, should "elite" black Burkinabes have complained when they were kindly ripped from their families to experience the learning of French and Catholicism at boarding schools where they were beaten for speaking their own languages? Who can imagine why the Senegalese should've complained when they were sent to the front lines of some European "world war" in chains? The Herero and Namaqua of Botswana only had to be killed by the thousands to clear their land for European settlement. Yes, the joys of colonialism. We had to suffer so little to get the wonderful things we have now.
Yes it's a shame that we got rid of things out of sheer spite. Let's lobby the Europeans for a quick return and why not also re-institute chattel slavery? After all black Americans from the U.S. to Brazil have made amazing contributions to world culture.
/End sarcasm.
Times have changed ....white racism has faded as the planet mixes it's tribes far and wide- The problem in Africa is still racism...black racism...I am sure my friend who has been in AFRICA for nearly 20 years fears for his life on occasion. Why would a man have to be afraid of those he seeks to assist? This slows progress down..take all the real help you can get- You will know them by the fruit they bare.. Take the good and reject the bad...You are wise enough to know what that is...I hope.
How did he ruin Zimbabwe? He kicked out colonialist (or their descendants), has worked to get rid of a currency that was tied to colonialism (which is always going to result in high inflation) and is now on the road to recovery. The question that should be asked, is why don't more African leaders bite the bullet and throw off the colonial yoke as well? They tried in Cote D'ivore but those savage French played their little game in the background nicely. Hopefully someone in future will rise up and finish the job.
Hey I know a black Zimbabewean and he admits living standards for him( being black of course) was much better under White rule than under Mugabe. Then everyone had jobs and the economy was much better. He did admit there was oppression during White rule but it is not as bad as under Mugabe as it is not just Whites are being oppressed but Blacks as well. In addition Zimbabwe was among the most wealthiest countries in Africa before Mugabe came into power and now it is one of the poorest.
It does not matter if a leader emerges that is black or white...Who ever is best for the job should take the position..To exclude a white AFRICAN from taking a position of leadership would be like excluding a black leader on a white continent from leadership. Mugabe...seems backwards because he believes power is the hoarding of power- real power is the generation of power to everybody..It's called freedom..What is the point of hating white people - some who were owners of slaves...Why is it good that a black leader owns slaves?
Mugabe is like the worst of former white controllers..It is similar to the idea in America that blacks will vote for Obama..who may as well be white...who has no real care or concern for black human beings- White AFRICANS have been there for generations...they are AFRICANS. Do not resent a man or woman because of skin tone..it is unwise.
I know little of Mugabe..what I do know is that he has made himself a KING - a king must love his people to have power..Mugabe loves only oppression - He is so stupid he thinks power is oppression- He has it backwards.
Do not resent a man or woman because of skin tone..it is unwise.
Leave it to white people to tell Africans to be peaceable and kind after you've demonstrated the very opposite behavior for 400 years.
The sad fact of the matter is that while Mugabe doesn't have a lot of support within Zimbabwe, for very good reason, a lot of continental Africans do admire him because of how he kicked out white farmers. He is still idolized in many countries because of this. I am Ghanaian and know many Ghanaians who admire and respect this man in spite of his dictatorial ways.
I see Mugabe for the evil autocrat that he is but I resent all of the non-Africans in this thread who are suggesting we turn the other cheek and be good. Please believe Europeans have set the tone for our future relations and you have no one to blame but themselves. And no, whites living in Africa will never be African.
I don't mean to sound naive but if colonialism was so evil and 100% responsible for all the ills that the African continent now suffers, how come colonialism in other parts of the world has NOT resulted in this same situation? You don't see these kinds of problems in Hong Kong, Singapore, the Caribbean or parts of the Mediterranean. What is so different about Africa? And why is it always someone else's fault? Did anyone hold a gun to Mugabe's head and force him to be the dictator he is? Did anyone force Idi Amin or the Hutu in Rwanda? You can say these were a result of colonialism but those people could just as easily have decided NOT to behave like monsters. At what point do these oppressors take responsibility for their own actions and choices?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
