Greetings!

Quote: “NEWSLETTER: 3 31 JULY, 1999”

The simple fact that the article contained in this post is “backdated” should point our minds to the fact that the information contained in it is -- even if true, yet -- (also) outdated.

The post would almost give one the impression that these massacres occurred yesterday!

I agree that there were internal struggles for power in Zimbabwe shortly after independence (in April 1980), that many people lost their lives. But such a case is not specific to Zimbabwe alone (nor can we really prove that it was planned, instigated, coordinated and executed by Mugabe), but has been a reality experienced all over Afrika, after the kicking out of white colonialists; I mean, think of the incessant -- and, to some extent, ONGOING -- national tragedies in Nigeria, Zaïre, Angola, Mozambique, Sudan etc, and all those -- {Western-financed} -- coups d'état that have burned hell throughout the entire Afrikan continent since 1960, claimed millions of lives ...

Not surprisingly, the article lays too much stress on Joshua Nkomo, in my opinion, and hardly addresses the (purported) “ethnic cleansing” in its required context, in the present.

Nkomo was/is a revered giant -- both physically and historically -- of Afrikan anti-colonialist politics, actually a pathfinder in the southern Afrikan anti-colonial political arena. He was the first Zimbabwean (or so-called “Southern Rhodesian”) personality to question the monopoly of white colonialist power, colourfully decorated by “vagabond” Rhodesian whites upon themselves in “Southern Rhodesia”. Mugabe actually started out as his aide, being much younger than Nkomo … The fact that Nkomo later fell out with Mugabe should therefore not boggle our minds (as there are numerous such political examples we can pick everywhere, taking into consideration even their tribal differences -- which is, very unfortunately, almost “NORMAL” in Afrika!).

ALSO NOTE: Zimbabwe’s Shona-to-Ndebele population ratio lies somewhere in the neighbourhoods of 5:1.

Of course the two men’s different ethnic/tribal backgrounds played a major role in that split, in the whole “scramble” eventuated by the prospects of political independence. However, I think Nkomo should not be blamed for failing to excise Mashonaland and the Midlands from the rest of “Shona-Zimbabwe”, for he was wise enough to know that such infighting usually served the interests of foreign enemies in the long run, who, all along, had been wary of an independent Zimbabwe, are still wary of independent Afrika. Perhaps he also knew that he REALLY HAD NO CHANCE, considering Zimbabwe’s Shona-to-Ndebele population ratio of about 5:1 (or about 75% Shonas and 15% Ndebeles), even if we were to analyse that on grounds of tribal difference AND democracy ...

Honestly, I fail to see the reason for posting this article, considering that one immediately senses, reading through the article, that it is a piece of the past! … Containing valid information, yes, but still very much a piece of the past!! In the meantime, it is important to note that the Zimbabweans -- (on both sides) -- tried their best to unite (and they have indeed succeeded!!). The two major tribally-inclined political parties at independence (the “Shona” ZANU and the “Ndebele” ZAPU) amalgamated into the ZANU-Patriotic Front and power has being “shared” since then. Don’t forget that Nkomo was earlier part of the ruling government of Zimbabwe, before he passed away in London in 1999/2000. Don’t forget also that there are many Ndebeles in President Mugabe’s current cabinet, and one of them even goes by the name of (what else but …) “Nkomo”, a very Ndebele name(!).

Again: I will reiterate my opinion that we Afrikans have to wake up and stop describing our political identities through tribal differences, if we are to achieve anything politically meaningful, collectively.

I would also like to challenge those who are always keen on attacking Mugabe and the effects of unfair “punishments” he is suffering (unleashed by the West, due to the West’s UNDEMOCRATIC and dictatorial manipulation of Zimbabwe’s national issues) to stand up and tell us what they -- or their man Tsvangirai -- would do better that Mugabe hasn’t done or wouldn’t do: I MEAN CONCERNING THE LAND ISSUE (since the land issue has really sparked the West’s interests in Zimbabwe all of a sudden, wounded its imperialist emotions)!

[If they say they believe the land should be returned to Zimbabwe’s black majority, then I wonder what ‘special treatment’ they would receive from the Western watchdogs for that, from Big Brother!].

TIME IS GONE!

PS: The Struggle for Zimbabwe was fought through 2 avenues: Robert Mugabe’s ZANU freedom fighters, operating in Mozambique, and Joshua Nkomo’s ZAPU freedom fighters, fighting from Zambia. So, the Zimbabweans collectively liberated themselves through these two political & military forces -- which were forces TO BE RECKONED WITH!