BS: Mugabe leaves Commonwealth - hurray!

Subject: RE: BS: Mugabe leaves Commonwealth - hurray!
From: GUEST,Teribus
Date: 10 Dec 03 - 04:18 AM

Apologies Gareth for not making my point as clearly as I thought.

"...cases in point to quote as reference"

Kenneth Kaunda:
1964 - Freely elected in first elections

1968 - His party strongly suspected of fomenting violence during the elections of that year which he and his party won.

1972 - Used the violence of the last elections to ban all other political parties and made Zambia a one party state.

Subsequent government corruption and sole reliance on a single resource for income meant that by the the mid-80's his one party state and government lost public support.

1991 - forced by public pressure and an economy in ruins he returned to multi-party politics and lost the election and office of President.

I believe that there are a number of points of similarity with Mugabe in Zimbabwe:

Won first free election as President under a multi-party system. Two main parties being ZANU and ZAPU

Declared a one party state after decimating the Matabele population through a government led campaign of terror, ethnic cleansing and clearance.

Through corruption and reliance on a single resource brought about economic collapse in Zimbabwe, accelerated by him actively killing the countries "golden goose" (it's agricultural base). Mugabe and ZANU have now lost the support of large proportions of the population of Zimbabwe. A new political Party has been formed and was allowed to contest the last elections, which were seriously flawed and declared undemocratic by many.

His country, under his leadership is going to hell in a handcart and hopefully it will not be too long before he disappears from the scene.

In no way did I intend to imply that those quoted in my earlier posts were equally guilty and totally comparable - only that each have demonstrated points of similarity with the current President of Zimbabwe.

I hope that is a clearer picture of what I originally meant to say, but so obviously failed in doing.

Subject: RE: BS: Mugabe leaves Commonwealth - hurray!
From: GUEST,Teribus
Date: 10 Dec 03 - 03:56 AM

Subject: RE: BS: Mugabe leaves Commonwealth - hurray!
From: Gareth
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 05:09 PM

Carefull Teribus - The first OMOV election in Zimbabwe was certified as relatively fair and honest. I make no comment on any subsequent elections.

I think it is a little unfair on you to classify KKK, Keneth Kaunda in the same catergory as Amin etc. I also beg to remind you that KKK went as the result of an election, and whilst Zambia may have it share of corrupt politicians KKK was not classified as one.

Gareth

Subject: RE: BS: Mugabe leaves Commonwealth - hurray!
From: GUEST,Teribus
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 08:58 AM

"thug and petty dictator"

"thug, petty dictator and common criminal"

"doesn't even qualify as a humen being"

Who Robert Mugabe?

Good heavens! Are we talking about that noble, selfless, fearless freedom fighter, who led his people to independence from the enslavement they endured under the evil regime of Ian Smith. I have the distinct feeling that is how many in this forum would have regarded him - for no good cause.

Actions on taking over power was to send his (ZANU) North Korean trained Fifth Brigade into Matabeleland to carry-out a campaign of ethnic cleansing. This of course just happened to be the power base of his erstwhile companion in arms Joshua Nkomo.

What followed was systematic harassment of the white farmers culminating in Mugabe's much publicised land reform programme. Taking land from those evil white farmers and distributing that land to the indigenous people of the new Zimbabwe - providing of course that you were one of Mugabe's cronies, or the cronie of someone high enough up in the ZANU heirarchy.

Ian Smith foretold almost exactly what would happen at the time he declared UDI and again at the Lancaster House talks. God knows, both he and the British Government had sufficient cases in point to quote as reference, Milton Obote; Jomo Kenyata; Idi Amin; Kenneth Kaunda, etc. All of whom basically abused their power for personal gain and encouraged their close associates to do likewise at the cost of beggaring their countries and their people.

Zimbabwe in the past has suffered drought - in her entire colonial history she never experienced famine. Potentially an extremely rich agricultural country, Mugabe's land grab is a classic example of famine induced by politics.

The sooner this shoddy piece of excrement and his henchmen have been removed from power and handed over to be judged by the people of Zimbabwe the better.

"elected in a fair and democratic election" - My Arse - what planet are you living on GUEST.

Subject: RE: BS: Mugabe leaves Commonwealth - hurray!
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 08:31 AM

It was realy interesting hearing Ian Smith interviewed a couple of years back. I wasn't that interested at the time so can't remember but Smith said he was never against black rule - only against Mugabe!

Can anyone remember him saying this at the time?

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Mugabe leaves Commonwealth - hurray!
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 08:25 AM

But he was elected in a fair and democratic election; all properly supervised by unarmed Bobby's BTW.

Subject: RE: BS: Mugabe leaves Commonwealth - hurray!
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 07:05 AM

Mugabe doesn't even qualify as a humen being.
eric

Subject: RE: BS: Mugabe leaves Commonwealth - hurray!
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 02:53 PM

I am somewhat surprised at the stance taken by South Africa, in wanting to reinstate Zimbabwe, apparently they went in for some pretty heavy threats and arm twisting to try to achieve this. It would seem somewhat perfidious of South Africa and the other African nations to push for the restoration Zimbabwe, when it came to anti apartheid sanctions they were all in favour of them. This is what makes it appear so much a black versus white situation.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Mugabe leaves Commonwealth - hurray!
From: mooman
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 12:17 PM

I have a number of black Zimbabwean friends in Harare and elsewhere who are in somewhat dire straits thanks to this, well Arnie says it as it is: thug, petty dictator and common criminal. I suspect there are probably one or two more amongst some other countries still in the CW.

I don't think the Commonwealth had much choice but to continue to exclude Zimbabwe because of the behaviour of Mugabe and his regime. Hopefully, democracy may reign again soon and they can be readmitted.

Arnies point about the seeming polarization of black vs. white in the Commonwealth discussions is also pertinent.

Peace

moo

Subject: BS: Mugabe leaves Commonwealth - hurray!
From: GUEST,Arnie
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 12:04 PM

So the thug and petty dictator Mugabe has carried out his threat to take Zimbabwe out of the Commonwealth. So what?? I heard today that the C/W is now threatened with turmoil over this decision. Why? The only people who will be upset are the other dictators who sided with this thug. The C/W countries are supposed to uphold democratic principles and human rights - does that apply in Zimbabwe? I think not. Once Mugabe and his henchmen are kicked out of power - hopefully some day soon - then the next administration can rejoin the C/W if they wish. Of course, one may wonder what is the point in having a Commonwealth at all these days - it seems to be polarising into black v. white, which was not the idea at all.....