BBC gloats over Zimbabwe crisis

Mhofeti • pasizw@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: Opinion on Zimbabwe
Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:32:14 • Giggabite, do the people imposing further sanctions on Zimbabwe have any moral and humanitarian sense to stop the suffering of those ordinary people? You seem to ok their actions as if they have a God given right to cause suffering to anyone. Neither Zanu PF nor those imposing sanctions have a right to deliberately cause people's suffering to advance their interests. Any well wishing person will call upon all parties causing the suffering of Zimbabwean people to stop and not selectively call upon one party that you perceive to be mainly responsible. In the context of 21st century democracy even that little suffering caused by sanctions is not welcome and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Zimbabweans also have a right to their dream of a trouble free society and bright future for future generations just like any citizens of the world. It's not like Zanu PF is dealing with a minor whom you say is immature to be accountable for his actions. These people putting further sanctions on Zimbabwe are arguably the most experienced and under no illussions as to the effects of sanctions on ordinary voiceless and vulnerable citizens. On this basis I find it mind boggling for anyone to justify this deliberate defenceless assault on the welfare of Zimbabweans. I wouldn't however rule out someone coming to the defence of these sanctions because Zanu PF is also causing suffering one way or the other. So if Zanu PF is hurting people in various ways what is the west and USA doing with the sanctions to those very helpless and vulnerable citizens? PLEASE DON'T TELL ME THEY ARE HELPING!!!

Giggabite • Gigga_byte@hotmail.co.uk
Subject: My opinion on Zim
Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:26:03 • I think these sanctions further imposed would drag ordinery people into extreme danger of starvation . Zanu pf should simply be booted out by FORCE..!

MrK • bannie2020@hotmail.com
Subject: What Is Development
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 19:01:12 • Nova,

I completely agree. Africa has more than enough land, much of it's people are officially unemployed. All the ingredients are there for economic development and growth.

Speaking for Zambia, 'Donor aid' is a shell game that always comes with strings attached and is a fraction of what we export in raw materials (in 2004, the government received $600mn in donor aid, but the economy exported $4000 million in copper and cobalt - the government collected a paltry $6 million in taxes from the mines). We must get paid for our exports, and use that money to capitalize other economic sectors especially agriculture and infrastructure.

The current leadership talks about 'development' in the abstract, and believe that attracting foreign companies is the most important thing. I believe that we need to develop our infrastructure and agriculture, and do it in such a way that it involves all the people, instead of a few people employed for a pittance in foreign businesses in Zambia. In other words, they fully signed up to the neoliberal idea of free capital, borrowing your way into growth, an no taxing of businesses (but instead shifting the tax burden to the workers through collecting income tax instead of corporate taxes).

What I have suggested are complexes of 100 hectare organic farms, which will serve as a springboard for rural development and as most people live in the rural areas, national development. As you may know, in Zimbabwe the average subsistence farm was 2 to 3 hectares, the average commercial farm 2000 to 3000 hectares. The former is too small to make a living wage from without capital investment, the latter too large to even remotely fully utilize all the land. The average family owned farming area with mechanisation is 100 hectares, as it is in Europe itself.

What I am envisioning is a basic unit of a 100 hectare farm, worked by one family. This provides enough space for the children of the farmer to set up small businesses on the farm - horticulture, greenhouses, agroforestry, cattle raising, etc. Combined with the size of the farm, capital accumulation from raising staple crops in itself will provide enough savings to diversify into other ventures.

Infrastructure wise, we need feeder roads, storage facilities and especially construction that guides and stores rainwater - swales, ponds, areas that restock acquifers and natural wetlands.

If there was a policy that an area could not use more water than it collects, and if agriculture was completely organic, we would have land use that would not deteriorate the environment and would provide food for centuries to come even if the population doubled (which it will in the next 25 years).

That's development. I sincerely hope that Zimbabwe is spared a re-run of the neoliberal experiment, the disastrous economic consequences of which it had experience with during ESAP. The MDC seem to be enthusiastic neoliberals, and I hope they can be kept in check.

Nova, Edinburgh • na.com
Subject: you will reap what you sow.
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:10:18 • Western reporters intent on destroying Africa are the tool of the devil. Its employees only get paid for bad news.
the credit crunch is actually the West's karma. in other words You Will Reap That Which You Sow. sadly, just as the crumbs that fall from the master's table sustain those languishing beneath it, we should realise that there will no longer be crumbs falling from any of their tables anymore. Get used to it.
it is time to ensure that the struts of our own tables are steadfast and that our table linen is washed, bleached and starched for the banquet that Africa is about to enjoy - if only our own masters seated at the banquet tables would pull themselves towards themselves, stop holding out the begging bowls to those who have no real concern about our needs (unless they can get something out of it), stop bickering and get on with the jobs they were voted in to do.
Never mind that old colonial mantra THESE THINGS TAKE TIME, realise now that:
Time is of the Essence!
Now is the hour!
Tomorrow waits for no Man!
There is no time like the present,
and JUST DO IT!
However, be careful how you do it and who you exploit in your unscrupulous business undertakings.
You have to be motivated, certainly, but you also have to have principles of care and compassion for those in your employ, because whatever goes up must come down. it is the law of gravity and those you step on (as you elevate yourself and go up in the world) are those you will come face-to-face with on your way to being a down and out of this world.

N/A • N/A
Subject: DISASTER
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:25:46 • N/A was laughing when he saw articles on BBC of people crying cause they lost savings and below a caption saying Zimbabwe in hunger disaster in rural areas. Ko chii Nhai.