DEAR EDITOR – I have been following many sentiments posted on this website and should commend you for being bold enough to publish pro-Zimbabwean articles when everybody else seems to be joining the bandwagon and not finding anything good about the country they come from.
I go to many websites and it seems fashionable to criticise the Government without proffering any solutions to the current crisis. The depth of understanding about issues bedevilling Zimbabwe also seems to be lacking among many critics who think that all problems in Zimbabwe start and end with Zanu PF.
The crisis in Zimbabwe is multi-faceted and any clear thinking Zimbabwean, who cares to find out about what really transpired to get us where we are will tell you that the situation in the country is much more complex than it is made out to be.
Zimbabwe has a chequered history and many of those people fighting for democracy today did not raise an eyebrow when it was Ian Smith who thwarted Blacks’ human rights.
Many of the people in the current leadership of the opposition and civil service served under Ian Smith and never spoke against the violation of human rights then.
This is not to exonerate the Zanu PF government of human rights violations nor condone corrupt and other activities that have been responsible for the crises we face; but I think any type of criticism should start with a recognition of the origin of the problems and what fans them.
I was shocked to hear that Kofi Annan and a few other individuals would like to come to Zimbabwe to assess the “humanitarian crisis” there, especially at a time when a worse crisis is taking place in the Congo. Besides, as secretary-general of the United Nations, a position more powerful than the one he currently holds, Kofi Annan did not express the same kind of interest in Zimbabwe.
His record on the African continent speaks for itself
There are elements who would like to get credit for the resolution of the Zimbabwean crisis now that the unity deal seems imminent despite all the obstacles, and unfortunately Kofi Annan seems to be one of them. The group of so-called Elders were selected by some dubious process that Zimbabwe was never involved in. Why should Zimbabwe be involved with that group? What is that group’s mandate?
The current problems we are facing as a nation are important in helping shape a future Zimbabwe. Both Zanu PF and MDC have learnt some serious lessons which will inform politics in the future.
Just as a word of caution, let me say that although you have been aiming to tell the Zimbabwean story from all sides, you seem to have, lately, been publishing only pro-Government articles. It would be ideal to present both sides and let the readers make their own decisions.
Thanks for affording me the opportunity to make a small contribution.
James Nyarambi – Opinion New Zealand
Editor responds:
Thanks for your sentiments.
We try as much as possible to balance the arguments. Our biggest challenge is that when we publish what you prefer to call “pro-Government” opinions, people assume that you will not publish “anti-Government” contributions; so we only end up with those articles that seem “pro-Government”.
The opposite is also true. If we publish “anti-Government” opinion pieces, those who would otherwise contribute “pro-Government” pieces stop sending contributions to us.
This is something that we cannot control, but I can assure you that we will never be deterred from publishing what we believe is the truth regardless of what we are labelled as or amount of slander we get from rival publications – and they have been plenty.
In any case, sentiments expressed in opinion pieces are those of our readers, not ours. We have made a decision to allow pro-Government pieces to be published and we reserve the right to do so. Those people who support Zanu PF have the right to do so, and we are in a position not to tell people who to, or not to, support.
Our conviction and our love for Zimbabwe is very strong and cannot be broken by those who wish to dampen our spirit. We believe that everyone has a right to decide who they want to support and have every right to express their opinion.
We also reserve the right not to publish any inflammatory articles. This is our right. Those articles have found a lot of space in other publications -- even ones edited and managed by established journalists who should really be teaching us.
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Hamadziripi Simbaneuta • tedhama@yahoo.co.uk Subject: I salute our heroes but cannot tolerate silly excuses of current Zanu PF Leadership Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:59:03 • You can try to sideline me or look at me differently from my appearance that does not move me away from the real truth I am.We cannot keepn on singing a song about Smith yet he was there all the twenty eight years and Zanu government did nothing. In fact they were using him as a tool for campaigning.
Have you ever had of railway line to Chitungwiza.It was coming on time of elections???So you are talking about the stay aways and strikes were done by people wanting to be colonised again???You must learn how to respect the people of Zimbabwe, not to take them for granted.
You should give people the respect they deserve not to think on their behalf.Politicians must come from people not from a selected Elite trying to claim they represent the will of the people.
For all these contributing factors for a massive destruction of our economy , the main one was lack of proper guidance and that I squarely blame the government of the day, simple as that.They have never had a solution and they will never until they come to respect others.
Their time is up , they should be baby sitting their grand children now.By that I have never denounced our liberation struggle, I do respect the revolution, if it was my time , I would have joined.The Liberators have done a great job , but they are some people who are messing all their effort.That is not acceptable.
Liberators fought for Democracy , it must prevail in Zimbabwe.We say no to Dictators, No to Foreigners and no to Puppets.
We must have a clear policy of governance, when a person voted into office should know the day to start and day to finish.The current government has failed to set up such a policy for the past twenty eight years and I don't see them making any progress at all.
We don't have to beg our freedom from these Elite Gang , our freedom was won and people sacrificed their lives.
Ruzhinji ngarutonge, ndizvo zvakafira Magamba.It is an insult to the nation , if you claim that we have only one man who can lead our country no matter what.I will not agree with you and by saying that you are taking us all Zimbabweans for stupid ride.
Nxumalo Mbuso • nmbuso@gmail.com Subject: Somlandela Sun, 23 Nov 2008 05:01:14 • Never have I been so refreshed like today as I read this article. Thank you so much true Zimbabwean.
A lot happened during Smith' rule and no one in opposition ever talks about it. For Simbaneuta to be denigrating Zimbabweans today it was the sacrifice of the very people he is calling all sorts of names. I am yet to hear any one say anything against Coaltart or Bennett. All we hear is investigate Mugabe.
There are many contributing factors that caused the crisis in Zimbabwe. Simbaneuta the demonstrations and looting of shops and industries which culminated the formation of MDC is one of those factors. Some of the companies never recovered from that madness and ended closing. We know all these were being organised by the Anti Zim forces.
Thank you Mr Editor. Thank you James. Sisenkudhleni boBaba.
Hamadziripi Simbaneuta • tedhama@yahoo.co.uk Subject: You cannot blame the west for not trying Smith Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:44:09 • The reconciliation was initiated by Independent Zimbabwe.We could have set up something like Truth Commission , but as I said before that all cannot be blamed to Zanu PF but it has played
a major role.
You also mentioned that Tsvangirai was a member of Zanu Pf for the past twenty years , you also have to understand that he came out of it through furastration.Me as well I was Zanu Pf and have very close relatives who went to war, Some did not return and some did but we are all moaning about the way our country is being managed.
There was a crying for an African solution for African problem, but who is making that African solution fail.Africa Union said you have to share power equally, but one wants to grab everything and playing games.Surely I have to say as it is.
I agree with you that Smith abused human rights by killing and torturing people during the war.After we gained our independence the government did nothing to try and investigate or set up an enquiry about what happenned during the war.It does matter what the West said or not said thats where SA VORENITI was to be used.
You see now because the first atrocities were not solved but were hidden under the umbrella of reconcilliation.South Africa just gaining their independence they set up their Truth Commission and in future they are proper rules in case an event like that happens again.
In our situation we are now twenty eight years since we got our independence , it does not make sense for us to blame the West why they did not put Smith on trial yet the war crimes happened in our country.Never mind what the West will say about our way we deal with the case but it has to be for our country.
Now we have the Gukurahundi still unresolved again.All these atrocities have to be resolved and there is no need for polticians to use them to their advantages.
West,East , South and North of the World will not stop saying things according to their intrests, but what is important is what we are doing as a nation being responsible with our nation.
By saying the West did say nothing on the Smith Regime's war crimes so they must not say anything on Gukurahundi, remember that we existing for the West but for God.The West can be choosy on ways of dealing with us but we as a nation we must be responsible enough about our social living.
Reconciliation was introduced by our new government.I always say everyone is not perfect , If the new government has said that they introduce reconciliation ,surely they can also accept that they made some mistakes by covering everything under the blunket of reconciliation.
If you remember well Rhodesian soldiers were receiving pension but there was nothing arranged for the liberators till they went on streets demanding their benefits.You know what is important in governments , it is important for them to come to people and say we made mistakes rather than pointing a finger to someone else.
N/A • N/A Subject: Freedom of expression Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:21:19 • Hamadziripi- This freedom of expression you are going on about is all well and good to a certain extent. Even in western countries, there are limits to what you can say, do. and publish. If you publish comments in the West that are perceived to be detrimental to their national security, you will be arrested and rightly so.In the case of Zim, it appears that anyone can write about anything and everything with impunity. Issues of national security are no longer sacrosanct. It all sesame season when it comes to reporting on Zim issues.
People's characters are being thrashed and livelihoods being threatened by so called journalists and posters who are not taking any personal responsibility for what they write.Many people have this false sense of security that they can anonymously communicate via the web. This is not true because any communication can be traced. Always remember that any postings can be traced and people can sue for defamation of character. Yes Talk Zimbabwe should be commented for publishing both sides of the Zim story and allowing sensible debates to be carried out unlike the majority of sites about Zim that have degenerated to publishing false stories, insulting and threatening contributors. This is not what democracy is all about. Is it? However,Nyarambi raised a very interesting issue with regards to the multi-faceted nature of the Zim problems. In your postings, you tend to blame one man and his party for all the problems of Zim. Let's take Tsvangirai, he was a member of Zanu-PF for 20 years. Has he in anyway contributed to some of the problems that you place squarely on Zanu-PF? Nyarambi also mentions that most people in the opposition and the civil service worked for Ian Smith and never raised any issues regarding human rights abuses. Ian Smith was one of the biggest human rights abusers that ever lived in Zimbabwe. When he used napalm and biological weapons on the rural people and poisoned their water, cattle and food in Zim. Nobody in the West condemned him. When he blank bombed civilians, herded them into concentation camps,beheaded them and buried them alive, nobody in the West condemned him. Many of the opposition leaders and some working for NGOs now witnessed those atrocities but did they speak out? No. Did Smith died a free man in Zim? Yes! Were there any calls for Smith to go to the Hague to be tried for human rights abuses? No!
They call it reconciliation. Double standards?
There are many walking wounded to this day in Zim who can tell you the kind of barbaric acts that were meted out to them by Smith.I recently met a man in Zim who lost five of his teenage children when his village was bombed by Smith. Do you think this man cares for the political freedoms you are going on about. His emotions are still as raw as when this happened almost thirty years ago.Now coming to matter of sanctions that have been imposed by the US.EU and UK. Have you ever reflected on why these were imposed? Do you not think that these sanctions have negatively impacted on the Zim economy and the livelihoods of its people. What of the brain drain to western countries? Do you not think that this has also had an adverse effect on all service deliveries? Another comment you have made is whether not having participated in the war of liberation should bar anyone from holding political office. Many Zims who did not fight in the war of liberation have served as ministers in the govt. Where it irks some Zims is where individuals who could have fought for the liberation of the country but chose to run away and are now portraying themselves as champions of democracy with scars to prove (according to themselves). There also some ex Rhodies like Roy Bennett (MDC-T) who was in the Selous Scouts and carried out some hideous barbaric acts against the rural Zims during the war of liberation.For Roy Bennett to start preaching about democracy at this late stage is proving a hard pill to swallow for the majority of Zims.
N/A • N/A Subject: Freedom of expression Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:07:19 • Hamadziripi- This freedom of expression you are going on about is all well and good to a certain extent. Even in western countries, there are limits to what you can say, do. and publish. If you publish comments in the West that are perceived to be detrimental to their national security, you will be arrested and rightly so.In the case of Zim, it appears that anyone can write about anything and everything with impunity. Issues of national security are no longer sacrosanct. It all sesame season when it comes to reporting on Zim issues.
People's characters are being thrashed and livelihoods being threatened by so called journalists and posters who are not taking any personal responsibility for what they write.Many people have this false sense of security that they can anonymously communicate via the web. This is not true because any communication can be traced. Always remember that any postings can be traced and people can sue for defamation of character. Yes Talk Zimbabwe should be commented for publishing both sides of the Zim story and allowing sensible debates to be carried out unlike the majority of sites about Zim that have degenerated to publishing false stories, insulting and threatening contributors. This is not what democracy is all about. Is it? However,Nyarambi raised a very interesting issue with regards to the multi-faceted nature of the Zim problems. In your postings, you tend to blame one man and his party for all the problems of Zim. Let's take Tsvangirai, he was a member of Zanu-PF for 20 years. Has he in anyway contributed to some of the problems that you place squarely on Zanu-PF? Nyarambi also mentions that most people in the opposition and the civil service worked for Ian Smith and never raised any issues regarding human rights abuses. Ian Smith was one of the biggest human rights abusers that ever lived in Zimbabwe. When he used napalm and biological weapons on the rural people and poisoned their water, cattle and food in Zim. Nobody in the West condemned him. When he blank bombed civilians, herded them into concentation camps,beheaded them and buried them alive, nobody in the West condemned him. Many of the opposition leaders and some working for NGOs now witnessed those atrocities but did they speak out? No. Did Smith died a free man in Zim? Yes! Were there any calls for Smith to go to the Hague to be tried for human rights abuses? No!
They call it reconciliation. Double standards?
There are many walking wounded to this day in Zim who can tell you the kind of barbaric acts that were meted out to them by Smith.I recently met a man in Zim who lost five of his teenage children when his village was bombed by Smith. Do you think this man cares for the political freedoms you are going on about. His emotions are still as raw as when this happened almost thirty years ago.Now coming to matter of sanctions that have been imposed by the US.EU and UK. Have you ever reflected on why these were imposed? Do you not think that these sanctions have negatively impacted on the Zim economy and the livelihoods of its people. What of the brain drain to western countries? Do you not think that this has also had an adverse effect on all service deliveries? Another comment you have made is whether not having participated in the war of liberation should bar anyone from holding political office. Many Zims who did not fight in the war of liberation have served as ministers in the govt. Where it irks some Zims is where individuals who could have fought for the liberation of the country but chose to run away and are now portraying themselves as champions of democracy with scars to prove (according to themselves). There also some ex Rhodies like Roy Bennett (MDC-T) who was in the Selous Scouts and carried out some hideous barbaric acts against the rural Zims during the war of liberation.For Roy Bennett to start preaching about democracy at this late stage is proving a hard pill to swallow for the majority of Zims.
kayceedunn • kayceedunn@yahoo.com Subject: positivity Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:58:21 • thanx mr garande for your your stance on positivity and for putting your country first.we cant let bbc,al jazeera ,and all these other fools to manipulate information for political gain.
our country and its people come first and if we continue like this i think,our leaders will step down knowing that a new crop of zimbabwe have risen to take zimbabwe to the next level of greatness .
zimbabwe needs us ,shona ,ndebele,white,kalanga,all of us young zimbabweans to unite as equal men and women to defend zim from mercenaries using the knowledge and education that we have aquired from the zimbabwean schooling system PEACEFULLY coz i believe in mind over matter .realising our african tradition requires us to be humble at all times and positive criticism and positive ideas is what we want in this time.
i was on one blog where the editor is into separation and is endorsing the idea of a NDEBELE president,since mugabe and tsvangirai,shonas so to speak have let the country down.my people we dont need that kind of thinking if we really love our country and our brothers and sisters back home.no wonder those guys were silenced by the mugabe regime.
the truth shall set everyone free.
Mhofeti • pasizw@yahoo.co.uk Subject: Pro-Gov and Anti-Gov Propaganda Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:08:36 • Editor, I'm surprised that you chose to respond to James's article which I could hardly disagree with because of its clarity and intention. In the process of responding to an article that commended more than it criticized your site Mr editor you actually managed to brew a controversy. Was it a typing error when you said ....... we are in a position to tell people who to, or not to, support?. On not publishing inflammatory articles, I would say relatively speaking you are doing ok but not enough to commend yourself. If you couldn't resist responding maybe you should have ended with the first 3 paragraphs and another thank you for your support. Well done James for a sobering piece!!!
Hamadziripi Simbaneuta • tedhama@yahoo.co.uk Subject: Thank you Mr/s Editor for giving everyone the opportunity Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:57:00 • Thank you Mr/s Editor for trying your best in giving everyone an opportunity to express his or her views.
Going back to the writer, at least this newspaper gives you and me space to express our views, but the press home does not allow anyone besides Zanu Pf praisers and supporters.
I would not say that everything has been blamed on them, but as you can see already we have started by the press freedom.That cannot be blamed to foreigners but has to do with the the Political party which is ruling.
You have said that most of the opposition did not participate in the Liberation Struggle. But that does not deny them their right to participate in their country's politics.Also you have to know that not everyone who went to war , for the sake of liberating the country, but some went with their personal agendas.They are real Liberators who went to war to liberate our country ,some did not return and others are alive and not happy about this bondage of coloniasm practiced by Zanu PF.
They wouldn't be happy to see people not free to exercise their political rights because someone who went to war is manipulating them.
Liberation struggle was for good purpose , but today we have people who are manipulating the struggle for their personal gains.Those are the people who are putting us back to colonialism and people are fed up of them.
Just to say that someone has not participated in the Liberation Struggle , therefore has no right to hold political office , is not right.Are you telling me that all those who went to war made a contract or agreement before they go, that a person who did not fight must not govern.I don't think so, but they are some people who are benefiting from those tactis.
With the current Zanu Pf leadership they are using that as an excuse to govern us without our will.The reality of the situation is Zanu Pf took a very strong lead with the problems we are facing as a nation.
We cannot say that Zimbabwe has its political freedom, but in Zimbabwe only Zanu PF has its own political freedom.Twenty eight years in power what they did is just strengthen their policies of dominating the nation.That is why everyone is pointing a finger on them.
They have to tolerate other people with different opinioins from them.
Even on these contributions they always start by intimidating and abusing people thats not right.That does not say some are ever clean but it was started by Zanu PF because of its dominance.
Its not just because you went to war , so you have to govern no matter the people wants you or not.
Zimbabweans are very peaceful people but politicians must not take them for granted.
Hamadziripi Simbaneuta • tedhama@yahoo.co.uk Subject: Thank you Mr/s Editor for giving everyone the opportunity Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:51:15 • Thank you Mr/s Editor for trying your best in giving everyone an opportunity to express his or her views.
Going back to the writer at this newspaper gives you and me to express our views, but the press home does not allow anyone besides Zanu Pf praisers and supporters.
I would not say that everything has be blamed on them, but as you can see already we have started by the press freedom.That cannot be blamed to foreigners but has to do the the Political party which is ruling.
You have said that most of the opposition did not participate in the Liberation Struggle. But that does not deny them their right to participate in their countries politics.Also you have to know that not everyone who went to war , for the sake of liberating the country, but some went with their personal agendas.They are real Liberators who went to war to liberate our country ,some did not return and others are alive and not happy about this bondage of coloniasm practiced by Zanu PF.
They wouldn't be happy to see people not free to exercise their political rights because someone who went to war is manipulating them.
Liberation struggle was for good purpose , but today we have people who are manipulating the struggle for their personal gains.Those are the people who are putting us back to colonialism and people are fed up of them.
Just to say that someone has not participated in the Liberation Struggle , therefore has no right to hold political office , is not right.Are you telling me that all those who went to war made a contract or agreement before they go, that a person who did not fight must not govern.I don't think so, but they are some people who are benefiting from those tactis.
With the current Zanu Pf leadership they are using that as an excuse to govern us without our will.The reality of the situation is Zanu Pf took a very strong lead with the problems we are facing as a nation.
We cannot say that Zimbabwe has its political freedom, but in Zimbabwe only Zanu PF has its own political freedom.Twenty eight years in power what they did is just strengthen their policies of dominating the nation.That is what everyone is pointing a finger on them.
They have to tolerate other people with different opinioins from them.
Even on these contributions they always start by intimidating and abusing people thats not right.That does not say some are ever clean but it was started by Zanu PF because of its dominance.
Its not just because you went to war , so you have to govern no matter the people wants you or not.
Zimbabweans are very peaceful people but politicians must not take them for granted.
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