blaming mugabe...while absolving the colonial entity that created the present problems...or...made it possible for such a condition over land cliam...is like blaming victims of aparthaid for their present economic conditions....as you are aware....Zimbabwe was controlleded by south african aparthaid system...where thnx 2 the
1888 agreement...British South African Country was signed with then portugese descendants...2 mine the country for gold....which began the influx of European settlers...leading 2 a war b/w black natives "Ndebele" & british colony...but obviously the natives were defeated...allowing a growing # of european immigrants.
* In 1930 a land act was passed which excluded Africans from ownership of the best farming land further enhancing white supremacy. The labour law, carried in 1934, prohibited the Africans from entering skilled trades and professions.
* As a consequence of these actions, Africans were forced to work for subsistence wages on white farms, mines and factories.
* The gradual radicalisation of the African labour force occurred due to terribly poor wages and conditions.
By 1953, the mining and industrial concerns were in favour of a more racially mixed middle class as a balance to the radical elements in the labour force. Also in 1953 a federation of Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesian (now Zambia) and Nyasaland (now Malawi) was formed.
system of gov:The Federation's prime minister, Garfield Todd was thrown out when he attempted to satisfy some of the more moderate African demands.
* In 1962 the same treatment was afforded his successor.
* The formation of a number of political parties along with sporadic acts of sabotage came as a result of African impatience with the prospects of constitutional change.
* At the forefront of this move was the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), mostly Ndebele, led by Joshua Nkomo.
* It was shortly joined by the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), mostly Shona, a break-away group under Ndabaningi Sithole.
* After the collapse of the federation in 1963, both ZAPU and ZANU were banned and the majority of their leaders imprisoned.
British gov role:At the same time, as a response to Britain's refusal to grant independence to Southern Rhodesia, Ian Smith the prime minister, called for a unilateral declaration of independence (UDI).
* In the May 1965 elections, Smith's party picked up every one of the 50 government seats, in December, UDI was declared.
* Britain declared Smith's action illegal and imposed economic sanctions. In 1968 the UN voted to make the sanctions mandatory but they were largely ineffective.
* The measures taken by the British government to force Smith to revoke UDI and accept Black majority rule were useless, as the economic sanctions imposed actually saw Rhodesia's economy grow.
* Both ZAPU and ZANU began campaigns of guerrilla warfare around 1966, and guerrilla raids led to an escalation in white emigration from Rhodesia.
civil war b/w white settlers & black afrikans...&...role of aparthaid SA + USA:The coming of independence in Angola and Mozambique in 1975 altered the power balance within Rhodesia greatly as it forced South Africa and the USA to rethink their attitudes to the area, in order that they could protect their economic and political interests.
* Attempts were made by both countries to pressurise Smith into accepting the nationalists. With Kauanda's Zambian support the nationalist groups were convinced to come together under the united front of Muzorewa's African National Congress. The imprisoned nationalist leaders were released.
* Continuing talks failed to bring the two sides to an agreement, despite changes to the nationalist "line-up", now called the Patriotic Front, a union of ZANU and ZAPU.
Ian Smith, in the face of an exodus of large numbers of whites, tried to make a deal with Sithole and
Muzurewa whereby power would be handed over to them providing certain guarantees were afforded to the whites: minimum of 28 seats in the 100 seat parliament; a veto over legislation for 10 years; white control of the army, air force, police, judiciary and civil service. It failed and the war grew worse.
* In the end, Smith called non-racial elections. In 1980 Mugabe's ZANU party won the election although the whites retained most of the guarantees that Smith wanted.
* There followed a continuing bitter rivalry between ZAPU and ZANU. Guerilla activity started again. Nkomo (ZAPU) left for England and did not return until Mugabe guaranteed his safety. Soon talks led to the uniting of the two rival parties.
coming 2 present problem* In 1988 the law guaranteeing whites 20 seats in parliament was rescinded. In 1990/1991 it was declared that half of the land belonging to white farmers would be allocated to blacks.
i think Mr. Davy as a smart business man...decided 2 deal with a horrendous dictator...which is what most business & corporation have done & still do 2 this day......while most of his fellow citizens are on the brink of starvation.....i wonder what his in-laws think of him...since charles davy managed 2 hold on 2 his land...while they lost theirs
(Moderators: MapleLeaf, Hale) > Chelsy Davy's family: Victims of the Mugabe regime
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