. . . I think Mugabe is ten times Mandela.

What about you?

What really did Mandela achieve?

And where is zimbwabwe now in
terms of economy? What did mugabe achieve? One thing you dnt know is that whites(70%) control the economy of SA, without them SA will collaspe...

Whites control the economy because they control the land (and valuable resources such as diamonds and uranium)

In Zimbabwe - at least Mugabe put his people back in control of the land - after which sanctions were imposed to prevent the indeginous people from enjoying the riches of Africa the whites so covet.

Mugabe - We hail you!!!]

Interesting question from an enquiring mind that has refused to be colonised by the western media's love in with Nelson Mandela.

Let us be clear, Mandela's greatness as a person must remain beyond dispute. His immense personal sacrifice, 27 years of his life in a racist jail, choosing to remain there rather than renounce his people's right to resist their dehumanisation has to be recognised. However his popularity with the west is not down to what he did for the blacks - helping them win freedom, it is down to what he did for their white oppressors - forgiving them their crimes and allowing them keep their stolen wealth after they lost formal political power

As for Mugabe, personally he can be cruel and vindictive, but his courage, personal (like Mandela) and political (unlike Mandela) cannot be denied. He fought in the bush for 11 years against Rhodesia's vicious racist regime and has had the guts to seize the land they stole from the original inhabitants. Mandela great man that he is, sometimes comes across as being a bit more concerned about what is said about him in the editorial columns of the world's great newspapers than the genuine interests of the shanty town dwellers whose blood, sweat and struggles brought him and the ANC to power.

Mandela's greatness they say is down to his lack of 'bitterness' against his enemies, inspite of the terrible crimes they committed agsint his person and above all, his people. In that case since imitation is the sincerest form of flaterry, why don't the west also show the same forgiveness to their own enemies.

Look through history and point out just one instance when any Asian, Arab or African who harmed white people has been treated with anything but the most ferocious brutality. The Nazi's (white caucasians) kiled 6 million European jews, none of their leaders were tortured by the victorious allies. Al Quaeda killed 3000 Americans, they put so much electricity up their backsides, the Iraqi national grid is still to recover its electrical capacity

When a dark skinned person harms white people - they always call for justice

But when a White skinned person harms dark skinned people the call changes to the need for 'truth and reconciliation'

Mugabe refuses to play that game, that's why they hate him

Mandela plays it brilliantly, that's why they love him

odumorun 1: Interesting question from an enquiring mind that has refused to be colonised by the western media's love in with Nelson Mandela.

Let us be clear, Mandela's greatness as a person must remain beyond dispute. His immense personal sacrifice, 27 years of his life in a racist jail, choosing to remain there rather than renounce his people's right to resist their dehumanisation has to be recognised. However his popularity with the west is not down to what he did for the blacks - helping them win freedom, it is down to what he did for their white oppressors - forgiving them their crimes and allowing them keep their stolen wealth after they lost formal political power

As for Mugabe, personally he can be cruel and vindictive, but his courage, personal (like Mandela) and political (unlike Mandela) cannot be denied. He fought in the bush for 11 years against Rhodesia's vicious racist regime and has had the guts to seize the land they stole from the original inhabitants. Mandela great man that he is, sometimes comes across as being a bit more concerned about what is said about him in the editorial columns of the world's great newspapers than the genuine interests of the shanty town dwellers whose blood, sweat and struggles brought him and the ANC to power.

Mandela's greatness they say is down to his lack of 'bitterness' against his enemies, inspite of the terrible crimes they committed agsint his person and above all, his people. In that case since imitation is the sincerest form of flaterry, why don't the west also show the same forgiveness to their own enemies.

Look through history and point out just one instance when any Asian, Arab or African who harmed white people has been treated with anything but the most ferocious brutality. The Nazi's (white caucasians) kiled 6 million European jews, none of their leaders were tortured by the victorious allies. Al Quaeda killed 3000 Americans, they put so much electricity up their backsides, the Iraqi national grid is still to recover its electrical capacity

When a dark skinned person harms white people - they always call for justice

But when a White skinned person harms dark skinned people the call changes to the need for 'truth and reconciliation'

Mugabe refuses to play that game, that's why they hate him

Mandela plays it brilliantly, that's why they love him

What a marvellous post.

Your intelligence and insight is admirable.

I don't necessarily regard Mugabe as 'cruel and vindictive'. The man was literally in a WAR over his nation's land and resources. And I'm not referring to the actual war of liberation in the 70s, but to the western-led alliance of the 90s and 2000s to keep the status quo, of minority white ownership of 85% of the land. The soldiers used by the western powers? MDC, Tsvangerai, BBC, CNN, Tony Blair, ETC.

As for the person who asked ''to what end?''. The Zimbabwean people have in effect been LIBERATED. See, liberation for them was never about replacing Prime Minster Ian Smith with a black face and everything carrying on as normal. Liberation meant regaining control of their land and resources seized by the invaders a hundred years earlier. Now they have a future...and are no longer peasants and tenants on their ancestral land. Nothing beats that.

Oh... and whites who fled during the crisis are flocking back to Zimbabwe as the economy booms, including the agricultural sector (now majority African controlled) which the BBC had claimed would 'collapse' following their handover to blacks.

Now, even the BBC have been forced to admit the foolishness of their dire predictions:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11764004

but mandela is no longer in power.
why has his successors kept the status quo?

Africa needs more 'Mugabe's' . . . .

The same Mugabe who's been killing Ndebele people in what appears to be a deliberate ethnic cleansing exercise?

Very poor comparison in my opinion. Mugabe has hounded, murdered and victimised his own people in the name of dictatorship. The man evicted white farmers and gave his people land but a loaf of bread costs something like 1 million zimbabwe pounds or something like that. I had a zimbabwean chick years back in the UK who lost her father to mugabe's hit squads. Now compare that to a mandela who left his country after a term in office and bequeathed a legacy of unity and prosperity (even if zuma is messing up)

Mandela and the ANC want to maintain reconciliation with transformation so that the blacks can benefit from the creative and technical abilities of the whites and it working out positively.They are now using that combination to dominate every sector in Africa because no nation can progress by destroying their most creative group like Nigeria did.

I appreciate black south Africans for their humanity[ubuntu] and i wish other Africans can learn from them.

odumorun 1: Interesting question from an enquiring mind that has refused to be colonised by the western media's love in with Nelson Mandela.

Let us be clear, Mandela's greatness as a person must remain beyond dispute. His immense personal sacrifice, 27 years of his life in a racist jail, choosing to remain there rather than renounce his people's right to resist their dehumanisation has to be recognised. However his popularity with the west is not down to what he did for the blacks - helping them win freedom, it is down to what he did for their white oppressors - forgiving them their crimes and allowing them keep their stolen wealth after they lost formal political power

As for Mugabe, personally he can be cruel and vindictive, but his courage, personal (like Mandela) and political (unlike Mandela) cannot be denied. He fought in the bush for 11 years against Rhodesia's vicious racist regime and has had the guts to seize the land they stole from the original inhabitants. Mandela great man that he is, sometimes comes across as being a bit more concerned about what is said about him in the editorial columns of the world's great newspapers than the genuine interests of the shanty town dwellers whose blood, sweat and struggles brought him and the ANC to power.

Mandela's greatness they say is down to his lack of 'bitterness' against his enemies, inspite of the terrible crimes they committed agsint his person and above all, his people. In that case since imitation is the sincerest form of flaterry, why don't the west also show the same forgiveness to their own enemies.

Look through history and point out just one instance when any Asian, Arab or African who harmed white people has been treated with anything but the most ferocious brutality. The Nazi's (white caucasians) kiled 6 million European jews, none of their leaders were tortured by the victorious allies. Al Quaeda killed 3000 Americans, they put so much electricity up their backsides, the Iraqi national grid is still to recover its electrical capacity

When a dark skinned person harms white people - they always call for justice

But when a White skinned person harms dark skinned people the call changes to the need for 'truth and reconciliation'

Mugabe refuses to play that game, that's why they hate him

Mandela plays it brilliantly, that's why they love him

Some food for thought right there.

nku5:
Very poor comparison in my opinion. Mugabe has hounded, murdered and victimised his own people in the name of dictatorship. The man evicted white farmers and gave his people land but a loaf of bread costs something like 1 million zimbabwe pounds or something like that. I had a zimbabwean chick years back in the UK who lost her father to mugabe's hit squads. Now compare that to a mandela who left his country after a term in office and bequeathed a legacy of unity and prosperity (even if zuma is messing up)

Do you know the cause of the inflation?

Western imposed economic sanctions!

In other words, the west punished Zimbabwe for seeking justice and land redistribution. Your girlfriend's father died in a war in which he supported the colonizers. That's hardly Mugabe's fault. You do not go supporting invaders and colonizers in your own country who are depriving your people of their God given land and resources, and expect not to meet a sad end. Also it was not just farmland stolen by the whites, but the land containing numerous minerals like diamonds, copper and so on. That too has been returned to black ownership, so the whites can no longer exploit those resources and ship the profits abroad like they used to do, as Zimbabweans suffered.

These are the reasons why Bob Mugabe is a hero in Zimbabwe and Africa.

Mugabe is a cruel, despotic tyrant who luckily is not long for this world.

I have no beef with him rejigging the land ownership to correct the historical imbalance. but what this ape did to his people was much more criminal.

There are at least 5 Universities of Agriculture in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwean lands were fertile and well run. All this accursed crackpot could have done was to give this farms to the well trained graduates of these schools to run, to ensure continuity and ensure Zimbabwe remained the 'foodbasket of South Eastern Africa'. Instead, in a manner reminiscent of Abacha handing out oil blocks to his cronies, Mugabe gave these rich, arable farmlands to his war veterans who were largely boorish, illiterate men with no experience of farming and little desire to continue farming best practices.

What happened afterwards? The ex-soldiers left the machines to rust, left the canals to dry, ate all the livestock and crop seed and generally RUINED nearly all the rich farms. Zimbabweans then began to starve. Thousands of Zimbabweans suffered and died because of Mugabe's foolishness, nepotism and reward of incompetence.


brainless conspiracy theorists will always point to 'sanctions' but intelligent people are not fooled...they know the sanctions were mainly targeted at the ruling Zanu-PF elite and that mechanized farming equipment and fertilizers were not included in the sanctions.

What Mugabe did tantamount to GEJ taking over Obasanjo farms, firing off all the qualified hands and handing over the farms to Ateke Tom and his 'boys'. Disaster.

Mugabe has blood on his hands and thankfully will die in likely less than a decade.

Unlike mandela, many millions of his countrymen would LOVE to dance on his grave. That is the difference and that is the only comparison point between him and Nelson Mandela.

texazzpete: Mugabe is a cruel, despotic tyrant who luckily is not long for this world.

I have no beef with him rejigging the land ownership to correct the historical imbalance. but what this ape did to his people was much more criminal.

There are at least 5 Universities of Agriculture in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwean lands were fertile and well run. All this accursed crackpot could have done was to give this farms to the well trained graduates of these schools to run, to ensure continuity and ensure Zimbabwe remained the 'foodbasket of South Eastern Africa'. Instead, in a manner reminiscent of Abacha handing out oil blocks to his cronies, Mugabe gave these rich, arable farmlands to his war veterans who were largely boorish, illiterate men with no experience of farming and little desire to continue farming best practices.

What happened afterwards? The ex-soldiers left the machines to rust, left the canals to dry, ate all the livestock and crop seed and generally RUINED nearly all the rich farms. Zimbabweans then began to starve. Thousands of Zimbabweans suffered and died because of Mugabe's foolishness, nepotism and reward of incompetence.


brainless conspiracy theorists will always point to 'sanctions' but intelligent people are not fooled...they know the sanctions were mainly targeted at the ruling Zanu-PF elite and that mechanized farming equipment and fertilizers were not included in the sanctions.

What Mugabe did tantamount to GEJ taking over Obasanjo farms, firing off all the qualified hands and handing over the farms to Ateke Tom and his 'boys'. Disaster.

Mugabe has blood on his hands and thankfully will die in likely less than a decade.

Unlike mandela, many millions of his countrymen would LOVE to dance on his grave. That is the difference and that is the only comparison point between him and Nelson Mandela.

You're talking a lot of stinking garbage and rubbish. It is YOUR father and mother that are 'apes' you nasty asswipe. I wonder how much the BBC, TONY BLAIR and other imperialist goons have paid you to lie about Zimbabwe. The sanctions were impoosed AGAINST ZIMBABWE, not 'Mugabe's cronies' as the imperialists LIED. Go and read about ZIDERA, which the US Congress in conjunction with Britain, passed in the late 90s banning Zimbabwe from access to international credit facilities which every nation gets. This led to a shortage of all sorts of machinery, equipment, even fertilizers for crops. Is it Mugabe and ''his cronies'' who needs fertilizers? Or is it the people?

BLOODY LIAR!!!

Today, despite the evil western sanctions, Zimbabwe has SURVIVED and is now THRIVING. The west LOST and AFRICANS WON. Now disappear back into your hole because as a collaborator with foreign thieves, colonialists and looters, YOU are irrelevant to modern Zimbabwe. YOUR TIME HAS PASSED.


Here's an Eye Opening Article on the Zimbabwe issue NOT told to you by the BBC!!!


Zimbabwe's Lonely Fight For Justice:

http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=5242

Zimbabwe tobacco farms yield success
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8dbf7bb6-cdad-11e0-bb4f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1uYghE7dg

Zimbabwe's 'new' farmers finally start to blossom
http://mg.co.za/article/2010-08-22-zimbabwes-new-farmers-finally-start-to-blossom


President Mugabe Hails Black Farmers in Zimbabwe

PRESIDENT Mugabe says Zimbabwe's economic recovery is partly attributable to the contribution of black farmers who have proven to be productive just like the white farmers they replaced following the land redistribution exercise, writes Farai Dzirutwe in Malaysia.

Cde Mugabe said new farmers had made a significant contribution towards this turnaround, as they were now the main players in the agriculture sector.

The President was explaining to curious Malaysian journalists how Zimbabwe managed to achieve an economic growth rate of over five percent last year against the background of the illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West.

http://panafricannews..co.uk/2011/06/president-mugabe-hails-black-farmers-in.html

ROSSIKE:

You're talking a lot of stinking garbage and rubbish. It is YOUR father and mother that are 'apes' you nasty asswipe. I wonder how much the BBC, TONY BLAIR and other imperialist goons have paid you to lie about Zimbabwe. The sanctions were impoosed AGAINST ZIMBABWE, not 'Mugabe's cronies' as the imperialists LIED. Go and read about ZIDERA, which the US Congress in conjunction with Britain, passed in the late 90s banning Zimbabwe from access to international credit facilities which every nation gets. This led to a shortage of all sorts of machinery, equipment, even fertilizers for crops. Is it Mugabe and ''his cronies'' who needs fertilizers? Or is it the people?

BLOODY LIAR!!!

Today, despite the evil western sanctions, Zimbabwe has SURVIVED and is now THRIVING. The west LOST and AFRICANS WON. Now disappear back into your hole because as a collaborator with foreign thieves, colonialists and looters, YOU are irrelevant to modern Zimbabwe. YOUR TIME HAS PASSED.

The be honest, I expected this pathetic response. Even primary 5 kids can abuse people's parents with admirable ease. What I expect of someone your age is an intelligent argument, even as I know you're a notoriously dense fellow on Nairaland. Sadly, you lived up to your reputation as a simpleton with this crazed rant.

ROSSIKE:
Here's an Eye Opening Article on the Zimbabwe issue NOT told to you by the BBC!!!


Zimbabwe's Lonely Fight For Justice:

http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=5242

So for my 'research' you redirect me to a known crackpot website infused with brainless conspiracy theories? The same website alleges that Mutallab's bombing attempt was a 'false flag' CIA/Mossad operation?
The same globalresearch site that tells us that the Haiti earthquake was caused by HAARP, an 'American weather superweapon'?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! We're supposed to discard the BBC for an outfit that tells gullible dolts like you that a 'weapon' aimed at the ionosphere is capable of producing a tectonic plate shift which requires more energy than a score of nuclear bombs to achieve?!

ROSSIKE:
Zimbabwe's 'new' farmers finally start to blossom
http://mg.co.za/article/2010-08-22-zimbabwes-new-farmers-finally-start-to-blossom

From the link you posted

Mugabe said the scheme was needed to correct the legacy of colonialism, but the reforms were marred by deadly political attacks against farmers, who saw their land turned into militia bases for ruling party attacks on the opposition.

Hundreds of thousands of black farm workers on white farms were forcibly evicted, while Mugabe’s top aides seized prize farmland.
Small farmers like Mhembere were often left with little support to finance their operations.
Increased harvests
Production of both food and cash crops like tobacco plunged, leaving Zimbabwe dependent on food aid and drying up foreign currency reserves.

But this year farm officials say harvests actually increased—partly because of good weather and donor support for food production.


This is from a South African news organization, you brainless ape! You see the part in Bold font? Let me list them out for you so you see them again for yourself!

1) the reforms were marred by deadly political attacks against farmers, who saw their land turned into militia bases for ruling party attacks on the opposition
2) Hundreds of thousands of black farm workers on white farms were forcibly evicted, while Mugabe’s top aides seized prize farmland
3) Small farmers like Mhembere were often left with little support to finance their operations

All these plainly spelt in the article YOU linked to. You see anything about sanctions there? Mugabe's thugs used the arable farmlands as bases, turned out thousands of very very skilled farm workers who were BLACK! The same BLACK zimbabweans dolts like you say he fought for. He threw out experienced BLACK farmers and handed over the farms to illiterate thugs to run.


What happened afterwards? As YOUR articles says, production of food and cash crops plunged. Famine and starvation followed next!

Mugabe's fists are black with the blood of BLACK Zimbabweans...men, women and Children. Thank you for pointing this out to us.

ROSSIKE:
Zimbabwe tobacco farms yield success
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8dbf7bb6-cdad-11e0-bb4f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1uYghE7dg

Zimbabwe's 'new' farmers finally start to blossom
http://mg.co.za/article/2010-08-22-zimbabwes-new-farmers-finally-start-to-blossom


President Mugabe Hails Black Farmers in Zimbabwe

PRESIDENT Mugabe says Zimbabwe's economic recovery is partly attributable to the contribution of black farmers who have proven to be productive just like the white farmers they replaced following the land redistribution exercise, writes Farai Dzirutwe in Malaysia.

Cde Mugabe said new farmers had made a significant contribution towards this turnaround, as they were now the main players in the agriculture sector.

The President was explaining to curious Malaysian journalists how Zimbabwe managed to achieve an economic growth rate of over five percent last year against the background of the illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West.

http://panafricannews..co.uk/2011/06/president-mugabe-hails-black-farmers-in.html

I expected you to be able to make a decent point without pasting garbage from Mugabe, Mugabe is simply an evil man, since he got the lands back from the 'white farmers' why is Zimbabwe not doing well? Why are they still depending on international donors to survive? Sanction shouldn't be an issue if Zimbabwe is standing on their own feet, he ruined Zimbabwe, he destroyed their only main source of income. Since majority of the white farmers were driven out of Zimbabwe what happened next? Zimbabwe becomes a basket begging nation.

ROSSIKE answer now. No insults just intelligent answers, let us the spectators learn who is talking sense, Tezzapete or ROSSIKE.

texazzpete:

The be honest, I expected this pathetic response. Even primary 5 kids can abuse people's parents with admirable ease. What I expect of someone your age is an intelligent argument, even as I know you're a notoriously dense fellow on Nairaland. Sadly, you lived up to your reputation as a simpleton with this crazed rant.



So for my 'research' you redirect me to a known crackpot website infused with brainless conspiracy theories? The same website alleges that Mutallab's bombing attempt was a 'false flag' CIA/Mossad operation?
The same globalresearch site that tells us that the Haiti earthquake was caused by HAARP, an 'American weather superweapon'?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! We're supposed to discard the BBC for an outfit that tells gullible dolts like you that a 'weapon' aimed at the ionosphere is capable of producing a tectonic plate shift which requires more energy than a score of nuclear bombs to achieve?!

You must be high on drugs to regard the BBC as anything but an imperialist PROPAGANDA outfit. Only SHEEPLE still think the BBC is to be trusted in any matter related to AFRICA. How do you know Muttallab was not a false flag? Do you really trust all that Al Qaeda/war on terror garbage you're fed by the imperialists? You're too dumb to see it is all another attempt at resource grabbing, by creating ''demons'' required to be ''crushed'' by (coincidentally) seizing the oil wealth of affected nations?? What a compound DUNCE you are for regurgitating imperialist propaganda here with such abandon.

texazzpete:

From the link you posted

Mugabe said the scheme was needed to correct the legacy of colonialism, but the reforms were marred by deadly political attacks against farmers, who saw their land turned into militia bases for ruling party attacks on the opposition.

Hundreds of thousands of black farm workers on white farms were forcibly evicted, while Mugabe’s top aides seized prize farmland.
Small farmers like Mhembere were often left with little support to finance their operations.
Increased harvests
Production of both food and cash crops like tobacco plunged, leaving Zimbabwe dependent on food aid and drying up foreign currency reserves.

But this year farm officials say harvests actually increased—partly because of good weather and donor support for food production.


This is from a South African news organization, you brainless ape! You see the part in Bold font? Let me list them out for you so you see them again for yourself!

1) the reforms were marred by deadly political attacks against farmers, who saw their land turned into militia bases for ruling party attacks on the opposition
2) Hundreds of thousands of black farm workers on white farms were forcibly evicted, while Mugabe’s top aides seized prize farmland
3) Small farmers like Mhembere were often left with little support to finance their operations

All these plainly spelt in the article YOU linked to. You see anything about sanctions there? Mugabe's thugs used the arable farmlands as bases, turned out thousands of very very skilled farm workers who were BLACK! The same BLACK zimbabweans dolts like you say he fought for. He threw out experienced BLACK farmers and handed over the farms to illiterate thugs to run.


What happened afterwards? As YOUR articles says, production of food and cash crops plunged. Famine and starvation followed next!

Mugabe's fists are black with the blood of BLACK Zimbabweans...men, women and Children. Thank you for pointing this out to us.

You seem unable to understand even the basics of the Zimbabwe land issue. You say ''Hundreds of thousands of black farm workers on white farms were forcibly evicted, while Mugabe’s top aides seized prize farmland''.

BUT OF COURSE THEY WERE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN EVICTED!! What are they called? ''black farm workers''!! In other words black SERVANTS and PEASANTS on WHITE OWNED land. The VERY THING Mugabe and his ZANU PF party wanted rid of!

The land redistribution was done to make the blacks the OWNERS of the land, NOT the ''farm workers'' or tenants on their ancestral land. OF COURSE at first instance the prime lands were handed to the BLACK ELITE, so as to avoid black paupers reselling them to the whites the next day. NOW the land has been FAIRLY REDISTRIBUTED among the black majority.


Excerpts:

http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=23311

'For years, Western journalists have castigated Zimbabwe's land reform program. From afar, they pronounced land reform a failure for having brought about the total collapse of agriculture and plunging the nation into chronic food insecurity. Redistributed land, we are continually told, went to cronies with political connections, while ordinary people were almost entirely excluded from the process. Farmland went to ruin because of the incompetence of the new owners. These were simple messages, drilled into the minds of the Western public through repetition.

For Western reporters, certain that they owned the truth, emotion substituted for evidence. Those of a more curious frame of mind, however, were left to wonder what conditions were like in the field, where no reporter bothered to venture.

Now this gaping lacuna has been filled by two recent studies. In a report issued just over a year ago, the African Institute for Agrarian Studies (AIAS) details the results of its extensive field investigations conducted in six districts from 2005 to 2006.(1) The other field study was done in Masvingo Province beginning in 2006 by the Livelihoods after Land Reform project, with multinational assistance, including that of the Great Britain-based Institute of Development Studies (IDS). (2)

What both studies found was that the facts on the ground were at variance with popular Western perceptions. As the IDS study noted, "Those of us exposed regularly to the international, especially British, media found it hard to match what we heard on the TV and radio and read in the newspapers with what we were finding on the ground." There were a number of misperceptions, which in large part the team felt were due to "a simple lack of solid, field-level data." (3) Although it is true that there has been such a lack, this factor alone does not account for the inaccuracy of Western news reports. The ideological factor is paramount, as always. For that reason, even though concrete information is now available, the tone of Western reports is unlikely to change.

It can never be stressed enough that Zimbabwe inherited a highly unequal land ownership pattern from apartheid Rhodesia. By 2002, 70 percent of the richest farmland still remained in the hands of just 4,500 white commercial farmers, focused mainly on producing crops for export. Meanwhile, one million indigenous families eked out a bare existence, crowded into an arid region of limited suitability for agriculture, known as the 'communal' areas. Fast-track land reform redistributed much of the commercial farmland to some 170,000 families. Whatever its faults in execution, the process has undeniably created a significantly more equitable distribution of land than what prevailed before.

That is not the story the Western audience hears. Instead, we are told that fast track land reform was a "land grab" by "cronies," bringing about a more unequal distribution of land than what had preceded it. Yet the surveys conducted by the AIAS and the IDS found that most beneficiaries of land reform were ordinary people, whereas those who might be categorized as "elites" constituted a small minority. According to the IDS, this minority amounted to less than five percent.

But it does leave open the question of how one determines who an "elite" is and who is not. That one works for the government does not in itself mean that one is an "elite" or a "crony," nor that one has necessarily ignored the application process and simply bullied one's way into being granted land. Such cases did occur, but they hardly constitute the typical experience of resettled farmers. "That some of the beneficiaries are 'elites' is undisputed," notes the AIAS. "What is in dispute is their character and the extent of their benefit. The tendency to generalize the notion of an 'elite' leaves unexplained the social content of the concept, and assumes that it lacks differentiation in a dynamic process of class formation." Government job holders, war veterans and ZANU-PF members are lumped together with high ranking officials as "elites," or "cronies". It is assumed that all bypassed the land application process in order to seize land.

The AIAS points out that the empirical evidence shows "a more differentiated pattern." This finding is confirmed by the IDS team: "The composition of land reform beneficiaries is highly varied. The claim that the land reform was dominated by politically well-connected 'cronies' is simply untrue. Nor are war veterans a dominant group. Although many took leadership roles during the land invasions, the majority came from rural backgrounds where they had been farming in the communal areas. While some civil servants and business people are members of the elite, many are not. Teachers, extension workers and small-scale entrepreneurs have joined the land reform, adding new skills and capacities. And farm workers too have been important beneficiaries."

.................


See folks, the truth is that Bob Mugabe HAS achieved what he set out to achieve, albeit at great cost to his people owing to western sanctions.

But his people are today the better for it. Their future is secured. Their children and grandchildren will no longer be mere ''farm workers'' and peasants on their own land, as white overlords live large off their sweat and inheritance, as desired by Texazzpete the Oyibo ass licker.

Texazzpete, GO elsewhere and look for land to steal and dash your white masters. ZIMBABWE is now a NO-GO AREA for you and your thieving ilk!!

More headache for Texazzpete: Zimbabwean economy recovers in a more equitable society!

Economic Recovery Benefits Zimbabweans Despite Low Incomes - Gallup Poll
Eighteen percent of Zimbabweans surveyed are said to be living comfortably on their present household incomes, twice the share seen in 2009..


Zimbabweans seem to be benefiting from two straight years of economic growth after the formation of an inclusive government in 2009, according to a new Gallup poll.

Eighteen percent of Zimbabweans surveyed said they are living comfortably on their present household incomes, double the 9 percent share in a 2009 poll.
Meanwhile, the 16 percent who reported they are finding it very hard to get by has significantly declined from the 31 percent found in 2009.

..The survey found that Zimbabweans' personal economic situations improved dramatically in the past two years. “In 2011, 39 percent of Zimbabweans reported they did not have enough money at times in the past year to buy food they or their families needed, down from 73 percent in 2009 and 80 percent in 2008,” said Gallup.

Now that ordinary Zimbabweans "no longer need to pay Z$10 million for a loaf of bread, many Zimbabweans are finding such basics more affordable,"


http://www.voanews.com/zimbabwe/news/Economic-Growth-Benefits-Zimbabweans-Despite-Low-126032503.html

Can you imagine the audacity of someone like Texazzpete?

Mugabe fought in the bush for 20 years to rid his country of colonialists at great risk to his life. What has Texaazzpete ever had to fight for apart from getting ahead on the queue at McDonalds to buy bigger and bigger Texas hamburgers to stuff his bloated belly?

ROSSIKE:

You seem unable to understand even the basics of the Zimbabwe land issue. You say ''Hundreds of thousands of black farm workers on white farms were forcibly evicted, while Mugabe’s top aides seized prize farmland''.

BUT OF COURSE THEY WERE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN EVICTED!! What are they called? ''black farm workers''!! In other words black SERVANTS and PEASANTS on WHITE OWNED land. The VERY THING Mugabe and his ZANU PF party wanted rid of!

The land redistribution was done to make the blacks the OWNERS of the land, NOT the ''farm workers'' or tenants on their ancestral land. OF COURSE at first instance the prime lands were handed to the BLACK ELITE, so as to avoid black paupers reselling them to the whites the next day. NOW the land has been FAIRLY REDISTRIBUTED among the black majority.

Considering the delay in you posting this rejoinder, i'm deeply disappointed at the brainlessness of it all.

First of all, I do not 'say' anything. The info i posted was from a link YOU originally posted, from a South African news agency.
In your reply you're actually SUPPORTING the ouster of well trained farm workers by thugs with nearly ZERO farming experience, an act that plunged Zimbabwe into near starvation. You seem unable to grasp the simple fact that these Zimbabwean farms were large scale operations requiring dozens or hundreds of workers for each one. No matter the ownership, farmhands would ALWAYS be needed. What kind of brainless policy would it be to drive away well-trained workeers just because they worked under white owners before?
You talk as if it's a crime, forgetting that the farm ownership was FULLY legal before Mugabe changed the laws. Was it a crime for the workers to have worked on a previously white owned farm?

Even more laughable is your suggestion that the farmlands were given over to the 'black Elite'. What elite? The farms were apportioned to Mugabe's army veterans and cronies...a group of people that had no elevation above the common man. What is so 'elitist' over a former army private compared to a University professor of Agriculture?

Finally, you go and spoil everything by STILL posting links from globalresearch...a website that is run by crackpots. Are you incapable of forming an opinion or argument without guidance from a conspiracy theory website?!

I'm sure you still stand with them on the haiti and HAARP conspiracy

ROSSIKE: More headache for Texazzpete: Zimbabwean economy recovers in a more equitable society!

Economic Recovery Benefits Zimbabweans Despite Low Incomes - Gallup Poll
Eighteen percent of Zimbabweans surveyed are said to be living comfortably on their present household incomes, twice the share seen in 2009..


Zimbabweans seem to be benefiting from two straight years of economic growth after the formation of an inclusive government in 2009, according to a new Gallup poll.

Eighteen percent of Zimbabweans surveyed said they are living comfortably on their present household incomes, double the 9 percent share in a 2009 poll.
Meanwhile, the 16 percent who reported they are finding it very hard to get by has significantly declined from the 31 percent found in 2009.

..The survey found that Zimbabweans' personal economic situations improved dramatically in the past two years. “In 2011, 39 percent of Zimbabweans reported they did not have enough money at times in the past year to buy food they or their families needed, down from 73 percent in 2009 and 80 percent in 2008,” said Gallup.

Now that ordinary Zimbabweans "no longer need to pay Z$10 million for a loaf of bread, many Zimbabweans are finding such basics more affordable,"


http://www.voanews.com/zimbabwe/news/Economic-Growth-Benefits-Zimbabweans-Despite-Low-126032503.html

Once again, I have to seriously question your ability to understand written English, even for links YOU post.

The article says

ROSSIKE:
Zimbabweans seem to be benefiting from two straight years of economic growth after the formation of an inclusive government in 2009, according to a new Gallup poll.

Clearly putting the credit of an improving economy on the formation of an inclusive government with the MDC.

Where does it talk about 'equitable society', especially with respect to land redistribution?

If you have issues comprehending written English, let us know. I'm sure my parents still have my old copy of Brighter Grammar stashed away somewhere.

PS: Just so you know, even an improving economy now will not wipe Mugabe's ledger clean of the blood of the Zimbabweans that starved to death due to his foolishness.

ROSSIKE: Can you imagine the audacity of someone like Texazzpete?

Mugabe fought in the bush for 20 years to rid his country of colonialists at great risk to his life. What has Texaazzpete ever had to fight for apart from getting ahead on the queue at McDonalds to buy bigger and bigger Texas hamburgers to stuff his bloated belly?

1) I have never eaten a 'Texas hamburger' before...and my belly is not bloated! Is that a Freudian slip on your part, Mr rotund conspiracy theorist?

2) At least unlike Mugabe i do not have the blood of thousands on my hands. I sleep easy at night

I would like to point out that there is land reform is SA. But here the White farmer is compensated and the new black owners get both training and support to help them set up. Has for the mines most of them have large number of black share holders. And how any body could support Mugabe is beyond me. He is has(is) murdered his own people for the sake of staying in power and you do know that the western powers helped him gain power.

andrewza: I would like to point out that there is land reform is SA. But here the White farmer is compensated and the new black owners get both training and support to help them set up. Has for the mines most of them have large number of black share holders. And how any body could support Mugabe is beyond me. He is has(is) murdered his own people for the sake of staying in power and you do know that the western powers helped him gain power.

Ps the chinese cultural revolutions caused the death and suicide of many chinese in the hands of Chairman MAO, yet the West does good business with Chine till this day.

The name of the game is POWER my dear Saffer, justice is an illusion between those who have power and those without it.

I never mentioned justice. I just point out that Mugabe was (is) responsible for the death of his own country men. Yes if he had 1 million solders and Nukes he would not have sanctions. But he would still be worse than Nelson.but yes there is no justice in the world never has been.

The first slavery was a physical one,but what we have going on today is mental slavery,with millions of Africans being brainwashed/hypnotized by the western imperialist propaganda machine,CNN and BBC,whatever they say must be the truth, and nobody takes time to ask questions,they could wake up in the morning and decide to invade any country giving flimsy excuses,people would still believe them,'cos all they say must be the truth,they couldn't believe their luck...

Mugabe,you are not a saint,but in the future,black men would look back and see the significance of your victory against the invaders...,the battle for the soul of southern Africa continues...