tched DEAD BC broadcasting this shameful act. How can we say that we are really suffering yet some of us are seemingly happy with everything? With inflation skyrocketing to astronomical levels and not surprisingly the IMF forecasting it to reach an all time high of 4006% by March 2007. With all garages dry, no bread on the shelves, 80%unemployment rate, the chaotic land reform programme bearing nothing but hunger, government officials buying themselves posh cars at the expense of the general taxpayers – the list is endless.
Yet you find others chanting slogans at Zanu rallies. Shame on us Zimbabweans. When are we going to join the demonstrations and give birth to regime change? We are really cowards. We have not suffered enough! When we start eating our kids that’s when we shall wake up.
EMBARRASSED, Harare
Protect or slaughter?
EDITOR – Remember in the old days when RTV (Rhodesia Television) was new, Nathan Shamuyarira was wheeled out as a moderate Shona journalist/intellectual whose views from the African perspective carried weight?
He is now just reported as saying that Gukurahundi was OK, and he has “no regrets”. He even has the brass nerve to say that 5th Brigade went there “to protect the people”. He obviously has difficulty distinguishing the concepts of protect and slaughter.
Bastard!!
B MCC, Harare
Demonstrators applauded
EDITOR – Because of the atrocities Mugabe and his henchmen have committed against defenceless and peace-loving Zimbabweans, I do not foresee a situation where this murderous regime will ever allow a democratic process to determine the political destiny of our beloved country. They will want to hold onto to power as long as they live .The efforts to harmonise parliamentary and presidential elections and have them held in 2010 bears testimony to the extent Mugabe will go to cling onto power without the mandate of the majority.
Civil unrest therefore becomes a serious alternative to unseat Mugabe. It is on this score that I applaud the brave men and women who engaged the “lion” in its den in recent demonstrations. Despite the barbaric response to an otherwise peaceful demonstration by the leadership, victory is certain. I urge all those who cannot directly engage this regime due to geographical location to offer moral support to our fellow fighters at home. The will of the people will prevail against political lunacy of Zanu (PF).
C NGAIRONGWE, UK
Rich-poor gap
EDITOR – Your correspondent, in the story “Rich-poor gap widens”, gave a misleading comparison when he says the US dollar exchange rate rose from 8 in 1995 to 250 now. It rose from 8 old Zim dollars to 250,000 old Zim dollars, comparing like with like.
JOHN, Harare
Disaster looms
EDITOR – Dr Timothy Stamps, health advisor to the President and the Cabinet writes on HIV/Aids in the Monday 25th September edition of the Herald. Although he inserts a certain populist element, his analysis of the treatments complexities appear to be in line with the general opinion. He advocates ” stick to the rules” and who could argue cogently with that.
However he does pinpoint one very important element, that of pill taking discipline and I quote: “On a Community level the risk of drug resistance developing is very high- when treatment is inconsistent”.
Again no-one in the know could argue with that and indeed in another recent letter to you I highlighted this with regards to tuberculosis. But Dr Stamps fails to address the availability of front line essential treatments and their expense. He also avoids any analysis of the country’s health care infrastructure.
I believe that with his re-emphasis on sticking to the rules he does fully realise the country’s medical services ” achilles heel”. That for so many, the poor and the dispossessed their lack of money and their move towards inadequate herbal medicines that a dreadful backlog of disasters is building up.
Now warnings are coming from the WHO of an increasing threat from global infections. Yes these have been with us since the increase in air travel but now the range of infections are becoming more virulent. Sadly I do not foresee any quick resolution to Zimbabwean health care problems but such should never be hidden, swept under the carpet nor trivialised. When a positive change does occur health should be the first priority followed by education.
TOM REILLY, Edinburgh Scotland
Me, myself and I
EDITOR – Recent reports from our motherland disturb me, particularly the following: – As from Thursday last week all debit cards were suspended and ATMs have
been offline without warning which goes without saying that Zimbabweans who
were trying to access their money found it impossible to do so.
– An SOS for humanitarian assistance worth US$250million to save lives in
the country has been sent off by NGOs because of the severe shortages of
fuel and grain which have plunged the country into a desperate situation.
– Severe shortages have put the country on the brink of chaos with daily
power cuts creating health hazards and increased robberies, and many more reports involving stop and search, injustice, lack of medicine, aids epidemic, the plight of orphans, the poor and the widows etc
As if to add insult to injury our people in this country who haven’t met the immigration requirements yet are being threatened with deportation and again our nurses who have been part of the backbone to the NHS have been caught up in the new Home Office “send back policy”
The question now is what do we do and the Truth is so much is being done by
different Zimbabwean organisations. BUT the Difference is that very FEW of us want to be committed in doing anything.
The Me myself and I syndrome is reigning in our lives but somehow we expect someone somewhere to do something so a miracle can happen to Zimbabwe. You don’t have to be involved in politics – but you can get involved in prayer groups
set up to intercede for Zimbabwe or other charitable organisations etc.
Recently there was a circular sent out to most Zimbas to come together to demonstrate about the deportation orders as well as the new ruling affecting nurses but sadly even the free Metro newspaper said there were only 30 nurses who went to demonstrate.
Come on Zimbabweans – charity begins at home. I am sure there is a lot we can do so long as we stand together in unity but surely divided we will fall.
May those who would want to do something related to prayer/ intercession please contact me: christysillah@hotmail.com. Visit also: www.zimbabwewatchmen.biz.ly.
CHRISTY SILLAH, UK
We need to make Africa aware
EDITOR – One can perceive the recent brutal attack on civic leaders with a two edged knife as a bad and as a good development. Mugabe has vowed to persist with his iron-fist rule and is not accepting that people are suffering to due to his bad policies which have lead to the economic meltdown.
Mugabe and his cronies do not respect and don’t care about the majority as long they are in power. He should now accept that it is not possible for Zimbabwe under his rule to prosper economically. The state of food security in Zimbabwe is not because of sanctions – it is because the so-called new farmers don’t have the adequate inputs and knowledge to supply millers and bakers at national level, hence Govt gazetting bread prices and this will lead to artificial food shortages.
The good thing is the on-going streets protest and sacrifices by civic leaders have managed to put back Zimbabwe into the International arena. It has send a message to the likes of Mbeki and Kofi Annan who had fooled the World that the crisis was being looked at. It comes again as an embarrassment to Annan who recently mis-lead the World that Mugabe was accepting the reality for a solution. A proof that the so-called Mkapa mediation was a notion that was being perpetuated by AU as a way to resuscitate more time to the terror rule of Zanu (PF).
It is our biggest weakness that we are failing to convince our African counterparts of the real situation. The Western countries know and are aware of what Mugabe is doing but our own brothers are the ones who need to be worked with.
The Diaspora has the biggest role to play in exposing to our African counterparts. We need to put pressure on SADC member states for them to have the real story in Zimbabwe. South Africa has the key for a new democratic Zimbabwe, lets take the advantage that civic society in South Africa is with us, and work with them to influence the South Africa government. Mbeki is now cornered home and abroad and will be forced to reform from his Zee diplomacy.
ALOIS P MBAWARA, London
What is teachers’ role?
DEAR EDITOR – Thursday 5 October is World teachers day. Yet teachers in Zimbabwe have got nothing to celebrate the profession that had been once viewed as a noble one had been so much eroded by the Mugabe regime to an extent where teachers can not proudly walk as society’s role models or simple confidently discharge their duties.