*...If you get down and quarrel every day* *You're saying prayers to the devil, I say* *Why not help one another on the way* *Make it much easier* *Say you just can't live that negative way* *You know what I mean...* I can't remember ever being so proud of African leaders; hell, I can't even remember ever being proud of African leaders at all, but today, the leaders of the member nations of The SADC made me proud! This is a day that I will always remember! - like it says in the lyrics of "Papa was a rolling stone" - not because "it was the day that Papa died" but because it was the day, probably the first time that African leaders spoke with one resonating voice, rallying around a worthy cause, and for the interests of the long suffering people of Zimbabwe and Africa. Though coined in diplomatic jargon, they told the West and Britain in particular, to keep their blood-soak hands off Zimbabwe, mildly resonating Mugabe's invitation for them - The West - to go hang! Not only did they show solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe, they ignored all dictates and demands for from the neo-colonialists to condemn Comrade Mugabe. On the contrary they urged the West, Britain in particular, to lift the illegally and unjustly imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe. The economic terrorism that has been waged against the peace-loving people of Zimbabwe is nothing other than a deliberate attempt to black mail Mugabe into abandoning his Land Reform Program upon which he embarked almost a decade ago. Today African leaders echoed Bob Marley in the lyrics of "Zimbabwe" : *...No more internal power struggle* *We come together, to overcome* *The little trouble* *Soon we will find out* *Who is the real revolutionary* *'Cause I don't want my people * *To be contrary...* ** *...We'll have to fight, we gonna fight* *We'll have to fight, fighting for our rights* *Mash it up ina Zimbabwe* *Natty trash it ina Zimbabwe* *Africans a liberate Zimbabwe* *I and I a liberate...* ** *...To divide and rule* *Could only tear us apart* *In everyman chest* *There beats a heat* *Soon we'll find out...* Every intellectually honest and informed person knows that the crisis in Zimbabwe is not about democracy or lack of, neither is it about good governance or lack of; the issue at the core of the crisis in Zimbabwe is the Land Issue. Period! All other problems that Zimbabwe suffer from that other African countries have been spared from are a direct result of the economic terrorism waged against the heroic people of Zimbabwe under the leadership of Mugabe. When the People of Zimbabwe took up weapons to wage a seven-year armed struggle, they did not do it to live out their video game fantasies, instead they mobilised their youth to fight for genuine liberation from the system that allowed among other injustices, less than than one percent of the population - whites - to "own" eighty percent of the arable land of their ancestors. Land that was robbed at gun-point and the owners forced to slave for the thief. These were not adventurists seeking a revolutionary kick because they had nothing better to do, and they made this point loud and clear at the difficult talks at Lancaster House in 1979: Land! Land! Land! For many years there has been a concerted western media campaign to demonise Mugabe, led by notable the BBC and CNN and many Africans let themselves fall for the elaborately orchestrated scam. Shouts of "democray," "human rights violations," "regime change," "Tsvangarai!" was all a smoke screen created in order to allow their agent to assume power thru the back door and undo all the revolutionary gains that the people of the Zimbabwe achieved thru blood, sweat and tears. Since when did Britain care about the suffering of Africans? They still believe we wash our faces bottom-up... Since when did Britain believe that sanctions work? Did they not argue to the contrary all those many years the suffering people of South Africa were resisting worse atrocities against apartheid? What changed since then? Ah! Now the "natives" are in power. They are trying to roll back white "gains". At Lancaster House they agreed to and signed an agreement on Land Reform. Britain pledged to finance the land reallocation program enabling the government of Zimbabwe to "buy back" the stolen land. ZANU-PF did not care as long as the money to "buy back" the stolen land came from somebody else's pocket and not from the pockets of those who have been disinherited, exploited, abused. Ten years, they said, give the white farmers ten years and then the land reallocation program can begin. OK, agreed Mugabe and his fellow delegates, ten years... And they kept their side of the bargain, respected both the letter and spirit of the agreement and waited out ten years and when it was time to collect what do we hear? The nerve of Tony Blair... The man man, like many of his compatriots is suffering from colonial hang over, still obsessed with that Rule Britannia Rule shit! Now Tony has enough on his plate, so does Bush, with Irak and now Iran and the SADC showing them that they can no longer go around bullying poor and defenseless people, seizing their resources and living fat off their backs. The SADC leaders bid their time and ignored all the garbage spewed by imperialist media outlets in the name of news and journalism and after their deliberation they asked Thabo to have a brotherly chat with Mugabe and the opposition. They could not have made a better choice. Thabo is a veteran of the anti-apartheid struggle, learning the trade under the tutelage of the dedicated Oliver Thambo who kept the ANC united and functional from exile thru long and difficult years. I'm not worried because Thabo understands what it's all about, so they can jump and shout all they want about about him not condemning Mugabe. He's not one to retort: How high sir? when master wannabe says jump, neither the one to ask: How strongly, Sir? when master wannabe says condemn Mugabe! Robert and Thabo speak the same language, they know and understand the machinations of imperialism. They know too that "independence" and "democracy" are meaningless jargon in the absence of land rights. Thabo knows too that sooner or later the same issue, land will become the political hot potato, not only in South Africa but in Namibia and Kenya, places where a tiny layer of blood suckers "own" sizable chunks of land robbed off blacks. Having had their lies and intrigues thrown back in their face they are already re-grouping, spinning and scheming as is already evident from BBC's<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6505391.stm>programs barely an hour after the African leaders emerged from their brotherly chat, expressing solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe. Let Thabo make it clear to Tsvangarai that the Land Issue is not negotiable! That Britain and the US are not funding his party for nothing if he cannot get that into his thick skull. Let him understand that Zimbabweans are not ready to give up what their brothers spilled their blood in the battle field for and which is both morally and legally theirs. I bet when Britain and her allies understand these givens the vampires will turn their straws into the blood system of some other weak people, but not here, no more! Earlier today, a couple of hours after I wrote the text below on BBC's website, a lady called and said they've been going thru the different messages posted and my message had caught their eye. She wondered if I would mind having them call me back to to elaborate on my views in "Have your say" radio version between 19:00 and 20:00 CET. Oh yes, I'll be honoured to be be availed the opportunity to get a couple of points off my chest... In the mean time news came in about the outcome of the Daresalam talks and was I thrilled? I could hardly believe what was coming thru the radio! "Have Your Say: Added: Thursday, 29 March, 2007, 10:17 GMT 11:17 UK: What the SADC should do is champion African interests, that is they should all rally behind the Zimbabwean people and address the issue that is at the core of this whole crisis:The Land Issue. Why did Mugabe only become a monster when he began to demand stolen land? The status quo cannot stand. Zimbabweans did not take up arms to fight for their freedom so that they would continue to be wretched in their own country. Stop the disinformation and address the real issue! " Anyway, I did not hear any more from the charming lady who had called on my cell phone earlier inviting me to "have my say". It was as well because a caller from Kampala virtually spoke for me, taking the words right out of my mouth! And when he was done I chorused: *...They say what we know* *Is just what they teach us* *We so ignorant* *Everytime they can reach us* *Thru political strategy...* ** *Long Live The People of Zimbabwe!* ** Regards, Kabir いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい