What are the issues in Zimbabwe?

Answer 1

The issues for Zimbabwe began in 1888 when Cecil Rhodes colonized the land and named it Rhodesia. This gave the English settlers all the rights to the land. In 1965 the Prime Minister Ian Smith wanted independence from Britain. Britain refused to grant it as he did not portray willingness to give more authority to the African residents. In defiance of Britain, Ian Smith declared a Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the UK in the same year. In 1966, the UN for the first time in history, imposed a mandatory economic sanction on the state. Civil unrest began in the late 1960s as the African population demanded majority rights over the white government. It is important to know that there were two nationalist groups, Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZANU) and Zimbabwe African National Union (ZAPU). In 1976, surrounding countries became involved and Ian Smith agreed to an African majority. In 1980, Robert Mugabe, leader of the ZANU party won absolute majority and became Zimbabwe's first African leader. On April 18 1980 the British Government granted Zimbabwe it's independence and Zimbabwe joined the UN. Robert Mugabe had two years of successful ruling. He had a reconstruction and development program in correlation with Ian Smith. In 1981 however, Ian Smith's party left the government and a year later the ZAPU party was accused of plotting to kill Robert Mugabe. The ZANU party called a state of emergency, which gave the military widespread powers and included the right to detain persons without charge. This is extremely dangerous for any democratic country, as it gives the party leaders too much power. The government declared curfews in some areas and began to suppress any supporters of the ZAPU party. In the March 1990 elections Mugabe won a majority ruling with 58% of the vote. Although the balloting count was fair, there is belief that the voting campaign was not. The Government declared a new amendment resorting to capital punishment and denying the courts ruling on cases such as land ownership. In 1997 war veterans demanded compensation ($1 300 per person), the Zimbabwe dollar lost more then half its value in one day and the Zimbabwe stock exchange collapsed. The dollar has never regained its value. The opposition of Mugabe's government inevitably increased and in 1999 Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was created. In 2000, the ZANU party, through the war veterans sanctioned an aggressive land distribution program, forcing the white farmers off their farm land. The land was to be redistributed to the African farmers but it was handed to Mugabe's friends and major supporters. The land has now gone to waste, which is a leading contributor to the food crises they are experiencing. In the 2002 elections there was intensive violence against the MDC party and its supporters, there was more than 50 people killed. The election was seriously flawed with fraud and rigging and Mugabe declared another majority with 56% of the votes. In 2003, the Commonwealth suspended Zimbabwe from its council, and then declared Zimbabwe permanently expelled. It is the only Commonwealth country ever expelled from the council. In 2005, from the failing economy Robert Mugabe recognized the influx of slums. He created Operation Restore Order, which was enforced to rid urban areas of illegal structures, illegal business enterprises and criminal activity. Families and businesses were given no warning before their buildings were bulldozed and destroyed. The UN estimates over 700 000 people lost their homes and possessions. Many families were separated at this time, resulting in a serious outbreak of HIV, AIDS and cholera. Zimbabwe's inflation is the highest in the world. Their dollar holds almost no value, Eighty percent of the population are unemployed. Mugabe was stopped all imports and exports, resulting in worsened economic conditions. The UN also refuses to offer financial aid until Zimbabwe begins to show signs of a democracy. The government did not implement and AIDS, HIV policy until 1999. An estimated 25% of the population suffers from AIDS. The poor living conditions, poor access to medical care and people living in close proximity increased the risks of contracting cholera and TB.