Yus,

i know this history well, and totally agree with you that our leaders
inherited near impossible situations after independence. I guess the question
is what we have done and continue to do to get ourselves out of this mess.It
has to be a united effort on the part of all the countries on the continent,
and this is where having some sort of cooperation on the economic front so
that we do not depend totally on outside markets to make our economies move
forward will pay off. We are quite aware of course that we cannot be an
island apart from the rest of the World, but if you consider that most of
what we consume on the African continent comes from abroad, one cannot help
but think of what buying and selling amongst ourselves can accomplish for our
respective economies.One is always in a very vulnerable position if one has
to depend on the same outside connections and forces that our colonizers used
to get the better of us. Of course it is in their best interest to close
these channels to us or to make things as difficult as possible so they can
justify their past actions, and say we told you so.

Jabou Joh

In a message dated 2/17/00 12:53:19 PM Central Standard Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

<< Mugabe inherited a newly independent country that had been ravaged by civil
 war. Zimbabwe would not enjoy the favored economic status that it had once
 enjoyed from the West.  And finally, everything unfair about the previous
 regime, e.g., unfair land practices, still existed.  In fact, he has alleged
 that white farmers have conspired towards his demise.  Basically Zimbabwe
 faced the same issues that have haunted every sub-Saharan African country
 after independence.  What is happening now is no exception to the norm. >>

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