Posted on 03/03/2007 6:42:12 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe says he has no regrets about his controversial land reform programme, describing it as a success which made him more enemies than friends.
Speaking at a State banquet in his honour in Windhoek on Tuesday night, Mugabe charged the United States and former colonial power Britain had wanted to punish Zimbabwe for daring to take "our destiny into our own hands".
He claimed that both Britain and the US had promised to help his country with its land reform project but reneged on their undertaking.
"They dislike us because we have taken back our land. It (dislike) will remain so if they so desire," the 83-year-old Mugabe said to applause from some of those who attended the dinner.
He said the "illegal sanctions" imposed as punitive measures by the European Union and others against his country were "evils" but "there will never be a return to colonial times" in Zimbabwe.
"They have skilfully manipulated the media to portray Zimbabwe as undemocratic. We are fully behind you (Namibia) as you tackle the mammoth task of land reform in your own way," Mugabe told his host, President Hifikepunye Pohamba.
Namibia has also undertaken a land reform programme which has reached the expropriation stage, but land owners get paid to part with their farms.
Mugabe's land reform programme is blamed for many of the problems in Zimbabwe.
However, Mugabe is adamant that the programme has been a success and that landless indigenous people were now resettled to farm and live comfortably.
He said those who did not want to farm commercially used their land to build much-needed schools and hospitals as land ownership was reversed.
President Pohamba's speech concentrated on economic and other co-operation between the two countries.
He said Zimbabwe had helped train close to 100 teachers who graduated last year and was eager to assist Namibia to revitalise food production with experts from that country already in Namibia to train farmers.
Pohamba offered Zimbabwe dry-dock storage facilities at Walvis Bay's port, saying that it would help them reduce transport costs for their imports and exports.
Before the banquet the Foreign Ministers of Namibia (Marco Hausiku) and Zimbabwe (Simbarashe Mumbengegwi) signed several bilateral agreements following a joint commission meeting.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
He's completely mental! He turned his country from one of the major food suppliers in Africa into a famine plagued wasteland.
I hear Mugabe did very well at a straw poll held at the banquet.
the land reforms were successful? Oh, so that's why they resulted in a massive hard currency shortage, a bankrupt government, the change from "Africa's bread basket" to a net food importer, an annual inflation rate of 1,281% as of last month, the crash of their economy, and the expulsion of Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth of Nations for human rights abuses?
Guess he is getting his committee ready to run for president on the democrat ticket. I would put him in the top tier.
There's always cake.
Thanks Jimmah Carter, he should have said!
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Hey, 'Mugu-abe'; They weren't applauding your 'land reforms' they were applauding a rare break in their hunger.
Inflation in February was 1,730%, the previous poster was using January's numbers for "last month". (Note, this number was just released, and in reality is far too low.
Wow. Was the Weimarer republic ever that bad?
AP will doubtless repeat this without comment, as will the rest of the MSM.
he MSM never mention Zimbabwe
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