Posted on 07/09/2004 4:48:00 PM PDT by MadIvan
The exodus of whites from Zimbabwe is gathering pace, with most heading for Britain or Australia.
Many of those leaving had put up with four years of persecution in the hope that President Robert Mugabe would relent. But last week, when he ordered the closure of private schools for a week for raising fees, some lost their nerve.
Jeremy Callow, 55, a solicitor, said: "It was a painful decision because this is the only home we know. I love Zimbabwe, love the people, but can't take it any more."
Mr Callow said he succumbed to the "relentless" grind of trying to help white farmers fighting to recover possessions through the courts - and then struggling in vain to get the orders enforced.
"I spent 80 per cent of my time with farmers counselling them," he said. "I am not trained for that, nor can I cope any longer with seeing grown men cry."
Under a law introduced before the flawed presidential elections in 2002, Mr Callow had to renounce his British citizenship to vote. "It is costing an arm and a leg to get it back," he said.
Among about 350 white farmers who remain on the land are some who had previously avoided the attentions of militants from the ruling Zanu-PF party. They, too, are now abandoning their homes.
Hendrik Olivier, director of the remnants of the once 4,000-strong Commercial Farmers' Union, said: "We have recently noticed quite a number who have been left alone the past four years but are leaving."
John Winward, 57, spent Monday night in police cells in Karoi, a village 120 miles north of Harare.
Under pressure from Zanu-PF invaders to leave his farm, Mr Winward went to the police with court orders stating that he was allowed to remain until September to process his crops.
"The policeman didn't believe or understand the court order and locked me up for the night," he said. "I wish now we had quit when the heat was on a couple of years ago."
Chris Shepherd, 38, a father of four forced off his Karoi farm 21 months ago, had hoped to remain in Zimbabwe and await a calmer future. But, now struggling financially, he will travel to Australia to seek work. "I do this with a heavy heart," he said.
David Coltart, an MP from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, said: "This is ethnic cleansing, not in the Bosnian sense of the phrase, as they knew they couldn't get away with wholesale murder.
"It's more subtle, designed to drive out whites because Mugabe believes whites provide funding and administrative support to the MDC.
"The laws were changed to deprive whites of land. Private schools were closed to get at whites even though most pupils are black. Mugabe said whites were 'enemies of the people' and he is still hammering away at them."
Rose McCullum, 39, owns Ocean-Air Packers and Removals. "Top businessmen are going in droves," she said. "Most go to Britain, Australia or New Zealand. A few go to South Africa but they won't stay there as they worry about the future there as whites.
"My two best friends are leaving and we are unsettled ourselves."
She lived a long life in Germany. Her daughter is, as far as I know, remains in Israel.
Wow!
I actually mentioned this to a democrap I know not too long ago. His reply was that the whites deserve it.
I asked him what he thought about the fact that blacks in the land are getting attacked as well...he had no answer.
Mugabe is a modern day Hitler...and the UN does not seem to care.
Is this a joke ? The UN oil for food scandal is bad, but this IMF ruling has the smell of rotten fish.
I am guessing that you meant to say that "I would gladly take these WHITE ONLY people into this country."
And that is where the problem lies. Once you let the whites come, the black zimbabweans will also want to come for the same reasons the whites come. Now if you are in charge, how do you justify admitting the whites and keeping the anti mugabe blacks out ? And it is for this reason, that the hands of the US govt. are tied in this matter.
I hope that's not what CB meant, but either way Rhodesian farmers are courted by countries like New Zealand and Australia because they're farmers by trade and commercial farming is pretty hot right now. Another thing is that not many Rhodesians come here anymore, choosing places like Canada and New Zealand,etc. and more are staying in Africa going to places like Zambia and now Mozambique. Here in NY, there are some black Zimbabweans and I met one Afrikaner who thought I was South African. The blacks with an education leave in droves because there aren't any opportunities. Ask any white or black African what the immigration experience is like coming to the US. It's hell.
I think you can make a case for letting the white zimbabweans into the US and not the blacks by saying that the blacks can just play "kiss Mugabe's rear" and do ok, while the whites do not have that option.
However, politically in the US, you simply can not let the whites in and keep the blacks out.
Not what I meant at all. You know what they say about the word "assume" don't you? Problem is, the black Zimbabweans don't exactly have the same problems as the readily identifiable white folks. I often wonder where the world outrage is. Surely if this was a group of white folks victimizing blacks, we would have marches and vigils and the world would be up in arms as they should be. But for some reason, the world is silent on this one.
You might be confusing Zimbabwe with South Africa... while South Africa's twisted new government gives preferential treatment to blacks, Mugabe is a tyrant just like Saddam who oppresses everyone, black or white... many blacks get just as harsh treatment as whites.
My guess is that mugabe oppresses blacks and whites, but my guess is that the blacks have a choice to crossover and join mugabe and his thugs (not an appealing choice, but a still a choice) while the whites don't have this choice.
My other point is that it would be politically impossible for the US to admit the whites and not the anti mugabe blacks.
Agree.... I would take them both, but the black population is far more safe than the white population any way you cut it.
No confusion here at all. While I agree with your premise, there's no denying the fact that white people have been singled out for rape, murder, and the taking of land. When it was the other way around, there was outrage around the world (as there should be) .... but there is no such outrage right now. Double-standard? You bet. You are correct in your description of Mugabe as a tyrant... but I would go further. The guy is a murderer and a thug. The sooner he is taken out, the better everyone will be ... black and white.
I was not speaking of the US in particular, but in was speaking more generally. The "we are the world" types that pushed for black rule have pushed on the world millions of deaths and misery, with civil wars, tribal feuds and just plain crime. Sort of like what happened to South-East Asia after the Demoncrats reneged on our promise of providing air support.
My comment was about the results caused by the actions of the feel good types.
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