Mugabe's mansion and Western propaganda

[Comrade007]

Now - everyone by now probably knows that I am not the greatest fan of Robert Mugabe or his ZANU-PF regime. Not at all, actually. I think he and his cronies have been an unmitigated disaster for GreatZimbabwe.

Be that as it may, I must say that there are certain sections of the Western media who are - well - prepared to twist the facts. Witness the Canberra Times in Australia, who presented a picture gallery of what it says are pictures of Mugabe's mansion outside Harare:

Bob's palace of obscenity - Local News - News - General - The Canberra Times
Er - actually these pictures are not of Mugabe's mansion. Mugabe's mansion may not be much different inside, but we don't have pictures of it as yet. Nobody does. The only pictures available are satellite images, and they sure don't show a swimming pool, do they:

http://www.africancrisis.org/images/..._Mansion_3.jpg

And this is where it gets interesting. The very same pictures also appear to be of the Pakistani Presidency:

http://www.teeth.com.pk/blog/2007/04...ency-islamabad

Oooooops!!!! Now either Mugabe and Musharaff have the same taste or the same architect, or some Western media is not exactly up to its self-professed job of presenting the factsm now are they? As pathetic as Mugabe is, this compares. What wil it be, then? Islamabad or Harare?

I objected to the Canberra times about the use of the pictures in the wrong context, and eagerly and patiently await their reply. Nothing so far......

The thing I'm "pissed" off about? This "holier than thou" attitude by some Western media and peeps. It smacks of hypocrisy and double standards. So it turns out the self-appointed guardians of all virtues demoractic turn out to be fallible too, or what? If you say you get your facts right, then do exactly that: Get your facts right. Don't patronise us with this shite.

Does this mean I condone Mugabe? No, but it also does not mean that I swallow all the propaganda hook, line and sinker - now do we brothers and sisters? And it also shows that Austrlian newspapers don't exactly get their facts right either, all the time.

I can hear them protesting already: "Yeah, mate - BUT the pics may actually end up to be the same. THis is PROBABLY what Mugabe's mansion looks like.". Sure, MATE - maybe. But until they do, live up to your own standards, will you?

[Neo-RP]

Dear Comrade_007,

I wish your little post about an alleged Western "holier than thou" attitude by some media and peeps, which smacks of hypocrisy and double standards, would be a bit more substantiated and less like the Western media as you would like to see them.

The fact that some obscure, private Pakistani blogger shows similar photos and claims these show the palace of the Pakistani president in no way make the photos in the Canberra Times less believable. In fact, your little exercise to buttress your claim, er, that actually these pictures are not of Mugabe's mansion, by providing a link to an satellite image which does not show a swimming pool, but then no mansion with 30 bedrooms and 18ha of landscaped gardens, complete with two lakes, either, does not improve the situation.

But what would really be interesting to know is why exactly the Canberra Times is guilty of hypocrisy and double standards, even if they knowingly posted incorrect photos? Would that newspaper not print photos of the Australian President's palace, if such a palace existed, is that what you are trying to imply?

The papers informs you that these pictures originally appeared in the London tabloid The Sun late last year. It is completely new that a tabloid, with big titties on the cover page and a lot of sports pages, should ever want to be a self-appointed guardian of all virtues democratic. Don't you read serious newspapers? Go ahead, sue them, you would not be first one to ever sue a tabloid!

But what would really be interesting to know is why you as a Namibian feel patronized by this shit! Can't you stand on your own as an individual, hopefully proud, supposedly black, African, with you own opinion? Learn to differentiate.

[Comrade007]

Ja baas! Ek sal so maak!

Hi Neo-RP! Good to hear from you! Are you still hiding deep in the West?

Anyhow, you'll forgive me for venting a bit, I'm sure. I just think that any self-respecting, serious newspaper would have - and should have - checked the source of the photos before using them in the way that the Canberra times has. Hiding behind The Sun also does not cut the mustard.

But you raise a good point: We needn't feel patronised, do we?

[mindfactory]

What do you expect Robert Mugabe to live in?

I find it very modest for a President to live in a place like that. Most people would like to see blacks to live in shacks. Gone are the days. Like it or not, or get out of black Africa and join us in Europe, America, Australia and Canada, land of the whites.

Or face the music and dance to the tune of black oppression.

[mwanyekange]

President Mugabe maybe regarded as such but in reality he's African greatest leader who do not waved, African we should learn to tackle our own problems rather than to be fed with Western propaganda. It is not sinful to give the land back to people who are the genuine owner! But 2day u will be crucified because of that, why? The opposition has to be supported by USA and UK for the first instance? They must sit and solve their problems and go forward. Say no 2 Interference of the EU, USA and UK, leave Africa alone for the African to solve their own problems, The IRAQ image is a lesson in it is own, and we don't want that in Africa. African leader they are mature enough to solve their problems, thanks To Thabo Mbeki and thanks to Russia and China for that vetoes because the sanctions will only make the people to suffer more.

[Comrade007]

Mwanyekange - I can think of a couple of things that are sinful: The death and destruction brought upon Great Zimbabwe and its people by the ZANU-PF regime. Land reform in itself is not sinful. The way it was, and continues to be executed (literally) by Mugabe and the regime is sinful.

I agree with you that sanctions will not make a difference, and that innocent people will suffer even more. But I do not agree with you that Mugabe is Africa's greatest leader at all - whatsoever.

If leadership can be understood as lifting of a person’s vision to higher sights, or the raising of a person’s performance to a higher level then Mugabe has utterly and totally failed. He has not lead his country into a brighter, more secure, more stable, more prosperous, more equitable, free and just future. He and his small band of croneis have led Zimbabwe into ruin; into hunger; into poverty; into an undignified state of subsistence.

The people of Zimbabwe have been beaten into submission. Their rights and freedoms trampled on. Their voices mostly silenced, their stomachs empty and their livelihoods destroyed.

[Neo-RP]

Hey Comrade007,

yeslike, your last reply was really skerp, ek se, thanks for the impeccable argument (and ja, the West is still cosy).

Mwanyekange, you want to leave Africa alone for the Africans to solve their own problems -- but hey, when did they do that lately? Zimbabwe's crisis was long in the coming, and nothing was done to prevent it from getting worse. Western propangando is not needed, the Zim situation is bad, and that is why the West is critizising Mugabe, not because he is black, but because he is ruining is country!

Don't fool yourself, Mugabe was the darling of the West until the late 90's! For instance, even 1998 Robert Mugabe was invited for an official dinner to the Presidential villa of Germany (of which public photos do officially exist) by the then German President Roman Herzog and was able to secure generous financial aid for his state firms.

Mwanyekange, you extend your thanks to Russia and China for vetoing the sanctions as they would only make the people suffer more - are you serious, when all the sanctions call for is a travel ban and an assets freeze on President Mugabe and 13 of his allies, and an arms embargo? Can you please elaborate on that?

[Tuhafeni]

No matter what I am still believing that Mugabe is one of the hero among the African Heros and heroians. however, what make him to loose some ponits is just overstaying on power, otherwise the land distribution was a perfect programme.

Neo -RP Says "Zimbabwe's crisis was long in the coming, and nothing was done to prevent it from getting worse. Western propangando is not needed, the Zim situation is bad, and that is why the West is critizising Mugabe, not because he is black, but because he is ruining is country! " you might be right but I don't think the western involvement is or will be the solutions and tell me you said the crisis is long and its what prompted the west to open they mouth wider, how long is the Crisis in Aghaganistn, Iraq, Palestin etc. which are western products and how many african get involved? and how many innocent people have died so far?

I am not saying what is happening in Zim now is good, but let the African solve it without western who are trying to clean outside of their yards while theu leave the dirty inside.

[Unregistered]

Comrade_007 and Neo_RP u are all missing a point here, you should think more then that and start to realized that we as African will go on by fooling ourselves not to recognize our own people by only believe in Western Propaganda 4ever and keep on complaining for your rest of your life and never solve your own problems, Are u underestimate the efforts of Mr. his Excellence Thambo and SADC in general? Why Zim should themselves has 2run away from their problem and blames it in one individual? Why? Land is there and was given back to them; they must produce now and show the world that once we get the land back we will do something. But if there is no money what can we do? and who control the World Bank, Plze let be appreciate our own efforts and I’m happy that South Africa as Economic Giant in SADC is trying his influence to make sure we start to solve our own Regional problems rather then to leave the colleague alone once is in a problem. Learn from West that they are 2gether even in difficult times! Stop criticizing and give constructive idea how to solve the problem and encouraging the Zim people 2stay in their country and solve the issue. Each country has its own laws and must be respected as such, why should opposition wants 2 by pass those laws and looks to the west for support? It is ashamed to pull out of contesting in contradiction with ur own laws then in the name of democracy? What is democracy? It is easy to destroy what has achieved for years in seconds because we are not Patriotic enough, don’t leave ur supporters out while u run away to SA.
Comrade_007 and Neo_RP remember no white came with land here in Africa and none of the majority of African Own Land in Europe or in America, we are tired of this nonsense, and we were slave bla, bla.
Cheers expect more to come!!!!!! Fire!!!!!!!!! VIVA SADC!!!!!!!!and AU!!!!!

[Neo-RP]

Dears,

Please, unregistered Guest, don't fire, viva peace, democracy and education.

You ask to stop criticizing the African way of solving the Zimbabwean situation, i.e. pretending that Mugabe is somehow going to get wiser as he gets older, and give constructive ideas how to solve the problem.

Well, easy enough, perhaps you stop with your oh so common African arrogance and just for a second think of Europeans also as human beings, just like yourselves. If you accept that fact, i.e. that we are all human with the same weaknesses and strengths, having originated from the same ancestors some 40.000 years ago, then it should also be possible to learn from the mistakes of others, even Europeans -- you can never live long enough to make them all yourself.

Just like the Europeans learned algebra from the the Arabs, we in Africa should be able to learn from the political mistakes the Europeans did. Lesson one: Dictatorships don't work - see Hitler Second lesson: Socialism does not work -- compare West and East Germany. And Mugabe is trying to mix these two elementary mistakes -- how ridiculous to claim he is one of the heroes among the African heroes and heroians.

Looking forward to hearing your replies.