You've read about the crisis in Zimbabwe - now send your message to the country. We here at Radio Netherlands Worldwide pride ourselves on providing independent information and supporting press freedom around the world.
And this week we will bring you a series of special programmes on Zimbabwe and you can have your say too. Send us your messages by SMS or via the reaction form at the bottom of this page, include a phone number and you may get to be in the live Newsline Shout with Short Wave special on 6 March. Your messages will also appear online. To send us an SMS first type the word 'news' then leave a space, type your message and send to +31 638 988286.
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Radio Netherlands Worldwide
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Alternative reception:
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Gagged
Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe dismisses as 'nonsense' demands to allow a free press in his beleaguered country.
He prefers instead to wallow in lavish celebrations marking his recent 85th birthday whilst those who dare to speak out are thrown in jail or kicked out altogether.
Of course he has no gag on media from outside and by using short wave, from transmitters in Madagascar, we get daily independent news and current affairs in.
And this week working together with the independent radio station Voice of the People*, a local station brave enough to speak out, we will bring you the human stories behind the crisis in Zimbabwe.
Collapsed
A country once rich enough to be the bread basket for the region it is now a basket case, the economy has collapsed, there's hyper-inflation, millions are reliant on food aid and a cholera epidemic has claimed thousands of lives. The education and health systems are also all in a state of collapse.
At the same time something has happened in Zimbabwean politics that that few believed was possible. Almost a year after an apparent election victory, which most observers believe, was stolen from him, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has at last been sworn in as Prime Minister.
Poverty is widespread in Zimbabwe |
In theory at least, he will now share power with President Robert Mugabe who has had a stranglehold on power in the country since 1980. Our question to you is do you think this is possible, can Mugabe be a part of the solution when he is blamed by so many as being the principle architect of the country's collapse?
Undercover
Radio Netherlands Worldwide journalist Eric Beauchemin has been undercover in the country, where he was finding out how ordinary Zimbabweans are trying to survive amidst in the chaos. He speaks to amongst others a bricklayer, a politician, housewives and a priest.
We will also bring you expert analysis of the bigger picture, looking into the politics of the situation and the role of surrounding countries and the international community.
The State We're In will devote their programmes to the country and every day on Newsline you can hear Eric's reports.
And on Friday 6 March we will have our live Shout with Short Wave special edition of Newsline. We will use your messages in the show and if you leave your phone number we may call you and take your comments live in the broadcast. We will also have a live link up with our partners Voice of the People.
Will the new unity government improve life for Zimbabweans? Has South Africa failed its neighbour? Should donor countries give the new government a chance by lifting sanctions on Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF and flood the country with aid? What is your view? Fill in the form below and have your say.
* Voice of the People is an independent radio station in Zimbabwe, which broadcasts via Radio Netherlands Worldwide in Madagascar.
Tags:
Morgan Tsvangirai,
Robert Mugabe,
Voice of the People,
Ziimbabwe
Gideon Hlamalani Chitanga,
gideonchitanga@yahoo.com,
27-03-2009
- Netherlands
I am a Zimbabwean studying for a masters in Governance and Democracy ... I will be glad to participate in your programme.I keep in touch with situation at home through contact with relatives and activists and politicians. I am a political and human rights activist myself. Mugabe should be part of the transition process culminating in peaceful elections.
banya,
27-03-2009
- zimbabwe
Mugabe is a deluded man, with to much power. He has all the African leaders in his pocket except a few. He will continue to operate in his mad ways until he bites the bullit. Hopefully he gets what he deserves before then. banya
Dembedza David,
26-03-2009
- UK
I do not believe all of you commenting have the stomach to be in Zimbabwe at all, let alone if there is a war. I lived with fighters in Zimbabwe for 19 years, the Zimbabwe situation can never, never be solved without inclusion of ex-combatants. I know you will say your words, but prove me after 60 years from now. It is impossible.
E.F. Donkin,
09-03-2009
- South Africa
Robert Mugabe must go to the International Court at The Hague and be tried for his crimes against humanity.
The truth about all the evil that has taken place in Zimbabwe must be broadcast to the world, and particularly to the Zimbabweans who have had only Mugabe's propaganda for 29 years.
Then the people of Zimbabwe must acknowledge their complicity, and say that this must never happen again. Then there will be a future fo the country.
Rey Petis,
07-03-2009
- USA
When Mobutu Sese Seko ran the DRC, they used to talk about the "Zairean Miracle". The miracle was that anyone survived his catastrophic rule. It is tragic that Mugabe and his cronies want to emulate the worst leaders Africa can produce.
Bugs ,
06-03-2009
- United Kingdom
Today we hear a magistrate has been arrested for endorsing Roy Bennett's bail. It just gets worse and worse. What is SADC doing? They guaranteed this farce of a GNU. Are they going to step in? Are the good people of Zimbabwe just collatoral for these monsters.? Too many people sit back and say 'thats African politics for you' NO its time to change all that. I am proudly African and I want better for my fellow African's my children and grandchildren. Mugabe and his evil clique must go and if the west is in anyway as democratic as it says it is - it has to step in .... or are we too poor to warrant your attention?
Mr alex weir,
Alexweir1949@gmail.Com,
05-03-2009
- Zimbabwe
Solution is an election which cannot be frauded. But the west does not want this.
goof de jong,
05-03-2009
- zimbabwe
The scepticism of the West is understandable. I wish media could do some more work on the waves of positiveness which goes around the country. This GNU can work! I say this as an investor but also as a person who has been in Zim for 22 years and who is committed to the GNU's aim to go forward. Retribution destroys unlike healing. We need aid now so we can trade later. Look at the complete picture, do not look at persons, they are all replaceable, and some should be. It is now polices that count, not the dirty politics.
Tazvitya,
05-03-2009
- Malawi
Mugabe have to respect GNU if not let SADC and AU come and assist for the betterment of Zimbabweans. Why is only one person responsible for the suffering of all Zimbabweans. If not lets wait for God to deal with this man.
glen beckett,
05-03-2009
- canada
Concerning mugabe in Zimbabwe: He is obviously out of touch with reality. Find a secluded island in the pacific and drop him on it.
Garikai Chimuka,
04-03-2009
- netherlands
Mugabe is buying for time and the sad thing is that the MDC of Tsvangirai, SADC and the AU seems to believe that Zimbabwe is in transition.The truth is that Mugabe will never allow free and fair elections to take place becoz he knows he will loose, even in his own village in Zvimba. If the GNU is to lead to free and fair elections, then what guarantee is there that this wii be possible.The guarantors of the agreement, the SADC and AU have failed to make Mugabe release political prisoners and stop disastrous farm inavasions, what guarantee is there that they will be able to force free and fair elections at the end of the two-year transition.What will the MDC, SADC, AU and world at large do when there is another stolen election two years down the line.
Evert C. Weidner,
03-03-2009
- USA
Funny that everyone is after Mugabe.I may be wrong, but it was my understanding that the problem is not really caused by Mugabe, but by the people surrounding him, who have him in their clutches, so perhaps the pressure should be directed to them. In the mean time, Mugabe is cleverly playing and taking advantage of the situation to maintain his weakening position.
JOIN US ASAP,
nixonmcm@gmail.com,
03-03-2009
- USA/LONDON
THE CHICKEN HAS COME HOME TO ROOST - Many Zimbabweans have been mistreated for long. Finally a real opposition is taking shape. Contact me for more infor asap at nixonmcm@gmail.com
Graham,
03-03-2009
-
What’s happening on the few remaining commercial farms in Zimbabwe now is ethnic cleansing, plain and simple.
What a pity that western liberals (riven by their own feelings of guilt) still refuse to acknowledge that black racism exists, and should be condemned as strongly as white racism.
Tashanda,
03-03-2009
- United Kingdom
When we in Zimbabwe hold our next elections , maybe in two years time , ZANU PF must tell us the truth during their election campaign. While the ZANU PF parliamentarians stand on the podiums to address voters during their future election campaigns, they should address voters saying, " VOTE FOR US, ZANU PF , IF YOU VOTE FOR US ZANU PF TO REMAIN IN POWER so that WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS REMAIN CLOSED, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT UNEMPLOYEMENT NUMBERS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE, IF YOU VOTE FOR US ZANU PF THERE WILL BE FOOD SHORTEGES AND CHOLERA , UNTREATED WATER AND SEWEGE WILL REMAIN AS IT IS, VOTE FOR ZANU PF, VOTE FOR US TO KEEP US IN POWER SO THAT WE GET RICHER AND RICHER , WE ZANU PF DO CARE ABOUT ANY OF YOU PEOPLE WE DO NOT CARE IF YOU STARVE, BUT YOU MUST VOTE FOR US ZANU PF TO KEEP US IN POWER SO THAT WE DO NOTHING FOR YOU.
