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Fake News, Censorship and Truth in 2021

It is hard to find a believable path through the fake news, the manipulated news, the frequently biased political reports and the fear-mongering about the coronavirus. I try and get a balanced view by reading from a range of sources.

Fake news
Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

Reading William Horvath’s blog The Permaculture Apprentice’s recent post about The Great Reset I added this comment:

I have also come to many of the same conclusions. What is horrifying to me is that so few people will ask questions instead of blindly following the propaganda and being consumed by fear. As a former Rhodesian and casualty of the Zimbabwe government’s illegal theft of commercial farms, I have first-hand experience of the majority believing “everything will be alright, we can trust the government.” (now it’s state medical politicos) By the time they wake up it’s too late.

After my comment, William asked about the history of Rhodesia and what the Zimbabwe government had done with the farms after it had stolen them. Here is my short explanation. It may be of interest to you.

The background was long and complicated. When the first Europeans arrived in the late 1800s, vast areas of Southern Africa were sparsely populated. Europeans developed commercial farms. Rhodesia was a prosperous and peaceful country until the late 1960s when Russia and China started arming and supporting black nationalist movements. This led to a 15-year war of terrorism which the Rhodesian Security forces had little difficulty in containing. Fake news portrayed this as a racial war, ignoring the facts that the majority of the regular troops in the Rhodesian army were Black and most victims of terrorist atrocities were Black.

Sanctions imposed by Rhodesia’s former WWII allies and the eventual abandoning of the country by neighbouring South Africa forced the government to hand over power to Robert Mugabe, leader of one of the former terrorist groups. The country became Zimbabwe. Marxist policies were introduced. Many Whites and educated Blacks emigrated.

Mugabe wanted to force White farmers off their land, however in terms of the British instituted agreement that led to him taking power, he could not do so.

Mugabe maintained his hold on power for 20 years through massive intimidation and rigged elections despite a failing economy and widespread hardship for the indigenous population.

In 2000 Mugabe called a referendum to amend the constitution so that he could remain in power for life and take over White owned farms without paying compensation to the legal owners.

Led by Morgan Tsvingirai, the Movement for Democratic Change became the first credible political opposition to Mugabe. It gained enough support to get a no vote in the referendum.

Incensed that he did not get his way, Mugabe abandoned the rule of law and started the illegal campaign to take over all 5000 white owned commercial farms.

To answer your second question; Many of the larger well developed farms were handed to judges, government ministers, police and military officers. Tribal people with no means of survival were dumped on other farms. Most farms were soon stripped of anything that could be sold. 500 000 Black farm workers were suddenly left with out income, housing or the ability to grow their own food.

fake news
Sunset on a Zimbabwean Farm

I employed 180 workers at peak season and my farm supported over 300 people. The farm has reverted to bush with two families squatting there and dependent on food aid. All my irrigation equipment has been stolen, houses burned down.

The country has gone from being the breadbasket of Southern and Central Africa when it was Rhodesia to one of the poorest countries in the world as Zimbabwe. Sadly, Rhodesia and Rhodesians were some of the earliest casualties of fake news and propaganda. For more details, read my story.

Wishing you a peaceful 2021 with the hopes that our worst fears will be unfounded and that we will soon return to normality.

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