Bafowethu.

From the New York Times.
__________________________________________________________________________________
ZANZIBAR, Tanzania, Dec. 24 — Ethiopia officially plunged into war with Somalia’s Islamist forces on Sunday, bombing targets inside Somalia and pushing ground troops deep into Somali territory in a major escalation that could turn Somalia’s internal crisis into a violent religious conflict that engulfs the entire Horn of Africa. The coordinated assault was the first open admission by Ethiopia’s Christian-led government of its military operations inside Somalia, where — with tacit American support — it has been helping a weak interim government threatened by forces loyal to the Islamic clerics who control the longtime capital, Mogadishu, and much of the country.
Ethiopia’s prime minister, Meles Zenawi, said in a televised broadcast that he had ordered the action because he had no choice. “Ethiopian defense forces were forced to enter into war to protect the sovereignty of the nation,” he said. “We are not trying to set up a government for Somalia, nor do we have an intention to meddle in Somalia’s internal affairs. We have only been forced by the circumstances.”
According to witnesses, Ethiopian fighter jets bombarded several towns, obliterating an Islamist recruitment center and other targets, while Ethiopian tanks rolled into battle. The attacks set off riots in Mogadishu, Somalia’s battle-scarred seaside capital, and fighting on several fronts in southern Somalia. Ethiopia, which commands the region’s most powerful military, did not disclose how many troops, tanks or planes it had sent into Somalia, but the United Nations has said at least 8,000 Ethiopian soldiers may be in the country. Casualties were reported Sunday, but reliable estimates were impossible to ascertain.
Until now, Ethiopian officials had denied that they had any combat forces inside Somalia, saying instead that their involvement was limited to a few hundred military advisers.
Over the past few months, the Islamist clerics in Somalia have threatened Ethiopia for supporting their rivals, the internationally recognized transitional government.
On Saturday, after several days of heavy internal fighting, Islamist leaders announced that Somalia was now open to Muslim fighters around the world who wanted to wage a holy war against Ethiopia, a country with a long Christian history, even though it is about half Muslim.
“What did you expect us to do?” said Zemedkun Tekle, a spokesman for Ethiopia’s information ministry. “Wait for them to attack our cities?”
Even before Ethiopia’s escalation on Sunday, there were alarming signs that the conflict in Somalia could quickly spiral out of control. According to United Nations officials, at least 2,000 soldiers from Eritrea, which recently waged war with Ethiopia, are fighting for the Islamists. They have been joined by a growing number of Muslim mercenaries from Yemen, Egypt, Syria and Libya who want to turn Somalia into the third front of holy war, after Iraq and Afghanistan.
On Friday, residents of Mogadishu said they saw boatloads of armed men landing on the city’s rocky beaches. On Sunday, after the bombings, Islamist leaders boasted of bringing in more. Still, from the Ethiopian government’s viewpoint, the bombings may be delivering at least some of the desired effect.
For the first time since the Islamists came to power in Somalia in June and rapidly began expanding their reach, they seemed to be losing ground. In at least three places on Sunday — Idaale, Jawil and Bandiiradley — transitional government troops were pushing the Islamists back.
Residents of Beledweyne, near the Ethiopian border, said that after the Ethiopian jets pounded several armed pickup trucks belonging to the Islamists, the rest of the Islamist soldiers fled to the hills.
The bombs also destroyed a recruitment center and a fuel depot, killing at least 10 people, witnesses reported. Hours later, the transitional troops marched into the area, and a new mayor was installed.
Many of Beledweyne’s people seemed relieved, not so much about the change in government, but because the fighting appeared to have ended so fast.
“We’re so sick of war,” said Ahmed Issa, a shopkeeper in Beledweyne. “We’ll obey anybody.”
Much of Somalia has been mired in anarchy since 1991, when the central government collapsed, setting off a long, nasty interclan war. While the United Nations and donor countries struggled to get a new government on its feet, a grass-roots movement of Islamic courts began to gain power.

Yussuf Maxamuud and Mohammed Ibrahim contributed reporting from Mogadishu, Somalia.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Li Zwangendaba.

The Dynamics of Tribalism in Zimbabwe its Effects on Governess Economy and General Development and Human Rights


Introduction: The culture, the language and belief have grouped a people into tribes. Generally, tribalism is as old as humanity. The twelve sons of Jacob formed the twelve tribes of Israel. In the Roman-Dutch law, a tribe is a political division of any people used in democracy. When negatively used as tribal consciousness and loyalty or a strong-in-group loyalty that exalts my group above other groups then tribe becomes destructive and retardious.
Historical Background of Tribes in Zimbabwe: Whereas there are many clans and minor tribes found in Zimbabwe two main languages have grouped the population of Zimbabwe into two TRIBAL CONSTITUENCIES. In the North (MaShona) and in the South (MaNdebele). Identification has been like this since the seventeenth century when Mzilikazi blended together in South Zimbabwe, the MaKalanga, Sotho, Venda, Swazi, Lozwi, Zulus and called them MTHWAKAZI. For no purpose, the colonialists called us by our language (Ndebele) a dialect of Zulu. In North Zimbabwe there were MaZezuru, MaKorekore, MaNyika, and MaKaranga grouped together under a language (Shona) and formed that tribe. They had their boundaries and chiefs or kings in the case of Mthwakazi, which the colonialists removed and we cannot return them for no positive reason. In short present day, Zimbabwe is divided into these two constituencies along language in a smokescreen of tribes. Rhodes created a third constituency along color. This is the power imitated by our present rulers of ZANU P.F. the difference is now the same.
Events and Effects of Tribalism in Zimbabwe since the Seventeenth Centuries to Date: In Zimbabwe where we claim to use the Roman-Dutch law, a tribe has been or has become associated with power, class and elitism. Tribalism has become an agenda and we have lost political agendas, political direction and freedom has been denied. Tribalism has become a stumbling block to good governess and economic development stifled and ignored in the process of fixing minorities with suppression and vengeance. It has become a measuring stick for electability. It overshadows talent and ability.
After the occupation of Mashonaland by the BSAC in 1890, and the defeat of Matabeleland; in 1893 Rhodes joined the two nations together in 1898. The three main languages kept us distinct from one another, English as elite, Shona and Ndebele as laborers. This classification became the reason to the rising of a war. Hence the formation of National Parties, blind to language ethnicity but keen on who could do best among us. ANC Zimbabwe, NDP, and ZAPU until 1963 were national parties. The split of 1963 was tribal even though some were used just as J. Nkomo finally was used to hand over the other tribe to ZANU. The grand plan says, “TAKAVASHANDISA”. The national political slogan of MAJORITY RULE was in 1963 changed to Majority Tribe Rule. Ignoring what took place in the training camps in Zambia and Mozambique particularly in Tanzania, look at what happened soon after the Lancaster House Conference the Patriotic Front went into smoke. Whereas Silundika spoke of going for elections as P.F. Zvobwo declared autonomic constituencies to test which ethinic group would be given power. The talk was Lishona-Mundewere even today. The effects are devastating. Since that first election of 1980 April, more hate has followed and nationalism has derailed into dire tribalism. The 1985 elections in the center of Gukuvahundi ZAPU chose Ndebele MP’s because they said (Lishona). ZANU chose Shona MP’s as they said (Mundewere). Even today we are in these camps or ethnic constituencies. MDC enjoys this and can be assured of winning in Matabeleland yet it is aware that because of the Ndebeles in it, it can never be electable to change the regime as its slogan echoes.
In 1979 a group issued a document for the eyes of the elite Shonas only. They deny knowledge of it but they implement its instructions to the letter. In 2002, it was revised and accessed and tribalism in Zimbabwe has yet narrowed to Zezuru as and should have power to control every government ministry, defense, police, prison, air force, judiciary and the language must be Shona in schools and any office.
Zimbabwe is tribal ruled no political agenda and see what tribalism has done to the economy, tourism, education, farming mining industry. The bread basket has turned into a beggar. The relocation of many industries from Matabeleland such as Blue Ribbon, National Food Cold Storage Beef Industry Factory at West Nicholson Saw Mills National Railway Headquarters all this is tribal. The Water Project on the Kariba ignored for 15 years. A few of us may not be aware of this because some of us run with the sheep yet they feed with wolves.
Do we have a solution to this?: To solve any problem one must acknowledge and realize that yes there is a problem. Truly speaking the Zimbabwean problem is ethnic and tribal and some fear too is in it. The borders we were put in by the BSAC are not of our own, we are forcing each other to dwell within them. The ethnic problem is present day Zimbabwe is a time bomb and ZANU is aware hence is keeps on tightening screws and has lost direction of running a government into ruling people with vengeance; It has become so deceptive that many tend to ignore it and even run away and seek what we may call greener pastures elsewhere. It would not matter if this tribal clique governed well that rich country yet they too are seeking a solution. Gideon Gono has called for decentralization, Mavaire called for a shorter term for the president. MDC is revisiting the 2000 Draft Constitution, which they led voters to reject. We are, as an alliance, calling for conference with ZANU, MDC and stakeholders, because surely enough of this tribal dynasty is over due.
Our mindset is one that is not yet on political agendas we are still on power hence we advocate changes of regime. If genuine freedom and real change were our agendas in Zimbabwe, Mugabe would have long gone. If we fought for political freedom individually and otherwise we could have voted Mugabe out. We could have elected Gibbson for the leadership of MDC because in Murewa, they fail even to lift their party leader into a seat in parliament. The people in Matabeleland don’t need to form any pressure lobbing groups they demonstrated in 1980 did that in 1985, 2000, and 2005 why not join this fighting spirit. People have chided this as tribal yet “ZANUPF” “ZANU NDONGA”, “MDC” after all is undergoing serious metamorphosis to become electable because the purge of Ndebele personalities within it makes it unelectable.
Africa has maintained colonial borders, which were forced upon it during the Partition of Africa. Europe is a continent of ethnic states. Three times they have redrawn their borders. The most recent is when the Soviet Union collapsed. Yugoslavia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kashmir are examples of ethnic states established with the precise aim of stopping and resolving irreconcilable ethnic conflicts. Confronting these tribal problems head-on calls for a leadership with self-belief, integrity and a sense of political responsibility. In 1992, South Africa established the Volkslaat Afrikaner State to handle issues concerning the Boers. Today, they created the Kwa-Zulu Natal Constitutional Ad Hoc Committee tasked with drawing up a constitution for Kwa-Zulu Natal and tackling all political problems. John Gorange died after winning freedom for South Sudan.
Zimbabwe is so geographically arranged that a constituency federation can be crafted and special arrangements can shape a solution along ethnic states. Already Zimbabwe is struggling under this type of ethnicity with one tribe imposing itself on other tribes making them poor and hungry. The regime so tribal can only be removed by creation of political Constituency Assembles that will refuse to legitimize ZANUPF any more. Unite and claim your franchise based on freedom for you and me. Action in the right direction is better than no action.
Conclusion: Zimbabwe is sinking under the weight of its tribal government. The danger of those who run with sheep but feed with wolves. Let us fight this idea head on realizing we have two nations in Zimbabwe. ZANU realizes this hence it has turned hateful, has lost political direction. It Diaspora, our duty must be tell all authorities all over the world, as governments and more so as individuals. We must be aware of which direction to follow. We must not be carried away by wishes that may give ZANU to fulfill its grand plan by wiping a nation because we did not plan well. If we spoke to Blair and Britain, USA, UN, South Africa, Nigeria, all SADC, China, Botswana and all opposition parties in these countries and in our country. As a group too we must accord the freedom we wish to receive. Never swallow each other. This is what destroyed Zimbabwe politics.

This paper on Tribalism gives just a tip of an iceberg clearly known by everybody except ZANU because it takes it as its strength. Be challenged and be aware of its truth.

by Mnu Dube
Posted by S'jula