I don’t know about you but I find the letters page one of the most interesting parts of any newspaper. This week there was a great letter in the Zimbabwe Independent from someone in Harare (they preferred to remain anonymous) commenting on the Zimbabwe Government’s intention to place members of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) in Internet Cafes to spy on freelance journalists accused of publishing bad stories about Zimbabwe. The writer tells us two things:

- that freelance journalists wouldn’t actually be that daft to use a public space to publish their articles, instead they’d more likely use a friend’s computer and Internet connection

- its rumoured that online news sites like Zimonline actually receive their stories from state scribes who write their articles on state time and using the state’s resources like computers and connectivity

Of course there’s also the issue of goonpower – are there enough of them to trawl all the Internet Cafes of the country on the lookout for wanna be cyber-agitators? We think not.

And anyway, the word will out! One way or another. And to remind us of this just recently we published an amazing poem by Nabil Janabi, an Iraqi poet, on Kubatana.net. It’s called ‘Those words I said’ and you can read it here. Below is a small excerpt

But despite all the rulers, despite their power,
All the radar and missiles that cover the
Poem’s sky,
The word will continue to fly
All over the world.
No power can ban it or stop it
From landing at any airport
For the word is a bird
That needs no entry visa
For freedom
For democracy.

Don’t you just love Friday? In our office, we have what we call Friday music. This is the kind of music that lifts our spirits and keeps us sane. Today, I played ‘my song’ again and again. The more I play it, the more I think about our situation in Zimbabwe. The song is by Tracy Chapman and it’s called – Talking ‘Bout A Revolution.

Don’t you know
They’re talkin’ about a revolution
It sounds like whisper
Don’t you know
They’re talkin’ about a revolution
It sounds like whisper

While they’re standing in the welfare lines
Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation
Wasting time in the unemployment lines
Sitting around waiting for a promotion
Poor people gonna rise up
And get their share
Poor people gonna rise up
And take what’s theirs

Don’t you know
You better run…
Oh I said you better
Run
run
run…

I’ve been reading an article today called Angry as Hell about Zimbabwean musician Thomas Mapfumo. Mapfumo has been making music for over 30 years – a lot of it about justice and political change. His lyrics scared the Smith regime back in the 1970s and after Independence in 1980, his criticism of the Mugabe regime meant that his songs were banned from state-run radio stations in “independent” Zimbabwe.

In Julie Frederikse’s book None But Ourselves: Masses Versus the Media in the Making of Zimbabwe published in 1982 an old Mapfumo chimurenga song reminds us that whilst we’ve had a change of government, Zimbabwean people are still oppressed

Tichakunda – We shall overcome
Thomas Mapfumo

Knock, knock, knock,
Knock, knock, knock,
Come in, sir,
Come in, sir.

This is Harare,
The famous Harare,
Our lives are a round of poverty,
Our houses are like fowl runs,
We sleep like rats,
Our children at school,
We beg for their meals,
Their clothes are full of patches,
Their education is an uphill struggle,
Bur we shall win in the end.

The oppressors shall be defeated,
They shall confess;
The oppressors shall be defeated,
They shall confess.

activism
is where you
change things
it’s not where you
don’t question
ANYTHING
to not disturb your friends
to keep tha peace
to maintain your funding
or to look like a nice person

When I got a recent email newsletter from the Zimbabwean pressure group Sokwanele I was flung back in time to our last election when the extent of Zanu PF’s whole election campaign began and ended with anti-Blair sentiment.

Sokwanele took all the promises made in the Zanu PF anti-Blair campaign

- Getting back your land
- An end to racist factory closures
- An end to racist witholding of commodities
- An end to politically motivated price increases
- An end to sanctions
- No safe havens for corrupt bankers
- No disruption to fuel supplies
- No to political interference
- Empowerment through takeovers
- Faster economic turnaround
- More foreign currency inflows
- Keeping our Zimbabwe
- End to Blair’s MDC

Bury Blair, Vote Zanupf

and compared them to where we’re at in Zimbabwe today.

Take some time out to read Sokwanele’s analysis.

Early this week Zephaniah Maseko Phiri, a 79 year old Zimbabwean peasant farmer made news worldwide by being the first African to win the prestigious National Geographic Society/Buffett Award for Leadership in Conservation.

Sadly, Maseko’s great achievement has not been reported in the local Zimbabwean media. The farmer is one of the many dedicated Zimbabweans who have put this country onto the international map but have received little recognition for their hard work at home.

Maseko who jointly won the award with Nicaraguan environmentalist Jaime Incer will receive a cash prize of US$25,000.

According to the National Geographic Society, Maseko founded the Zvishavane Water Project in 1986. It is said to have been one of Zimbabwe’s first indigenous NGOs.

The water project’s objectives are to educate others about water harvesting and conservation, promote sustainable farming and increase farm income.

In their citation, The Geographic Society stated:

This year’s awardees are being recognized and honored for their outstanding leadership and their vital role in managing and protecting the natural resources in their regions. They are inspirational conservation advocates, who serve as role models and mentors in their communities

Maseko has been farming for more than 50 years but has received little support from the government. He told the VOA’s Studio 7 News programme that the government was not forthcoming with funds to assist him in sharing his knowledge with the rest of Zimbabwean farmers.

Keep up the good work, Zephaniah Maseko Phiri.