This is just a quick note about my trip to Zimbabwe, which was between March 21st and 31st. It's been over five years since I was there, and almost exactly five years since the campus brouhaha over giving an honorary doctorate to Mugabe. It was interesting to compare then and now, and interesting to be in a developing nation while we were making war on another developing nation.
I saw no violence, other than the economic violence, which is pervasive. There were bread lines, even in a well-to-do Harare suburb we visited. The queues for petrol (pardon my English) work like this: park your car in the line forming along the road leading into the gas station, and go on about your business. Leave it for as long as two days, or until you hear there is gasoline, then rush back to your vehicle and pray the gas lasts long enough to fill you up. The Zimbabwe dollar was in the neighborhood of 16 to the US$ five years ago; now it is as high as 850. The land reform process we've all heard about was on everyone's lips and on the front page, but I didn't see any sign of it. There were still the huge parcels of land fenced off, giant estates in beautiful areas, with tiny farms dotted here and there between. What people were saying about it echoed the concerns we've seen in our press: that the legions of the unemployed weren't necessarily those who were being given land to farm; that some of the displaced are black Zimbabweans along with the white owners; that many of the new owners are cronies of Mugabe who have no demonstrated ability either in the commercial agriculture field (tobacco mainly) or domestic food production (cattle, maize, garden crops) practiced by the former owners. About every fourth person is HIV positive, which doesn't help their situation. No drugs available at low cost.
In fact, Zimbabweans are vocally skeptical of nearly everything their government does. I was amazed to hear people openly criticizing Mugabe. Several times I heard the refrain "We have one big obstacle to having a nice country." (Understood to be Mugabe.) Some popular musicians have big hits that are thinly disguised political commentaries. One interesting composition (by the very well known Oliver Mtukudzi) was described to me as being about the recent episode in which Mugabe had his mentor, a Mr. Banana, who'd also been important in the first independent government of the country, hauled up on sodomy charges and imprisoned. Apparently the guy hadn't been loyal or supportive enough. The song poses the problem figuratively, of course. When we were there in 1998, there was no open criticism of the government. From the massacre in Matabeleland shortly after he took power in 1980 to the disastrous involvement in the civil war in the Congo to his human rights violations, his actions are subject to scathing critique. Unfortunately, the leadership of the main opposition party is characterized by many people as being corrupt and incompetent as well. Supposedly, Tsvangirai is in bed with corporate interests who don't have the welfare of ordinary Zimbabweans in mind.
The U.S. war on Iraq was a big subject of conversation. I'm sure they toned down their comments when around me. My 15-year-old went with me, and spent a day at a girls' school in Bulawayo so she could meet some peers. It was a very positive experience for her, except that she didn't know how to respond to all the questions about why Americans would want to start a war. The general position seemed to be focused on three ideas: 1) the U.S. is a bully that picks small, weak countries on whom to exercise its military might, especially countries that have something we want; 2) the U.S. action in Iraq is part of the 200+-year imperialist adventure of Western powers, and cannot be understood outside that context; 3) the U.S. disrespects and doesn't cooperate with the U.N., international organizations and treaties, and most other countries, unless we need them for something. Zimbabweans expect Americans to be both arrogant and ignorant of world affairs. I try to moderate these over-generalizations when possible. People realize that our government's policies, history of interference in other nations' affairs, and official bellicosity are not necessarily supported by all Americans, but they were surprised that we had allowed a president they regard as a simpleton to lead us into war.
One person expressed the notion that the Iraq war was part of a general reprisal or reaction to the World Trade Center attacks. I agreed that could have something to do with it (while not justifying it), though the plans for invading Iraq existed prior to that event, according to my information. One of our drivers said he thought it might be a good thing for someone to "get rid of bad governments"! I suspect he was thinking of his own, and thinking of us as a kind of deus ex machina that would swoop down, scoop up Mugabe, and leave with no blood shed. I asked him who should be in charge of making the list of bad governments, and he laughed. I also asked him who he thought should pay for overthrowing all these governments (in Africa alone, I can think of at least twenty regimes I would classify as 'bad' - up there with the Axis of Evil boys). He nodded in comprehension. Get rid of everybody's bad guys? Would there be anyone left?
My usual policy when in other people's countries is not to make any value judgments or national/ethnic characterizations that are negative. That includes not condemning their political system or leaders, even if the latter are obviously a bunch of demagogues, thieves, and barbarians. When your communications with the local people are on a very good footing of mutual respect, then you can discuss tricky matters of tradition, morality, political practice, and so on. When I'm home, I feel free to report on what I've seen and heard, even if it wasn't too nice. People who criticize the U.S. or Americans to me had better be either (a) Americans, or (b) know what they're talking about. Often, people I've met when traveling in Africa and Europe have been quite well informed on our history and international activities, and quite poorly informed on conditions of life here. They might be aware of the details of the U.S. relationship with Cuba, but think Americans are all so rich they wear paper clothing, which they dispose of at the end of each day. I try to disabuse them of false ideas and clarify the drunken cowboy image of our foreign policy, when possible. If they say unflattering things about the U.S. that I think are true, I agree.
Since this is the country where I was born, work, had children, vote, pay taxes, and live today, this is the one I am most devoted to and the only one where I can conceivably make a difference. The idea that I should have a lower standard for my country than for others, that I shouldn't ever criticize a direction we are heading if I think it is wrong, that it is more proper for me to object to what other countries are doing than to object to mine - is totally backwards. I've seen in Zimbabwe and elsewhere what it means for a government to silence a population; no one is fooled. No amount of "anti-Zimbabwean" accusations and jailing of dissenters could keep the Zimbabweans down. I'm glad they're talking again, and I think we should continue talking here. A country where no one can complain or criticize is a place where people are afraid.
Zimbabwe is a country full of really, really nice people. I had a great time working with them, and plan to recommend continuation of our project in some form. There are almost none of the scary officials or hustlers that are so common in West Africa, though they have their share of murderous thugs in high places, too. They love education, intelligent conversation, and freedom, but have had a rough time of it, to say the least.