Our votes, our guns

the long version

"Robert Mugabe was once hailed around the world as a revolutionary hero. After a fierce civil war against white minority rule in Rhodesia, he emerged as the new leader of Zimbabwe, embracing the cause of reconciliation and racial harmony. Hopes were high that Mugabe had the intelligence, political savvy and idealistic vision to overcome the legacy of war and forge ahead with economic and social development. As Western governments lined up with promises of aid, Zimbabwe at independence in 1980 seemed destined for an era of peace and prosperity." "The honeymoon did not last long. Determined to gain total power through a one-party system, Mugabe unleashed a campaign of mass murder and terror against his political opponents in Matabeleland." "Today Zimbabwe is a country beset by violence and lawlessness, regarded by the international community as a pariah state. Its economy is in tatters. Determined to stay in power, Mugabe has used armed gangs to crush political opposition, subverted the rule of law, undermined the judiciary, harassed the independent press and vilified the small white community."--Jacket.