Something interesting happened last night. My sister answered my cell phone- my aunt was calling from Gaborone, Botswana. Of course the talk turned to politics... And the state of things in Zimbabwe. After about three minutes, my aunt inexplicably said,mid-sentence, "If you are listening in, please get off the line, I'm speaking to my niece"- and they got cut off immediately. If that isn't creepy, I don't know what is....
Thing is, the culture of fear's been around for ages... Zimbabwe's been a police state for who knows how long. Most people don't know that Voice of America radio (VOA radio) broadcasts something called Studio 7 (a program for Zimbabwe by Zimbabweans in Washington, at 7 pm Zimbabwe time). What even less people know is that the frequency gets jammed at about 1905h; you get this awful sound coming through, and that's it, no more outside news for you. It's true that they are broadcasting "illegally", according to Zimbabwe's current media laws... But you know that there are shades of truth, where politics is concerned. There is also a very popular "new" newspaper (I think started by Zimbabweans in the UK, but I'll have to confirm that), which is a tad sensationalist in its approach, but at least gives Zimbabweans a break from the propaganda in the state- owned newspapers.. I am surprised that hasn't been shut down yet, but if there is a clampdown by the new government-read-old government, then they may be in a spot of bother... Honestly, unless you have satellite tv in Zimbabwe, only the rumor mill will give you the other side of the story. And believe me, that is alive and well in Zimbabwe.
Anyway... Word on the street is that Zimbabweans will press on, and not be cowed this time. We have waited so long for this; we are hanging onto hope. Most people are moving on with things, but keeping an ear to the radio (TV is a total loss).. One of these days, just now, we shall overcome.
PS. I MUST mention this here: if there is one thing Zimbabweans use to deal with the every day hardships, it is humor. There were so many jokes going around at election time, to do with the three candidates, and the failure by the electoral commission to release results....
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3 comments :
love your posts dont stop babes!
i know this is an old post but I am so finding it relevant again today. My hubby & I have been doing a LOT of reading & learning lately on theories & conspiracies of who is really in control of this world, financially & politically & it has been mind-boggling to 're-learn' every bit of history we used to take as true. Its amazing how controlled the media is, from the papers, to the tv broadcasts and of course, now the internet. Thank goodness some words of truth can be found that haven't been corrupted yet. I wonder how much we have been deceived by manipulated truths. I've been thinking about blogging on it but not quite ready for all the 'opinions' to come out of the woodwork. I think so much more of our lives are 'listened in on' than we realize.
i know, Becky. do you know how much of what we think we think is created by media hype?! I was just thinking about Zim on the news all those weeks, bumped off the headlines by the Chinese quake- and yet how easily we forget one story, when the next one comes along. Is the world still a real place, I wonder...
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