Period+2+Zimbabwe+script

Rae: Zimbabwe. A land of beauty Steph: Of culture Jessi: Of life Rae: The colorful history of this land is one of intrigue and depth Jessi: Come with us as we take a closer look at this rich history Steph: And the secrets it holds
 * happy montage of photos up until Zimbabwe color-changing magic*

Steph: The roots of Zimbabwe lie in a country called Rhodesia- Jessi: Which was actually the historic name of Zimbabwe before it was split and renamed. Rae: The deep-rooted controversy of the country is what caused the eventual split, and helped to pave the way of the country that is now Rhodesia, named for the english imperialist Cecil Rhodes. Steph: He obtained a chater from the English government to colonize in Africa and set up the country as he wished. Jessi: Naming the country after himself ensured lasting recognition for Rhodes. Steph: In the late nineteenth century, Britain’s grasp extended all across the world; Africa was no exception Rae: In 1893, the British South Africa company moved in, occupying Rhodesia. Jessi: Soon after, they recognized the split in the land, and established South Rhodesia as a self-governing British Colony. Steph: Cecil Rhodes and company conned King Lobengula into giving up his powers over the Debele kingdom in Zimbabwe Rae:British settlers led by Cecil Rhodes marched north from South Africa and appropriated vast stretches of arable land in Rhodesia. Jessi: Rhodes' imperialism led to a great dislike of him from the African nationalists. The were not granted free self-rule until several years after he died.

Steph: The troubles caused by the white man moving into African territory have lingered on all the way to present day Rae: Ian Smith was elected as Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia in 1965. His party, the Rhodesian Front Party, held power throughout the entire white minority rule. Jessi: On March 2, 1970, Smith declared rhodesia a republic and separated it from Britain. Steph: The British Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, had already made clear his Labour government would not recognise the new regime in Rhodesia. Rae: Due to his extremely racist opinions and tactics, Smith faced much opposition in his own country. Jessi: After he made the declaration of Rhodesia as a republic, black rebels used guerilla warfare to attack the government. Steph: Things soon broke out into a civil war that lasted through 1974. Rae: By 1977, Smith decided to change his strategy. He established a new government with a majority of black leaders, which worked too well for him. Jessi: In April of 1979, the election results were released. Steph: ** Abel T. Muzorewa became the first black Prime Minister in the black-dominant government. ** Jessi: Great Britain didn't officially recognize the country as independant until April 18, 1980, aslo validating the name Zimbabwe. Steph: In 1987, the government changed the position of Prime Minister to Executive President, and the first person sworn in as such was Robert Mugabe. Rae: An opponent of Smith's, Mugabe was a symbol for the new Africa, but ultimately caused the dramatic decrease in the wellbeing of Zimbabwe's people. Jessi: Though "elected by the people", Mugabe was a forceful dictator. Steph: In 1960, he had become a founder-member of the Zimbabwe African People's Union, from which he split 3 years later to form the Zimbabwe African National Union. Rae: For ten years he faced detention due to nationalist activities, and once he was released he traveled to Mozambique where he was named Commander-in-Chief of its guerrilla forces Jessi: The militia engaged in armed struggle against Ian Smith's white minority regime. Steph: after years of fighting their racism, his ascent to President was a sweet victory over Smith and his followers.
 * Rae: On May 31, Rhodesia officially declared independence, and the next day Zimbabwe was formed. **

The long and winding rode of the nation of Rhodesia leads us to present day Zimbabwe. The nation is still currently governed by the republic Ian Smith set in place. Though the country seemed to be on the rise after Smith's oppressive racist tyranny ended, Zimbabwe from 1999 to present day has seen a severe decline in economy and general public welfare. Some say this can be attributed to Mugabe's detrimental affect on the people with his dictatorship. The bitter rivalry between the white man and the black man still lingers bitterly, and shows itself in ways like land ownership; an issue Mugabe sought to resolve in the early 2000's, but was never truly repaired. Also, because of the rise in tourism and mining, Zimbabwe has experience hyperinflation, which has led to a severe decline in the value of their currency. Yet another issue, also attributed to mining, was the horrific Blood Diamond crisis. Mining for diamonds in eastern Zimbabwe took a horrific turn, where all miners turned upon one another; there was murder, violence, thievery, and illegal trade of the illicit diamonds. Mugabe, since the incident, has attempted desperately to muffle the issue with military forces and forced press, but to no avail. All this in considering, one would think that Mugabe's rule would be in jeopardy. And, in 2008, an election was held; Mugabe in his power witheld the results for as long as he could, but soon after it was revealed to the public that Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change party had one the election. In compromise, Mugabe shared his power as president, and established Tsvangirai as the new Prime Minister.

Today, Zimbabwe suffers hyperinflation, severe economic dysfunction, and a crisis of refugees and poverty. Though a sorrowful land, it still stands as a testamant for the strength and honor of it's people, like the great stone temples still stand in the Zimbabwean wilderness. The people of Zimbabwe look forward, towards a brighter future, in the beautiful, cultural land they have grown to love. Cecil SESSLE Rhodes Inflation