1893- increasing influx of white settlers leads to war with the ruling Ndebele people. Britons win and immigration begins to rise. A white minority regime is set up and gives white settlers all the land which forces blacks to work for them at extremely low wages.
1964- Ian Smith is president of Rhodesia, which was named after Cecil Rhodes. Becomes the first white ruler of the country and declares his independence from Great Britain in order to stay in power.
1972- Civil war breaks out because blacks are dissatisfied with their situation and want to take over. Robert Mugabe is in prison for eleven years and in exile afterwards because he openly criticized Smith’s regime.
1979- Ian Smith deals ruthlessly with the black guerrillas and is compelled by the British to attend the ‘Lancaster Conference’ in London where free elections are granted.
1980- Robert Mugabe is elected president and is ready for talks with the whites who feared his victory before. Western states promise subsidies and people are confident.
1982- Mugabe’s government sends troops to Matabeleland where the oppositional party of Joshua Nkomo has its stronghold and thousands of people are killed during planned massacres.
1990- Mugabe launches his land acquisition programme in order to redistribute land to the black population of Zimbabwe.
1997- Zimbabwe sends troops to Congo hoping to profit from natural resources.
2000- A referendum to the constitution that would give Mugabe more power is refused by the electorate.
2002- In the run-up to the election 30 people are killed and thousands are arrested because of violence and terrorization organised by the state.
In March, Mugabe was re-elected, but international observers stated the election was tainted which engendered the suspension of the country from the Commonwealth.
The opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, is blamed for having plotted to kill Mugabe and tried for treason.
2003- The Commonwealth suspension is prolonged and Mugabe announces the complete withdrawal of his country from the amalgamation.
Judges in the Supreme Court are replaced by loyal ones; supporters are arrested without trial.
2004- The Daily News, the only independent daily newspaper, is forbidden by the state.


by Reemt Behrens

last change: 10.03.2004 17:45