Review of the Rageh Omaar Report: ZIMBABWE - STATE OF DENIAL

I have just finished watching a forty-five minute report on Zimbabwe titled "Zimbabwe - State of Denial." The report by Aljazeera's star correspondent and the host of its WITNESS show, the British-Somali Rageh Omaar drew a grim picture of the situation in the country. It was a scathing criticism of Robert Mugabe and his party ZANU-PF. The president and his party are accused of single-handedly destroying Zimbabwe's economy and precipitating incredible levels of inflation. The country previously known as the food basket of the entire continent has, as a result of these policies, become dependent on international food aid. But that was not enough: Omaar also criss-crossed the country in order to interview members of the Zimbabwean opposition as well as white farmers. The story behind the land reforms which drew Western wrath at Zimbabwe is told from a different perspective. Yes, the land had been concentrated in the hands of whites (who make up two per cent of the Zimbabwean population), but Mugabe had only moved to take over their farms after he realized that he was losing the support of the people. According to the report, Mugabe never had a problem with white ownership of the land. He had, in fact, upon independence, gone to great lengths to comfort the white minority in the new Zimbabwe.


One will not come out supporting President Robert Mugabe after watching this film. It is decidedly unsympathetic to ZANU-PF. Omaar’s report is dismissive of the Western role in the economic collapse and does not give sufficient hearing to the plight of the landless millions of Zimbabweans. Yes, Mugabe is corrupt and manipulative. And yes, the land reforms have been marred by wide scale irregularities but still; their justness should not be questioned.