The piece of knowledge that is apparently unknown by most progressive people is that suppressive people thrive on confusion. The bond notes, command agriculture, 2% tax, and many other undesirables, as implemented by government, but affecting ordinary Zimbabweans, are blamed on sanctions. I suppose it is necessary to unpack the real truth behind sanctions.
At peak, the suppressive people create confusion that is sustained in war, including sanctions. Sane people cannot benefit anything out of war and sanctions. All actions in this world, while intended to handle particular problems, have a reverse effect. The war may be considered necessary, but certainly benefiting only the suppressive people whose livelihood is sustained by war.
The guerrilla warfare may have been assumed to be progressive. But it was a savage campaign whose negative impact continues to haunt Zimbabwe, more than forty years, after attaining independence. We had the most unreasonable war for our independence, as we are yet to enjoy the benefits from it.
Those advocating for black emancipation, blamed the white minority government for war. Yet others found the Ian Smith’s government justified in blaming the advocates of the guerrilla warfare. The most important question is: who benefited, in the execution of that armed struggle?
The minority government of Ian Smith, did not benefit. They lost progressive material, most of which included what was meant for black empowerment. The liberation fighters lost thousands of their comrades, including innocent civilians, aimed at being liberated from Smith’s government. Who then benefitted out of that war?
The elementary principle, taught in bookkeeping, is that for every transaction that gives, there would always be one that receives. Similarly, this principle applies to other actions, affecting humanity. Assuming that the war, affecting casualties on both sides, did not have anyone benefiting, is incorrect. When equipped with knowledge, it is easy to identify beneficiaries in a war situation.
Before delving into identifying those beneficiaries, we need to first appreciate what suppression entails. This world includes those assuming that life is about suppressing other people, in order to survive. Suppressive people, although few in numbers, are common in every race, across the world.
You can find them among your own relatives. They feel bothered or threatened by your success, in anything you do. They feel comfortable whenever you encounter challenges. They may pretend to be sorry, after you experience some misfortune, like an accident. But, privately, they celebrate your misfortune. All forms of suppression are attributed more to mental illness, than mere jealousness.
When sharing good news, like promotion at work, suppressive people pretend to celebrate with you. But privately, they grieve, preferring to believe that such a promotion is fallacious. Fortunately, when equipped with knowledge, identifying such people through their hypocrisy is very easy. The mistake one can do is revealing being negatively affected by their behavior.
Suppressive people love confusion, as generally believing that benefits exist in confusion. Strangely, even one’s own spouse, could be among suppressive people. A husband or a wife, may feel threatened by spouse’s successes, rather than being on the side of the successful spouse.
Without this knowledge, marriages have been unnecessarily wrecked. Although few, in numbers, the suppressive people are the ones, regressively sustaining the dangerous environment. They grossly affect those, who are unaware of the technology to handle such suppressive people.
The suppressive people thrive on the reactive behavior of the ignorant people. In the Rhodesian war, they thrived on propaganda. Instead of engaging in communication, they pitted blacks against white people, propagating the perceived racial prejudices by the white minority government.
Emotions were the driving force, rather than reason. Those being manipulated to commit violence were not, necessarily, suppressive. But emotionally instigated to commit what would eventually trigger war, sustained by the cool, but suppressive elements.
Consider the manufacturers of weapons of war? Are they always found in the forefront of the war? The answer is a resounding no! Such manufacturers may, actually, be supplying arms to both sides of the belligerents. The murderers in the warfront are their patrons, but they, themselves, may never be convicted of murder. They would be commonly regarded as highly successful business people.
The murderers in the war front are not, necessarily, suppressive, but simply manipulated, by the suppressive people. What about the peddlers of propaganda? Their function is sensationalizing the news network, in order to stir emotions among the uninformed, who then propagate for war.
The uninformed people assume that everything that comes from newspapers would be true, even without verification. The reactive mind does not have time for verification of information. But the suppressive people benefit more, out of confusion, rather than receiving benefits out of order.
The common news network is often replete with depressing news, more than good news. The whole purpose is to promote chaos. Bear in mind, the suppressive people thrive on confusion, rather than order. They feel dignified, as long as making money.
This world carries those unable to differentiate between intrinsic dignity and fallacious dignity, driven by material wealth, for instance. Driving a beautiful car, or staying in an expensive apartment appears dignified. But the opposite is true, when possessing full knowledge of what true dignity implies. True dignity is premised only on what one does to enhance other people’s livelihoods.
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also come in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, ‘Here’s a good seat for you.’ But say to the poor man, ‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:1-4 NIV)
As can be seen, those making judgment with evil thoughts display scarcity of dignity. When dignified, one answers the question of how other people get helped to restore their lost dignity. It is, itself, lacking dignity, to criticize those without dignity. Suppressive people do not need criticism, necessarily, but being told the truth about what they stand for.
The reason why it is impossible for the suppressive people to carry dignity, is lacking respect for themselves. Suppressive people seek to be respected, more than they respect other people. But it is impossible to respect oneself, when disrespecting other people. This is why they feel threatened by other people’s successes, yet celebrating their failures.
As mentioned, such people could as well be your own siblings, spouse, or even your own parents. It is unnecessary to assume that suppressive elements are strangers. Of course the suppressive people can connect with the like-minded, but not limited to strangers, or even acquaintances.
Even within a Church organization, can be found suppressive people, who could, actually, be ordained pastors. Pertinent questions, in addressing causes of suppression, include how to identify and handle them. I suppose we have successfully dealt with identifying suppressive people?
Suppressive people are revealed in feeling threatened by other people’s successes, also feeling comfortable with the demise of others. To a greater or lesser degree, humans bear some proclivity for suppression. But the more one is inclined to being suppressive, the more suppressive one could be.
One could quickly conclude that this describes reasons for witchcraft. But the existence of witchcraft is symptomatic of suppressive people’s existence. As indicated, the manufacturers of destructive weapons are respected business tycoons, and not necessarily associated with witchcraft.
A normal person treats fellow humans with dignity, regardless of racial or social background. All humans were created in God’s image, and in need of education to reach their potential. Therefore, the most important comportment in handling humans is dissemination of proper information. Including information about handling the the suppressive elements.
Everything else is complementary; either advancing suppression, or enhancing livelihoods in the environment. When buying a newspaper that advances bad tidings, one would be unintentionally supporting suppressive actions. When taking drugs, one supports suppressive actions. The drug user may not, necessarily, be suppressive, although supporting the suppressive actions.
A chain smoker may not necessarily be suppressive, but supporting the suppressive actions. Whoever initiated the smoking trend, must have been suppressive, when considering the dangers associated with smoking. The element of suppression exists where one enjoys making profits, without considering the effects on other people’s livelihoods.
Whatever activities done in this world, decent people ask how others benefit. Suppressive people are the ones declaring, “I do not care what happens to other people, as long as I make profits.” Such people appear dignified to ordinary people. They are often given position of authority, in society.
Having accessed positions of authority, it goes without saying; the ordinary people would have become blessed with disaster! This is how all evils exist in this world. The more one fights with such people, the more one fuels confusion, perfectly necessary, in sustaining the suppressive elements.
The 1987 unity accord, between ZAPU and ZANU appeared as progressive. However, the suppressive elements were apparently disappointed by that development. They obviously desired to perpetuate the destructive mode, until the entire population was completely destroyed.
The only reason why the 1987 peace accord appears as not having produced lasting peace, is failure to identify the suppressive elements. Many theories can be advanced by Scholars, but the suppressive elements are comfortably existent and being currently given respect, in our society.
The 2009 unity government appeared as would produce a new dispensation, advancing good livelihoods in our society. There are those advancing another theory that all ZANU PF members are corrupt. Indeed, it can be impossible to oppose that theory. The sudden reversion to confusion, after 2013 elections, could suggests that, ZANU PF is disastrous, as a political entity.
However, it may not be true that the entire ZANU PF structures are suppressive. The fact that a MAZDA 323 can give problems with a boiling engine, does not suggest that the entire MAZDA vehicle would be problematic. An experienced mechanic would identify the actual problem, fixing it, without necessarily discarding the entire vehicle.
There is no doubt that progressive people exist in ZANU PF, who resoundingly won elections in 2013. Their damnation was in failure to identify the suppressive elements within their structures. There is truth in that within the opposition camp, there are suppressive elements, as well.
The Zimbabwean problems are not associated with race or social background. They are caused by the unidentified suppressive elements. This failure to identify the suppressive elements led many people into concluding that President Mugabe was the only suppressive person.
During the 2017 coup, many people were blinded, assuming that the coup was justifiable, in removing Robert Mugabe. However, many are now confused, realizing that Mugabe may not have been the cause, after all. The interesting thing about the 2017 coup is that people seemed united in removing Mugabe, but divided on reasons for removing Mugabe.
Many people now regret having removed Mugabe. Yet many are still not certain on the question of who could have been better between Mugabe and the current leader. The only challenge in identifying suppressive people is that the suppressive people appear as normal, among ordinary humans.
Out of ignorance, ordinary people grant them influential positions, attracted by their accumulated wealth. Rather than dignity, attained by value-addition towards other people. Most people are unaware that it is possible to accumulate wealth, while adding value on others?
The negative effects about Western-sponsored sanctions, is giving credence in that Western governments are anti-black governments. No scape-goat could be found, without the sanctions provision. Those sanctions, while serving to confirm the existence of bad governance, they also serve as a tool in advancing corruption, by the suppressive elements.
The only method of handling existent problems in our country, is identifying the suppressive people. These may be outside the country, using their surrogates, in our political system. Those working to promote the exposure of suppressive people should, therefore, not be treated as unimportant.
Instead of joining the suppressive people’s sanctions mantra, the progressive people should always aim at exposing the suppressive people. Progressive people should also create effective communication networks, helping ordinary people to also identify suppressive people in their midst.
The identity of the suppressive people helps in rendering suppression ineffective. To render them ineffective, is to cut their destructive communication and expose their nefarious actions. If the entire population understood this simple truism, the suppressive people would fade overnight.
Suppressive elements are commonly sustained by displaying hatred against themselves. Those people should be treated as mentally sick, deserving to be helped out of their suppressive communication lines. They need love, without losing opportunities to expose their nefarious activities.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. In a simple conversational tone, most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
Also available as an e-copy at Lulu.com for $6.99
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
