Steve Hayes
2008-12-12 03:59:45 UTC
On 6 December 2008 a Greek policeman shot a teenager in Athens.
A subsequent demonstration turned violent, and cars and shops were burnt.
There's a good summary of events here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Greek_riots
I can't help wondering what might happen if Zimbabwean youth responded
like Greek youth -- or like South African youth in 1976.
In Greece, similar action by youth in 1974 resulted in the restoration of
democracy. Two years alter, South African youth responded in a similar
fashion, but it took nearly 20 years, and many more deaths, before
democracy was established.
One result of the Greek action in 1974 was that the youth were honoured.
There is a public holiday, Polytechniou, to commemorate the Polytechnic
students who died, just as we have Youth Day in South Africa to
commemorate the young people who died in June 16 1976 and the following
weeks.
Another result, according to my daughter, who is a student in Athens, is
that since 1974 the police have not been allowed to enter universities.
This makes it easier for students to manufacture Molotov cocktails and the
like, and it's quite common to see burnt-out vehicles on campus.
I suspect, however, that if Zimbabwean youth tried the same thing, the
police would not arrest the policemen who killed young people, but would
reward them, and there would be many more deaths.
After 1976, many South African young people went abroad for military
training, and returned to fight back.
Many Zimbabwean youth, faced with a similar situation of police repression
and brutality, also leave the country, but I'm not aware of any of them
forming a liberation army to go home and fight back. That's probably just
as well -- the Democratic Republic of Congo as dozens of "liberation"
armies, most of which are fighting to be in a position to oppress others.
A lot of Zimbabwe's present troubles stem from the misguided attempt of
the Zimbabwean government to support one of them by sending troops to the
Congo to support one of the factions there.
Are there any lessons in all this for Zimbabwean youth?
A subsequent demonstration turned violent, and cars and shops were burnt.
There's a good summary of events here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Greek_riots
I can't help wondering what might happen if Zimbabwean youth responded
like Greek youth -- or like South African youth in 1976.
In Greece, similar action by youth in 1974 resulted in the restoration of
democracy. Two years alter, South African youth responded in a similar
fashion, but it took nearly 20 years, and many more deaths, before
democracy was established.
One result of the Greek action in 1974 was that the youth were honoured.
There is a public holiday, Polytechniou, to commemorate the Polytechnic
students who died, just as we have Youth Day in South Africa to
commemorate the young people who died in June 16 1976 and the following
weeks.
Another result, according to my daughter, who is a student in Athens, is
that since 1974 the police have not been allowed to enter universities.
This makes it easier for students to manufacture Molotov cocktails and the
like, and it's quite common to see burnt-out vehicles on campus.
I suspect, however, that if Zimbabwean youth tried the same thing, the
police would not arrest the policemen who killed young people, but would
reward them, and there would be many more deaths.
After 1976, many South African young people went abroad for military
training, and returned to fight back.
Many Zimbabwean youth, faced with a similar situation of police repression
and brutality, also leave the country, but I'm not aware of any of them
forming a liberation army to go home and fight back. That's probably just
as well -- the Democratic Republic of Congo as dozens of "liberation"
armies, most of which are fighting to be in a position to oppress others.
A lot of Zimbabwe's present troubles stem from the misguided attempt of
the Zimbabwean government to support one of them by sending troops to the
Congo to support one of the factions there.
Are there any lessons in all this for Zimbabwean youth?
--
Steve Hayes
E-mail: ***@dunelm.org.uk
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm
http://people.tribe.net/hayesstw
Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com
Phone: 083-342-3563 or 012-333-6727
Steve Hayes
E-mail: ***@dunelm.org.uk
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm
http://people.tribe.net/hayesstw
Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com
Phone: 083-342-3563 or 012-333-6727