My comment on the military coup in Zimbabwe is here:

http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/forum/index.pl?read=148607

It may matter to some extent in my reply to your post. My reply comes from firsthand experience (see my previous post).

Let me add an important detail: In my student days, I had been in contact with left-wing political student groups with a political orientation to the Chinese concept of communism. They were generally known as ‘maoists’. The same group heavily supported the liberation of Mugabe’s and his ZANU’s liberation struggle against the white rulers of that time.

The maoist students groups in Europe have long gone, but the political affiliation between Mainlnd China and maoist-oriented Mugabe have remained. Chinese rulers are autocrats like Mugabe, and they seem to have so much in common.

No wonder that these countries cooperate so closely. Zimbabwe is rich, and the Chinese are hungry for all kinds of resources that that country has to offer. Two devils have united to make more profit. Disgusting!