This week the confrontation between old and new gathers steam. Tradition is besieged by agitation for change. A Sunset in Zimbabwe Whether one considers the assault on MicroSoft by the government, the political fervor being whipped up in Florida by Elian Gonzalez, the seizure of land in Zimbabwe, or events in your life, the pace is quickening. Tensions are growing, and we will see several eruptions. Early on May 13th, Saturn will square Uranus, but this week the Sun and Mercury ignite the alignment. There are dramas unfolding all around us. Depending on your chart, you may see some of the sparks.    Last week we scrutinized Zimbabwe in some detail, examining how Uranus at 24 Scorpio, and Mars at 26 Leo, will be impacted by the stellium of planets now moving through Taurus. Circle June 5th, 12th, 14th and the 30th, for starters. In the short term, this is when political and social turmoil will be most stressed. This Uranus Mars square in Zimbabwe's chart can indicate several things. It is a unique and charismatic leader who is not afraid to strike out in new directions to achieve his goals (Uranus in the 10th). Unfortunately, this can also include using ruthless methods, and striking out against his own people (Mars squaring Uranus). With Mars in his seventh house, this could also represent Chenjerai Hunzvi, the leader of the war verterans. Mars in the seventh here indicates an unusual military partner. In September, 2002, progressed Mars inconjuncts Zimbabwe's natal Ascendant from the 8th house, indicating an aggressive, difficult, and ultimately self-destructive period. Ultimately, it is a fighting over resources. Mars is the God of War. The underlying root of the problem will not be resolved until after that date, at the earliest. Tribal Mask    But this is only one strand of the Web. There are others which point to a particularly difficult period in the future of this country. There are some dangerous curves in Zimbabwe's road ahead.    First, this hard Martial aspect of 2002 is being activated several times this summer, enflaming many of the confrontational tensions and belligerent behavior that we have been reading about in the news. These dates are March 18th (now past), June 24th, and August 2nd. There's more to come.    In Sept. 2001 and Aug. 2002, the government will be having a very difficult time over a shortage of funds for the repayment of international debts. Even among their own countrymen, whoever is in power at that time will find their popularity at a low ebb. Robert Mugabe The celestial pattern is the progressed Asc inconjuncting Saturn in the 8th.    In addition, Zimbabwe's progressed Sun will inconjunct Pluto on July 1, 2002, and February 4th, 2003. This is a particularly destructive alignment, representing a contest of wills. Once again, it will probably be over finances and funding, sandwiching our Martial aspect of September 29th, 2002.    The common denominator here is the 8th house. In different ways, each of these aspects ties into it. Progressed Mars is in the 8th house, as is the natal Saturn. Pluto is the natural ruler of the 8th house. So, what does this mean?    There's not enough money, food, or fuel to go around. Resources are scarce. People are desperate because they are dying. Of hunger. Without hope, they have no future. As Zimbabwe's progressed Moon crosses their Aquarian Ascendant (May 15, 2000), they are finding a strength in unity that was denied them in isolation. Taken together, it looks as if the current trends that are unfolding will continue for some time. After wrestling with this problem for 20 years, Zimbabwe is embarking on a difficult path, but one which those in power see as essential to breaking up the traditional corporate monopolies, and ending the poverty of its people. At crux of violence, a veteran tied to Mugabe    HARARE, Zimbabwe - Chenjerai Hunzvi is the man behind the growing state of anarchy in Zimbabwe.    As chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, he is the general behind the campaign to confiscate millions of acres of commercial farmland from whites. His pseudonym, dating back to the 1070s, is "Hitler," but at times he has also called himself "Jesus."    But prominent disaffected war veterans say he is little more than a thug and a thief. Two internal probes by the association have found him guilty of bilking hundreds of thousands of dollars invested on behalf of the veterans, and he was jailed a year ago for fraud. The case is pending. Chenjerai Hunzvi    The High Court, meanwhile, charged him with contempt two weeks ago for failing to end the farm invasions, which the court twice ruled were illegal.    Hunzvi says he is fighting for land on behalf of all his comrades who risked their lives to liberate the country. But observers say he is half of the most important personal relationship in Zimbabwe, that the ties between him and President Robert Mugabe lie at the crux of the violence ripping through the nation. Through the brutal exploitation of the masses, sources close to the men say, each meets the other's needs.    "They are two bedfellows," said a former official of the war veterans, requesting anonymity. "Hunzvi feels that if Mugabe stays in power, the case against him will be dropped. And Mugabe feels that with the war veterans on his side, he will remain in power. They are fighting a common war."    At least 15 people have been killed and scores more have been badly beaten in recent weeks. As the political violence escalates, Mugabe faces growing international pressure to reestablish the rule of law.   British diplomats yesterday received a high-level Zimbabwean delegation in London for talks on defusing the southern African country's crisis. Britain had offered an additional $57 million for land reform if Mugabe ends the farm attacks and takes steps to ensure that upcoming Parliament elections are free and fair. But the delagation refused to provide those assurances, and the talks broke down.    In Zimbabwe, meanwhile, Hunzvi told farmers again yesterday that the invasions of their land would continue. Leashing the war veterans, observers say, would mean that Mugabe would lose his trump card ahead of the elections.    Throughout his 20-year reign, critics say, Mugabe has relied on intimidation to retain power. With his country facing its worst economic crisis in at least a decade, however, observers say Mugabe cannot completely ignore international reaction. Zimbabwe has been ground to a halt by chronic shortages of fuel and foreign exchange.    Mugabe appeared yesterday to be appealing to Britain with a different apporach. Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri said he would begin using special powers granted under the Law and Order Maintenance Act to quell political violence. The provisions allow the police to restrict political activites such as protests.    Human rights lawyer Brian Kadoro viewed the announcement as an attempt to trip up the opposition and appease Britain on the day his envoys sat down in London. "It was really a public exercise in response to Britain's insistence for a return to law and order, to create an impression that war veterans are not being violent," Kadoro said. "But political parties are not the ones beating people on the farms."    Mugabe's supporters have sown intimidation across nearly 1,000 farms, beating farmers and their workers and demanding allegiance to the ruling party. Hunzvi has vowed that the veterans will start another war if Mugabe's party loses the elections.    It may be bluster, Hunzvi represents a small percentage of the war veterans, who themselves number about 50,000 in a population of 12.5 million. Leaders of the Zimbabwean Defense Forces and several prominent veterans have distanced themselves from the association chairman. Others want him out.    According to minutes of an extraordinary meetings of veteran investors held in Harare last month, Hunzvi is guilty of grossly mismanaging a fund set up with veterans' money to finance development projects for former combatants and their families. The minutes also allege that Hunzvi fired several association officers who accused him of corruption.    That follows a special association probe last year that found that "almost all the projects created to promote the welfare of the members are almost bankrupt." A recent audit discovered that huge sums of money invested by vetrerans in the fund, which is administered by Hunzvi, has gone missing.    With fraud charges still pending, Hunzvi's motive for orchestrating the farm attacks was simple to understand, Kadoro said. "Hunzvi misappropriated funds," he said. "Mugabe has that against him, but he also has the power to pardon. So Hunzvi will sing any song Mugabe asks him to sing."    Boston Globe, April 28, 2000; p. A2

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