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[[File:Southern Rhodesia (1909) (14598319617).jpg|thumb|left|200px|Unveiling a statue of [[Cecil Rhodes]] in [[Bulawayo]] in 1909]]
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The ruling white minority in Southern Rhodesia [[Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence|unilaterally declared independence]] as Rhodesia in 1965 but no provisions were made to incorporate the black African majority as political equals. [[Rhodesian Bush War|Civil war]] lasted until 1979, as black nationalists fought against the white-dominated government.
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In 1980, the [[Southern Rhodesian general election, 1980|first democratic general election]] was held in what was now [[independence|independent]] [[Zimbabwe]] and the country joined the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]. Subsequently, the country's white population declined sharply – thousands were intimidated, attacked, and driven off their property. Because of patterns of discrimination, whites had held the majority of property previously occupied by indigenous groups.<ref>{{cite thesis|type=PhD|first=Angus|last=Selby|title=White Farmers in Zimbabwe, 1890–2005|publisher=Oxford University|year=2006|url=http://www.zwnews.com/3-Main%20Body.pdf|archive-date=13 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813050154/http://www.zwnews.com/3-Main%20Body.pdf}}</ref> Charged with abusing [[human rights]] and undermining [[democracy]], President [[Robert Mugabe]] and other Zimbabwean individuals and entities were subjected to a wide range of economic and political sanctions by the United States and other western nations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=94939&sn=Detail|title=Individuals and entities from Zimbabwe on US sanctions list|publisher=US Treasury OFAC|date=25 July 2008|access-date=28 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/09/st05/st05304-ad01re01.en09.pdf |title=Council Common Position renewing restrictive measures against Zimbabwe|publisher=Council of the European Union|date=26 January 2009|access-date=28 July 2013}}</ref>
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