The unofficial stars of the Cup BOBILLI VIJAY KUMAR
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2003 10:52:53 PM ]
HARARE: The Zimbabwean cricket team was so engrossed in the murky quagmire
that England had tumbled into that it didn't notice the little storm that was
brewing in its own yard.
It was only about an hour before
their opening World Cup match against Namibia on Monday that the Andy Flower
and Henry Olonga tornado hit them. ''It was quarter to nine when Andy and
Henry handed me a statement, team manager Mohammed (Babu) Meman told Times
News Network on Thursday.
''I had no clue that they were
planning a protest during the match, he said. Coach Geoff Marsh and captain
Heath Streak too confirmed that they weren't aware of any such plan. ''It was
a personal decision," Streak said. Marsh too felt the same way. ''My job is
to take care of the game. What happens off the field is not really my
concern. It doesn't affect the players at all," he said. The team management
was, however, a little surprised. ''I told them that they should reconsider
their decision, as it was very sensitive," Meman said. ''However, when they
refused to budge I told them that I can't release the statement on my own. I
told them that I must take permission from the managing director first. They
agreed." Meman explained that even officials of the Zimbabwe cricket union
were not too happy with the development.
''The managing
director also requested them to reconsider their decision. He told them to
just wait for one more day and have a discussion on the next day, on a
non-cricket day. They didn't agree." "They were warned of the consequences.
And we released the statement," Meman revealed. According to sources, the
response to the protest has been mixed. While officials associated with the
ZCU are understandably not happy, the people have been on the other end of
the spectrum. The response has been overwhelming. A journalist revealed that
even in the locker room, all the players are completely behind Andy and
Henry.
As the team practiced at the Harare Sports Club, it
was clear that there was no bitterness or anger. Andy and Henry shared
high-fives and back-pats with the others and worked hard at their fielding
and later at their batting and bowling. It was, however, not difficult to
discern that the two were feeling the burden of the responsibility, that they
had become overnight heroes. Everybody at the stadium waved at
them.
And Andy, probably, for the first time in his life
refused an interview. He kept apologising throughout the day for his
inability to talk. ''We are feeling drained by all the attention. But we
believe we have done the right thing," he told a local journalist. ''It was a
brave decision," the journalist from the Guardian said.
''People are especially proud of the stand taken by Henry," he said. Both the
players are aware of the consequences, if any, and are ready to face them.
But Olonga couldn't stop himself from thanking the England team and Nasser
Hussain. ''The real issue may have got clouded in the entire controversy over
security concerns, Olonga said. ''But I think it would make a difference.
Looks like England will take some time to get out of the quagmire
Aussies in and out of Zimbabwe Friday 14 February 2003,
06:05AM
Australia will fly into Bulawayo the day before its
World Cup cricket match against Zimbabwe and leave the country immediately
after play finishes.
Safety and security fears have left Australian
players considering withdrawing from the game but officials have begun
organising charter flights for a whistle stop visit to the troubled
nation.
The Australian Federal Government has urged the team not to
venture to Zimbabwe because of protests being planned outside the ground at
Bulawayo against the rule of president Robert Mugabe.
But the
Australian Cricket Board has satisfied the players they will
be safe.
Fears are still held for the safety of the protesters with
police expected to react violently to their
demonstrations.
England boycotted its match against Zimbabwe for
safety and security reasons after receiving death threats in the leadup to
the game.
Kenya against Zimbabwe's early Commonwealth return
By
Dominic Evans
LONDON, Feb. 13 - Kenya dismissed calls from fellow
African countries for Zimbabwe's immediate return to the Commonwealth, saying
on Thursday that no decision could be taken until a summit meeting in
December.
In a thinly veiled criticism of President Robert Mugabe
-- whose disputed re-election triggered Zimbabwe's 12-month suspension from
the Commonwealth -- Foreign Minister Kalonzo Musyoka also said African
leaders must heed their own people. Kenya's ''velvet revolution''
last December, when the National Rainbow Coalition swept to power in
elections which ended the 24-year rule of Daniel arap Moi, set an example to
the whole continent, he said. ''We don't want to issue moral edicts
against any of our African brothers, but quite frankly Kenya can speak with a
little bit of authority on the crucial matter of democratisation in the
continent,'' Musyoka told a news conference in London. ''We would
want our African friends to emulate our example in terms of democratic
practice. That is what we would be able to tell our brothers in
Zimbabwe.'' The 54-nation Commonwealth, made up mainly of former
British colonies, plunged into crisis this week when Nigeria and South Africa
called for an immediate end to Zimbabwe's suspension. Australia,
the third member of a ''troika'' which suspended Zimbabwe in March last year,
says Mugabe has not addressed criticism of his re-election last March and
wants Zimbabwe to remain suspended until the December summit in
Nigeria. Divisions in the troika reflect a wider Commonwealth rift.
Western powers have condemned Mugabe's re-election and seizure of white-owned
farms for redistribution to landless blacks, while many African states
support a softer approach. Breaking ranks with Nigeria and South
Africa, Musyoka echoed Australia's tough line. ''Suspension cannot be lifted
by the troika... Decisions can only be taken at Abuja,'' he said.
Commonwealth election observers said Zimbabwe's elections, which extended
Mugabe's 23-year hold on power, were neither free nor fair. Observers from
the European Union were thrown out before the poll. Zimbabwe's
political crisis has been matched by economic turmoil which has turned
Africa's former breadbasket into a net importer of food. Millions face
famine, unemployment is over 60 percent and inflation is out of
control. ''The continent must seriously listen to the wishes of the
people,'' Musyoka said. ''What we have gone through in Kenya is like a
velvet revolution. Kenyans discovered they can change a whole government
without the necessity to fire a bullet. No country could ''stand
against the aspirations of the African people when it comes to democracy,''
he said. ''The way forward for the whole continent, if we are to
avoid conflict, is to listen our people and give them what they want.''
Few takers for A2 plots Blessing Zulu ONLY half of
the 54 000 proposed plots in government's A2 resettlement scheme are
understood to have been demarcated with just 48% of the pegged plots being
taken up, the Zimbabwe Independent has heard.
Sources said in
Matabeleland South, only 117 A2 farmers have moved onto their allocated plots
out of a possible 2 259.
In Mashonaland West province which used to
produce an estimated 40% of the country's major crops such as maize, tobacco
and wheat, plots are lying idle with no production or land preparation having
been done.
Government has conceded that the general land uptake
throughout the country was below expectations.
Manicaland has the
highest uptake of about 60% with Mashonaland East province registering less
than 40%.
Agriculture minister Joseph Made said the government has so
far acquired 11 million hectares of land as the fast-track land reform
programme comes to an end.
He said a total of 2 670 farms
measuring 5 069 782 hectares had been acquired under the A1 model and 2 209
farms measuring 4 934 892 hectares acquired for the A2 model.
The
government claims the total beneficiaries for the A2 model scheme are about
51 000 families and 300 000 families under the A1 model.
Threats by
Made and other government ministers that they would seize all unoccupied land
have not improved the situation on the ground.
The poor land uptake
has resulted in more than 60% of land that is normally put under crop not
being tilled this year.
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
spokesman for agriculture Renson Gasela said the land resettlement exercise
has not benefited its intended beneficiaries as the government was bent on
awarding relatives, friends and political cronies of the ruling
elite.
"The land reform exercise was a political exercise," said
Gasela.
"The majority of the farm workers who were affected by the
chaotic exercise went back to their rural areas and this led to further
congestion.
"What is also disturbing is the fact that those very few
peasant farmers who were resettled did not relinquish their pieces of land in
the rural areas," he said.
Gasela's sentiments were also echoed by
a Agri-SA delegation which observed that the land reform programme was aimed
primarily at securing political patronage and was implemented in such a way
that caused irreparable damage to the production base.
US$30 million fuel deal signed Vincent
Kahiya MINING giant Anglo American (Zimbabwe) has come to government's rescue
by making available US$30 million from its off-shore account for
the procurement of fuel, it has been learnt.
Sources in the financial
services sector this week said the deal was concluded at the end of last
month. Government will repay the loan in Zimbabwe dollars, albeit at a black
market rate of US$1:$1 300.
The foreign currency situation in the
country has continued to deteriorate as a result of reduced exports and
increased demand prompted by food imports.
The deal comes amid
reports this week that a government delegation to Libya a fortnight ago to
discuss the transfer of Noczim assets to Libyan firm Tamoil came back
empty-handed after the two parties failed to agree on the value of
infrastructure.
Sources said the deal to form a joint-venture
company, Tamoil-Zimbabwe, now looked irretrievably scuttled and with it
efforts to resume imports from Libya.
Anglo spokesman Dr Ezra
Kanganga yesterday refused to discuss details of the latest deal citing
confidentiality.
"We are not at liberty to discuss the issues which
are covered by confidentiality clauses," said Kanganga.
The
finance-sector sources said government had used the Anglo funds to enter a
deal with Exor Petroleum to import fuel on behalf of Noczim.
The
forex should enable Zimbabwe to import a month's supply of fuel. Under normal
circumstances Zimbabwe requires US$40 million for fuel
imports monthly.
Last week Energy and Power Development minister
Amos Midzi announced the government had entered a deal with an indigenous
company to import fuel as the state's poor creditworthiness made it difficult
to negotiate large deals.
Midzi yesterday confirmed Exor's
involvement but referred inquiries about the foreign currency arrangement to
the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
Fuel industry sources said the new move
to import fuel through middlemen was another sign of desperation by the
government.
"This arrangement will not solve the problem because what
it is only doing is to add to Noczim's indebtedness because procuring forex
on the black market and selling fuel at a giveaway price is bad business
practice," an industry source said.
The government has already
drawn down US$12 million from the line of credit to import fuel from Iran
which is set to replace Kuwait as a major supplier to Zimbabwe.
Where is water for irrigation scheme going
to come from?
IT is encouraging to hear that "Zimbabwe's bread-basket
status is to be restored" by the establishment of the Nuanetsi Irrigation
Project of 100 000 hectares.
The harvesting of three crops per year,
each yielding seven tonnes per hectare, will indeed be a noteworthy
achievement.
Implementation of the scheme has commenced, with the
award of a contract for land preparation, and this is to include the first
planting.
One small point has not been mentioned,
however.
Where is the irrigation water to come from? An area of this
extent under year-round irrigation would require about two billion cubic
metres of water annually.
For comparison, the anticipated safe
yield of the Tokwe-Murkosi Dam on which construction was started in 1998 was
given as four hundred and twenty three million (423 000 000) cubic
metres.
Attempts to revive agriculture falter Blessing
Zulu
THERE is mounting pressure on President Robert Mugabe to revisit
his disastrous land reform programme as South African and Nigerian
diplomacy focuses on getting production restarted. The chaotic redistribution
exercise has turned out to be a fatal misjudgement as famine stalks the
land.
The government has stepped up efforts to offer an olive branch to
displaced farmers. The hitherto-ignored mantra that no farmers would go
without land has been revived as government puts together a raft of
initiatives meant to buy support from the international community.
The
government's dealings with the farmers has in the past been shrouded
in suspicion and double-dealing and in all instances the farmers have come
out second best.
The government-controlled me-dia last week claimed
that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the government and the
farmers had reached an advanced stage. While the government is claiming that
the MOU was crafted by both parties, the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) has
denied contributing to the document. CFU president Colin Cloete has described
the government's position as inflexible and insincere.
The government
initiative is being headed by Agriculture minister Joseph Made and
Information tsar Jonathan Moyo.
Although there are a myriad contentious
issues in the MOU, the government expected the farmers to append their
signatures without examining the small print. Clauses include compensation
for land improvements and the government 's promise that displaced commercial
farmers should apply for land under the A2 scheme.
The government has
undertaken to purchase movable agricultural assets currently being held by
the CFU and in turn the CFU is expected to provide an inventory of
implements. Government has also expressed willingness to hire movable assets
from the farmers and tap into their agricultural skills while the CFU would
identify the assets and the skills to be availed to the state.
The
government also proposed to provide diplomatic and other necessary support to
members of the CFU who are entitled to full compensation for compulsorily
acquired land for resettlement purposes from Britain or any other source
identified by the CFU.
It is the timing of the MOU that analysts have
described as rather curious. Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo came to
Zimbabwe last Saturday to review the situation in the country and in the week
preceding the visit government worked feverishly to secure a deal with the
farmers.
"Mugabe is under immense pressure from Thabo Mbeki and Obasanjo
to mend his ways," said one analyst.
"As soon as his objective of
having sanctions lifted is achieved, he will once again show his true
colours. The MOU is clearly a marriage of convenience."
Mbeki and
Obasanjo are members of the Commonwealth troika together with Australian
Prime Minister John Howard.
Obasanjo and Mbeki want the suspension to be
lifted in March and Howard says he wants them to continue until the next full
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
"Zimbabwe has not done
anything effectively to respond to what it was (supposed) to do," Howard said
this week.
"I certainly won't be supporting any notion that Zimbabwe
should be restored to full membership and full participation in the
Commonwealth from March this year."
There was thus a spirited campaign
to have the CFU sign the MOU ahead of the Obasanjo visit to ease the pressure
on Zimbabwe. CFU president Cloete saw through the government's intentions and
refused to put pen to paper.
"I wish to place on record that no agreement
or binding commitment has been reached as a result of our discussion thus
far," Cloete told the Zimbabwe Independent last week.
Confusion
mounted over the weekend when Moyo made a sudden U-turn denying his efforts
to lure the commercial farmers into bed had failed.
"Nobody said there
was an agreement," Moyo said. "What has been said is that government and CFU
are talking and that dialogue has reached an advanced stage.
"This
dialogue is a good thing in itself and that is why it has been welcomed by
right-thinking people in and outside Zimbabwe because it has not happened
before. Also because the CFU was not acting as a Zimbabwe voice but as an
instrument of hostile foreign interests," he said.
Commercial farmers
pointed out that the money set aside for agricultural development and
compensation demonstrates government's lack of commitment. Commercial farmers
lost close to $50 billion in movable assets and property when they were
forced off their farms during the fast track land reform exercise. The
agricultural budget for the 2002/2003 financial year is $40 billion, of which
only a paltry $10 million has been budgeted for compensation. To date the
government has managed to compensate 126 farmers out of over 3 000 displaced
at the height of the land seizures. Even the 126 farmers did not get full
compensation.
The CFU has set up a Compensation Committee to work out an
inventory of all plant and equipment lost and still on the farms. Gerry
Davidson, a member of the committee said they have an uphill struggle to
convince the world of their predicament.
"The government says it is
willing to pay money for improvements on the farms," said
Davidson.
"The government as we are all well aware does not have the
resources. The international community, which is our only source of hope, is
not willing to assist us. Zimbabwe is now a pariah nation and is being
shunned by all investors," he said.
It has become increasingly clear
that the newly-resettled farmers will not in the near future produce enough
food for the country.
Figures at hand indicate that the government of
Zimbabwe is estimating a maize production of 570 000 tonnes from this
season's planted hecterage. The output constitutes less than a third of what
the country requires to bridge two marketing seasons. Zimbabwe requires 1,8
million tonnes, excluding 500 000 tonnes strategic grain reserves every
year.
Government estimates a deficit of 1,09 million tonnes for the
2003/4 marketing year.
Though the 2002/3 agricultural season was
generally poor, the situation has been worsened by the often chaotic land
reform programme which resulted in the displacement of over 3 000
highly-mechanised commercial farmers.
The displacement resulted in a 45%
reduction in area put under crop this year compared to any other year
including the 2001/2 season, the peak of farm invasions.
Analysts said
the government of Zimbabwe exacerbated the situation by failing to provide
the much-needed inputs to the resettled farmers.
"Government could
neither provide adequate draught power to till the virgin land nor were there
enough seeds for those whose land was tilled," one analyst
said.
"National requirement for both basal and top dressing fertiliser is
80 000 tonnes each but as of December government had managed to deliver only
59% of basal fertiliser requirement and 33% of ammonium nitrate
required."
Even the Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF) in its recent
deliberations acknowledged that the land was being under-utilised because of
unrealistic and unviable producer prices.
"Farmers need to be assured
of viable producer prices through a system of pre-planting and post-harvest
price announcement," the TNF said.
Human rights lawyer, Brian Kagoro
dismissed the whole deal between CFU and government as a public relations
gimmick for Zanu PF.
"Mugabe has in the past taken out his whip to thrash
his white friends into line," said Kagoro. "And when it is convenient he
takes out his whistle pipe to entertain them but to suggest that there has
been an event of national significance is foolish."
Kagoro called for
an all-encompassing meeting after an audit has been carried out by neutral
people.
"Any deal that does not include the farm workers who have also
lost their property, homes and livelihood must not be entertained. To try and
placate Tony Blair by working on a deal with the CFU is not acceptable," he
said.
"It is incumbent upon the government to permit an independent
inquiry before even considering the MOU. We need to know who has benefited
and who has not and also those who have been adversely affected by the whole
exercise."
It however remains to be seen whether Zimbabwe will succeed in
convincing the international community that it has changed and the situation
is improving.
IF there is
any truth to the ongoing reports suggesting that the CFU is in discussion
with the Ministry of Lands on agricultural matters, it is enough to make one
believe that they have learnt nothing from their recent horrendous
experiences.
The CFU has been in disarray from the start. In the
early days of the land grab programme, seeing the CFU leaders being dragged
around by the nose by "hero" Hunzvi while being served with lies and violence
was enough to know what was to follow. Then a later CFU leader could not tell
CNN's Jonathan Mann why the 1998 Land Donor Conference
failed.
Another folly committed by the CFU is not any different to
that of Malcolm Speed of the International Cricket Council. These days,
politics is intertwined with everything - particularly in Zimbabwe. To
believe anything else is indicative of crass stupidity, or of a concealed
agenda.
Before the CFU gets taken as suckers again, they should take
into account the following:
Zanu PF is by nature a collection of
thieving, lying, violent crooks.
Anything they do is to serve themselves,
and no one else. Their support or power base is largely constituted of
protected louts that rely on their given patronage. They have no respect or
concept of proper law and will trash any agreement at any time if it suits
them. Zanu PF has always been a terror organisation and will remain so. They
will never willingly give up anything, particularly power and
loot.
Zanu PF is irrevocably committed to a programme of ethnic
cleansing, looting and to crushing all forms of opposition. The British
government, or any outsider, is under no obligation whatsoever to pay
compensation for the land grab. This is solely the responsibility of the
Zimbabwean government. To think that the British are that naive to fall for
this amateurish Moyo-style propaganda is pure fantasy. It is only fools like
Mbeki, Zuma and Obasanjo who believe this - having clearly not done their
research on the subject.
Considering that Zuma has promised R2,2
billion of South African taxpayers money to bolster Zimbabwe's "agrarian
reform programme", the CFU should lay first claim on these funds for
compensation before Zanu PF's money changers get their hands on
it.
The CFU should come to terms with the fact that Zimbabwe is now
beyond rehabilitation. They have no prospect whatsoever of getting their
farms back. To sell what assets they may still have to Zanu PF, that were
not trashed or stolen by its louts, is another dimension of
stupidity.
What would these ex-farmers do with Zimbabwe dollars
anyway? They are worth less than a few rolls of toilet paper. Dr Made claims
he had thought everything out and had a sustainable plan for his land grab,
so what is he pretending to talk about now? Everyone but him seems to know
what his future will inevitably be.
The CFU should remember the
typical words of Zanu PF wisdom from their High Commissioner in Zambia:
"Farmers are not allowed to take their equipment - that is economic
sabotage!" The CFU should have in mind that Zuma has promised to see that
Mugabe is again accepted in the international community. She is said to have
told Mugabe something like "pretend to be normal and civilised, and I will do
the rest".
Does the CFU not realise that it is a pawn in this latest
amateurish game?
Sane Zimbabweans should cut the umbilical cord and
concentrate their energies on seeing Zanu PF in an International Criminal
Court of proper justice.
Time will show that Mbeki's undoing will
be attributed to his folly in making his "solidarity" neighbour another
Somalia.
Obasanjo now part of the problem THE
publication this week of Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo's letter to
Australian premier John Howard reveals a trail of self-delusion that
is remarkable for its depth and extent.
Firstly, Obasanjo, strangely
blind to how leaders in a democracy respond to public opinion, says the
imposition of sanctions by Australia has compromised its position as an
honest broker.
But Australia has never claimed to be, nor has it been
appointed, an honest broker. Like Nigeria and South Africa, it was tasked at
the Coolum Chogm with responding to the findings of the Commonwealth observer
mission on the 2002 poll. This it did. Nigeria, on the other hand, took it
upon itself to act as an honest broker and instead, together with South
Africa, ended up collaborating with Harare on a scheme to dupe the world into
believing a mangy old leopard had changed its spots.
For instance, the
fast-track land resettlement programme, widely seen as President Mugabe's
revenge for voter disloyalty in the 2000 referendum and conducted with
violence and illegality, is described by Obasanjo as designed to address "the
situation that was developing in the country at that time".
Nowhere in
his letter is there any suggestion that "the situation that was developing in
the country at that time" was entirely the product of lawless gangs of
self-proclaimed war veterans and hired thugs directed by the ruling party
itself.
But that is all water under the bridge, Obasanjo suggests. Now it
is time for the international community to assist with making land
redistribution a success.
As the lead agency, the UNDP, has yet to
provide a plan on how the arbitrary seizure of 11 million hectares can be
translated into a workable plan for agricultural production, it is difficult
to see how donors can be brought on board. The $4 billion Obasanjo has been
led to believe is available for compensation is at variance with the $10
million set aside in the budget. Exactly where the rest will come from is not
clear. What is clear is that the international community will not support a
programme that has benefited one party at the expense of the nation and which
is riddled with corruption and political self-interest.
Obasanjo
referred to charges of corruption and unfairness, but he readily accepted
Mugabe's assurance that all those involved had been brought to book. That
includes, we suppose, all the ministers, governors and other well-connected
people with more than one farm!
No doubt reflecting a Nigerian
perspective, Obasanjo suggested that it was reasonable to expect that "a
major reform on this vast scale would be attended by some measure of
corruption together with complaints of unfairness".
Those holding
certificates of no interest from government or whose farms didn't fit
government's criteria for acquisition but nevertheless lost their lifetime's
work will no doubt be comforted by this thought.
Obasanjo also bought the
government's claim that 54 000 people had been resettled under the A2 scheme
when his high commissioner to Harare would have been able to tell him that
only 27 000 applicants have so far taken up land under the scheme.
On
the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act the Nigerian leader
said he was sure government would be responding to "concern and perhaps
outcry" over the legislation. But he didn't say why government had refused to
consult the media itself over any proposed changes.
Nor were we aware
that the police had apologised for torturing Job Sikhala as Obasanjo appears
to think. What disciplinary steps have they taken against "the culprit"? Was
there just one and was this the only case of torture raised in the courts
recently? Mugabe's denial of government involvement was readily accepted on
the implausible assumption that the police act independently of his
office.
Violence - political and non-political - was pervasive in
Zimbabwe, Obasanjo admitted. But "non-governmental agencies" were just as
guilty as government, he declared.
Tony Blair had agreed to discourage
the British "media offensive against Zimbabwe", we were told, a claim about
as likely as Mugabe's assurance that he would reciprocate!
It is quite
clear from this that Obasanjo, like Thabo Mbeki, is determined to ignore the
facts on the ground. In private sessions with Mugabe, we are told, he has
been outspoken about illegality on the land, press laws and draconian
security measures. But Obasanjo's letter exposes a pathetic willingness to
accept what he was told by self-interested politicians and a studious
disregard for inconvenient realities.
This confirms what most Zimbabweans
have long suspected. But it will have a cost. The Commonwealth's commitment
to universal values of democracy and human rights are now under threat as
much from Mugabe's apologists as Mugabe himself. That needs to be made clear.
And the arbitrary abandonment of the troika's joint position on Zimbabwe
represents a gross dereliction of responsibility by two of those to whom it
was solemnly entrusted. The people of Zimbabwe are thus casually betrayed to
afford our honest brokers a quiet life.
Any expectation that Nigeria
and South Africa will lead Africa's emergence from decades of misrule under
Mbeki's much-touted Nepad initiative can safely be discarded. They have made
themselves part of the problem.
Nyekorach-Matsanga lectures ZOU students Staff
Writer UGANDAN fugitive and former Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) spokesman,
David Nyekorach-Matsanga, is giving guest lectures at the Zimbabwe Open
University (ZOU)'s media studies department, it was revealed this
week.
Matsanga, who is staying at the Sheraton Hotel, is wanted in Uganda
in connection with his links to the terrorist outfit which has been
blacklisted by the United States government.
Media students at ZOU
told the Zimbabwe Independent this week that Matsanga gave a lecture last
Saturday at Belvedere Teachers' College during which he lambasted the British
government and the opposition.
"It turned out to be a eulogy for
Mugabe and vitriol against President Museveni and Tony Blair," a student
said.
The loquacious Matsanga, who spoke for an hour and a half, is
reported to have told his class that he was involved in research work on
Zimbabwe's land reform exercise.
Ugandan army spokesperson Labongo
Malanda told the Independent this week that they were investigating reports
that Matsanga was now living in Zimbabwe.
"We gather he is now
living in Zimbabwe. We have unconfirmed information that he is being
sponsored either by the ruling party or its sympathisers or both and is
living in luxury in Harare," he said.
"Our aim is to have him back
here but we have to be sure what he is up to there and we will be
intensifying our efforts even in the UK where he
has lived."
Although Matsanga denies seeking favours in Zimbabwe,
Malanda said the Ugandan army had heard that the fugitive, who was in
Zimbabwe for the Zanu PF December conference, could be seeking permanent
residence in the country.
Locally he writes in the
government-controlled Herald and the Daily Mirror extolling President
Mugabe's record, lending credence to reports that he is sponsored by the
state.
Since last year Matsanga has been at the forefront of a
propaganda drive on behalf of Mugabe organising conferences to market
Mugabe's land seizures.
"Why is he weeping more than the owners of
the corpse in Zimbabwe," said Malanda in reference to Matsanga's vitriolic
press campaign? "He could be paid by somebody there because that is what we
know him for."
An East African diplomat warned this week that
Matsanga's continued posturing and anti-Museveni vitriol in the official
press could drive a diplomatic wedge between Harare and Kampala. - Staff
Writer.
Political crime on rise Mthulisi Mathuthu TWO
leading human rights organisations have condemned the rise in political crime
in Zimbabwe and called for reform in adherence to international conventions
which prohibit the abuse of human rights.
Reports from the Southern
Africa Human Rights NGO Network and the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum this
week lamented the upsurge in human rights violations and torture in direct
contradiction with international law.
The Lusaka-based regional Human
Rights NGO Network noted a sharp rise in human rights abuses since President
Mugabe was re-elected in March last year.
"It has been 11 months
since the re-election of Mr Robert Mugabe and we have noted a decline in the
human rights situation as images of the violent land resettlement programme,
a deteriorating economic situation and resultant hardships suffered by the
people of Zimbabwe have continued to dominate the media and Human Rights
organisations' reports," the network said this week.
Both
organisations condemned the arrest and torture of St Mary's MP Job Sikhala
and leading human rights lawyer Gabriel Shumba. The two were arrested and
tortured alongside other activists for alleged attempts to overthrow the
government.
They also condemned the intensifying crackdown on the
media which has seen the arrest of foreign correspondents and local
journalists.
In its January report, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO
Forum condemned the arrest of the MDC mayor Elias Mudzuri and noted a rise in
political crime in both the Kuwadzana and Highfield constituencies ahead of
the March 29/30 by-elections.
Paris summit to focus on Nepad Mthulisi
Mathuthu WITH less than a week to go before the controversial France/Africa
Summit, the French government has revealed that the New Economic Partnership
for Africa's Development (Nepad) will be the main focus.
The summit
will tackle issues such as the prevention and settlement of conflicts,
development of natural resources, health, education and the improvement of
agriculture with a view to poverty reduction.
The French Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in a statement to the Zimbabwe Independent this week said the
2003 summit's theme would be "Together in the New Partnership", and Nepad as
the main plank of development planning will be at the heart of the
agenda.
France, as the G8 2003 chair, hopes to pursuade other
developed nations to turn Nepad into a key topic at the next G8 summit to be
held in Evian in June.
"France wants the summit to give fresh
impetus to Nepad in order to turn it into a key agenda point of June's G8
summit.However, this may seem risky, in spite of public statements of support
for the new plan, as conflicts and political violence continue to plague the
African continent.," the Quai d'Orsay said.
As G8 chair, France
says it intends to boost its official development assistance by 50% over a
five-year period and mobilise private sector support for African
development.
The summit, which has already stirred controversy by the
invitation of President Mugabe, will also discuss human rights, financial
transparency, good governance and respect for the rule of law.
The
French government defended itself again this week saying Mugabe was invited
because other African countries had not placed his regime
under sanctions.
France said it had invited most African countries
except Somalia where the "genuine statehood has still to be restored".
Muammar Gaddafi was however not invited although Libya was invited as a
country.
Howard rebuffs Obasanjo's claims on Zim Dumisani
Muleya A MAJOR diplomatic row is looming in the Commonwealth after Australian
Prime Minister John Howard yesterday emphatically rejected a letter from
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo suggesting that Zimbabwe's suspension
from the club be lifted.
Obasanjo said a further meeting of the troika
appointed a year ago to decide on measures against Zimbabwe would not serve
any useful purpose. President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa is the third
member.
Howard, who was in London for talks with British Prime
Minister Tony Blair, said he disagreed with Obasanjo's claims that the
situation in Zimbabwe had improved.
In remarks to journalists,
Howard, who is also current Commonwealth chairman, said Obasanjo's claims
were misleading.
"There's been a distinct lack of progress," Howard
said. "The evidence available to me does not indicate that any substantial
progress of any kind has been made in addressing those issues (land,
elections, food, repression, political instability and an economic
crisis).
"The economic situation has deteriorated, there has been a
complete unwillingness on the part of the government of Zimbabwe to receive
the . mission of the Commonwealth Secretary-General (Don
McKinnon)".
McKinnon was tasked with heading a mission to Zimbabwe to
assess the situation after the troika suspended it from the Commonwealth's
councils last March for a year for blatant vote-rigging. But Harare barred
McKinnon from coming.
McKinnon said this week despite Obasanjo's
suggestion that there would be no further review of Zimbabwe's suspension,
the country would not be automatically readmitted to the
club.
Howard said Zimbabwe should remain on suspension until the next
full Commonwealth meeting.
"It's my view, very strong view and the
view of the Australian government, that the idea that the suspension of
Zimbabwe automatically dissolves in March of this year - that's not a
proposition that I would agree with," he said.
"I think the most
logical thing, given the current impasse is that the suspension continue
until the full meeting of the Commonwealth which is to be held in Abuja in
December."
In his letter, Obasanjo sounded confused about the mandate
of the troika. He dwelt on the issue of land - instead of electoral fraud
which led to Harare's suspension - and accused Howard of not being an honest
broker because Australia has imposed targeted sanctions on
Harare.
South Africa's Foreign minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
earlier this week endorsed Obasanjo's position. But yesterday Pretoria
appeared to be back-pedalling. Mbeki's spokesman Bheki Khumalo yesterday said
consultations were under way over the dispute.
Asked to clarify
Mbeki's position on Obasanjo's letter, Khumalo said only the Nigerian leader
could explain. But senior diplomat Abdul Minty said South Africa remained
opposed to a renewal of sanctions.
Howard said it should be
remembered that the troika was operating against a background of a stolen
poll. He used the Australian word "rorted".
"And that was the finding of
the Commonwealth observer group," he said. "That's not my assertion. It was
the overwhelming finding of the Commonwealth observer group."
He
said it was important for the troika to avoid posturing on
irrelevant issues.
"We were given specific authority to deal with
the issue against the background of the observers' report," Howard
explained.
"The observers' report said it was a dishonest election, and
we then said some issues should be addressed and while that is happening, and
in anticipation of making progress, we suspended Zimbabwe for a
year."
Howard said it was agreed the situation would be reviewed
after a year and that was the position of the Nigerian and South African
leaders at the September Abuja meeting.
Protesters burn Nigerian flag 13/02/2003 17:41 -
(SA)
Harare - Demonstrators burnt the Nigerian flag in a brief
protest in Harare on Thursday against Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo's
support for the end of Zimbabwe's suspension from the
Commonwealth.
The group of about 80 people outside the Nigerian high
commission in central Harare held posters reading "Obasanjo is an
imperialist" and "enough is enough - we have no transport, we have no food,
we have no future - he (President Robert Mugabe) must go!"
The youths
from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) set the flag alight, and the
crowd dispersed before riot police could arrive. Authorities have banned all
public demonstrations by any non-ruling Zanu-PF party organisations for
nearly three years and "illegal" demonstrators are routinely baton-charged,
tear-gassed and arrested.
In a letter this week to Australian Prime
Minister John Howard, Obasanjo argued against the renewal of the Zimbabwe's
suspension from the Commonwealth, saying the "progress" by Mugabe's
government toward resolving the country's crisis made it "auspicious" for the
lifting of the Commonwealth action.
Obasanjo, Howard and South African
President Thabo Mbeki are members of the Commonwealth "troika" set up in
March 2002 to decide on action against Zimbabwe after Mugabe's victory in
presidential elections resulted from fraud and violent
intimidation.
Violence carries on unabated
Critics say that the
lawlessness, violent repression and illegal seizures of white-owned farms
begun three years ago have continued unabated. MDC president Morgan
Tsvangirai was quoted in the independent Financial Gazette on Thursday as
saying that the action was "contrary to the peaceful resolution of the crisis
in Zimbabwe, and may trigger a rebound against the on-going
repression."
Also on Thursday, reports said that Gabriel Shumba, a human
rights lawyer who with leading MDC member Job Sikhala, was tortured by secret
police for eight hours last month, had fled the country a week
ago.
Other unnamed legal sources said Shumba had contacted them from
South Africa. The Financial Gazette quoted him as saying that he had
received death threats from secret police after a court had thrown out state
charges against him. He and Sikhala were arrested on January 14 for
possession of an allegedly "subversive document" with plans to overthrow
Mugabe's government.
Shumba said that after their acquittal, state agents
told him they were going to "silence me forever." Sikhala is among several
MPs and journalists to have been arrested by state security agents recently.
They have all either been released without charge or had charges against them
dismissed due to lack of evidence. - Sapa-DPA
Harare - Police raided a meeting of opposition and reform groups
at a church on Thursday, arresting a bishop and four human rights activists,
witnesses said.
Mike Davies, a member of the Crisis in Zimbabwe
Coalition, said police used riot sticks to disperse the 60 or so people who
gathered to discuss the role of the churches in Zimbabwe's deepening
political and economic crisis. The coalition is an alliance of reform
groups.
Bishop Trevor Manhanga, who is head of the multidenominational
Ecumenical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, was among those arrested by police.
Witnesses said police were provoked when Manhanga asked to pray for them as
they broke up the meeting.
Also arrested at the Northside Community
Church were human rights lawyer Brian Kagoro, university political scientist
John Makumbe, activist John Stewart and a church worker, he said.
An
official of the US Agency for International Development was also arrested but
released when her identity was made known to police, Davies said.
Burnt a
flag
It was unknown what those arrested would be charged
with.
Davies said police had been informed in advance of the meeting as
required under the nation's sweeping security laws. Officers told those
attending the meeting that it had not been approved.
Police officials
were not immediately available for comment,
Earlier on Thursday,
demonstrators burnt a flag of Nigeria at the west African nation's diplomatic
offices in Harare to protest that country's support for Zimbabwe President
Robert Mugabe.
On Wednesday, the European Union renewed diplomatic
sanctions against Mugabe's government, accusing it of violating human rights
and pursuing policies that have led Zimbabwe into economic and political
chaos.
Mugabe has cracked down on the independent press, the judiciary,
opposition officials and human rights workers in recent years. - Sapa-AP
Baton-wielding riot police are dispersing people queueing
for basic commodities and fuel around Harare as the Zimbabwean government
struggles to paint a picture of tranquillity to visiting Cricket World Cup
teams and foreign journalists covering the tournament.
The
privately owned Daily News said the police in Harare had ordered the closure
of all petrol stations along Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Road, which leads from
Harare International Airport into the city centre.
This was
apparently an effort to deceive the arriving World Cup teams about the fuel
crisis in the country by eliminating queues for fuel.
The Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions said it was disturbed by these attempts to impress
visitors by concealing the true state of affairs
in Zimbabwe.
'Queues are causing disorder at the shopping
centre' The Daily News said there had been a heavy police presence at
the overcrowded Machipisa Shopping Centre in the high density suburb
of Highfield.
The newspaper reported that police had harassed
groups of people.
Tinarwo Musosa told the newspaper: "We cannot buy
bread here because the police said queues are causing disorder at the
shopping centre."
Mildred Zimuko said the police, with the help of
Zanu-PF youths, had beaten up people queuing for mealie meal.
A
worker at one supermarket said that police started beating up people in
Highfield on Friday.
Police have also thwarted any planned
demonstrations by civic groups. They barricaded First Street in the city
centre on Monday and effectively foiled a demonstration by the National
Constitutional Assembly.
The organisation's chairperson, Lovemore
Madhuku, said a march to the Harare Sports Club had been planned, where
Zimbabwe was playing Namibia. - I ndependent Foreign Service
LONDON, Feb. 13 - Commonwealth Secretary-General Don
McKinnon, working to patch up a deepening rift over the suspension of
Zimbabwe, said there was no reason why it shouldn't enjoy a long term future
in the body.
The former Rhodesia is once again at the forefront of
the Commonwealth's agenda after a yawning split emerged between the members
of a three-nation Commonwealth committee on Zimbabwe over whether it should
be readmitted. The rift has the potential to split the 54-nation
group of mainly former British colonies along racial lines as the two African
members of the ''troika'' -- South Africa and Nigeria -- push for instant
readmission while chair Australia has called for an extension of the
suspension. But McKinnon said the Commonwealth had survived much worse
and the current crisis did not mean either the end of the 54-nation body, or
of Zimbabwe's long term membership. ''I see no reason why it
shouldn't have a long-term future,'' McKinnon told Reuters in an
interview. ''The big issue we are dealing with now is how to do what
we can to improve the lives of Zimbabwe's people.'' Zimbabwean
president Robert Mugabe has so far shunned efforts by McKinnon to take part
in talks about its suspension. But the former New Zealand foreign minister
said he would continue to try and engage the leader in discussions.
''Within the Secretariat, we're at it every week,'' he said. The
12-month suspension was imposed last March after foreign observers said that
Zimbabwean elections were flawed and in protest at Mugabe's policy of seizing
many white-owned farms for redistribution to landless blacks. Once
the bread basket of southern Africa, Zimbabwe is now a net importer of food.
Millions face famine, unemployment is over 60 percent and inflation is out of
control. McKinnon said the Commonwealth faced an uphill battle in
assisting the Zimbabwean people in the present climate. ''It is not
very easy at all...We deserve credit for the effort we put in but we can't
say we deserve any accolades for what we've achieved.'' Nigeria's
President Olusegun Obasanjo called for an end to the suspension in a letter
to Australian Prime Minister John Howard, detailing what he said was progress
made by Zimbabwe in the last year. Obasanjo said he was backed by South
African President Thabo Mbeki. But Howard is adamant that nothing had
improved over the last 11 months and it should remain suspended until the end
of the year when there would be a full Commonwealth meeting. Both
McKinnon and Howard have agreed that, despite the 2-1 split, suspension will
not automatically lapse at the end of the 12 months and that Zimbabwe's
future must be decided by the Commonwealth's leaders. Last year
McKinnon expressed pessimism about prospects for change in Zimbabwe, saying
the Commonwealth had done as much as any organisation could but hadn't made
much of an impression. Born out of the British empire, the
Commonwealth is headed by Queen Elizabeth and includes 1.7 billion people --
30 percent of the world's population. Yet despite its size, it is
often accused of being a colonial antiquity, an embarrassing reminder of
Britain's imperial history with little influence on the world
stage. Howard warned this week that the crisis had the potential to
be extremely damaging to the Commonwealth. But McKinnon said he did
not think the crisis would have a serious impact on the organisation's
future. ''The Commonwealth has survived many of these problems where
there has been a perceived split in views. We're still here...we've survived
even more difficult things than this. ''Many people have tried to
write our obituary and have been found to be wrong.
MEPs adopted a joint resolution by 82 votes, 23
against with 2 abstentions condemning the lack of coherence in EU policy,
calling upon Member State governments not to seek exemptions from the EU's
own sanctions regime, They called for an end to the systematic violence and
intimidation against opponents of the Mugabe regime. MEPs call for
internationally monitored fresh elections, as a matter of urgency. The House
also condemns the use of food aid as a political weapon against opposition
supporters and MEPs therefore call on the Zimbabwe government to guarantee
fair food distribution to the population regardless of political affiliation.
MEPs want the current sanctions on those business people responsible
for financing the Zanu-PF regime to be extended and for those covered by
EU sanctions to be prevented from gaining access to employment and
educational institutions in the EU. MEPs also call for wider sanctions
against the Zimbabwe regime, including an international sports and culture
boycott. MEPs praise Zimbabwean cricketers Andy FLOWER and Henry OLONGA who
defied Mugabe. MEPs also insist that the Council refuse a visa for Mugabe and
any other Zimbabweans to attend the EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon. The House
also urges the Commonwealth to renew its suspension of Zimbabwe. Parliament
also criticises France's invitation to President Mugabe to attend a
conference in Paris.
Zimbabwe human rights lawyer seeks asylum in SA
February 13, 2003, 18:15
A Zimbabwean human rights lawyer
is seeking political asylum in South Africa after fleeing his country.
Gabriel Shumba bears scars of brutal torture he allegedly suffered at the
hands of the security forces in Zimbabwe.
As the political
and economic situation continues to deteriorate in Zimbabwe, the South
African government is reporting an increase in the number of illegal
immigrants.
Children as young as eight-years-old have been
apprehended and returned home to Zimbabwe after risking the crocodile
infested Limpopo river, in pursuit of a better life in this
country.
Shumba, a lawyer, says the situation in his homeland
has reached alarming proportions. As a human rights lawyer, he has allegedly
felt the wrath of the Zimbabwe security forces while defending the
opposition Movement for Democracy (MDC) activists
'The time is auspicious to lift
the sanctions on Zimbabwe'
This is an edited version of Nigerian
President Olusegun Obasanjo's letter to Australian Prime Minister John
Howard, in which Obasanjo tells Howard of his and President Thabo Mbeki's
latest thinking on Zimbabwe
Dear Prime Minister,
I am
writing to you at this time in continuation of our consultations
and especially to brief you on issues on which we have been engaged relating
to Zimbabwe. This briefing has become necessary following my recent visit
to South Africa, where I had extensive discussions with President Thabo Mbeki
, and then to Zimbabwe, where I was engaged in very useful and
constructive exchange of views with President Robert
Mugabe.
President Mbeki seized the opportunity of my visit to brief
me on his recent trip to Britain, including his discussions with Prime
Minister Tony Blair on Zimbabwe. You may recall that Zimbabwe was one of the
issues discussed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Coolum,
Australia, in February 2002, as a result of which a troika was established to
follow up on the matter. Soon afterwards, we had our first meeting at
Marlborough House in London in March 2002 to consider the report of the
Commonwealth Observer Group on the Zimbabwean elections, and it was also
decided, among other things, that Zimbabwe should be suspended from the
Commonwealth councils for one year and that we would meet in a year to review
developments during that one-year suspension.
In spite of the
one-year stipulation for meeting, the troika still met in Abuja at your
request. Since then, your government has proceeded to impose sanctions on
Zimbabwe, a decision which of course is your government's prerogative.
However, this unfortunate decision would seem to me to compromise Australia's
position as an honest broker in the Zimbabwean crisis. Meanwhile, I am sad to
note that the unhelpful media war between Britain and Zimbabwe has not
abated, but actually exacerbated matters, thereby worsening the already
charged situation. It was against this background that I concluded that
another meeting of the Commonwealth troika on Zimbabwe at this time might not
serve any useful purpose. Indeed, President Mbeki shares the same view. This
position is further reinforced by the fact of certain critical developments
that have occurred in Zimbabwe and which must be acknowledged.
In
many of our previous meetings, it had been admitted that the issue of land is
at the core of the current crisis in Zimbabwe and that an appropriate
solution to this problem would go a long way in bringing to early conclusion
other associated issues. Following my recent visit to Zimbabwe, I have come
to realise that the land issue may no longer be the most serious problem at
this juncture as it cannot be compared to the situation during the Lancaster
House conference in 1979 or even in the last 10 years. It is now a matter of
reality that the fast-track land resettlement programme, adopted by the
government of Zimbabwe in order to address the situation that was developing
in the country at that time, has substantially ended since August 31 2002.
Since then, the Land Reform Programme (LRP) has continued to be implemented
in the normal regulatory process. I note, in particular, that land occupation
by demonstrators has ended, while the government of Zimbabwe has agreed to
pay compensation for any improvement on land acquired under the fast track
programme and the LRP.
I am informed that in the current financial
year, the government has actually allocated the sum of Z4bn to pay for full
and fair compensation for whatever improvements may have been made on the
land being acquired. Although this may be a far cry from adequate
compensation, the good intention on the part of a government cash-strapped
should not be overlooked. However, the government still insists that
compensation for the true commercial value of the land, at today's prices,
must be paid by the British government, which did not pay anything when the
lands were taken from the African owners during the colonial period.
Furthermore, the government of Zimbabwe has recently been engaged in dialogue
with the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU). Indeed, the government has again
reiterated to these farmers its readiness and preparedness to provide land to
anyone who wishes to continue farming and has so applied. More work needs to
be done in this process and it is therefore necessary that every
encouragement must be given by all concerned. I emphasise that the government
of Zimbabwe should always keep open the channel of dialogue with the CFU who
felt a sense of loss in the exercise.
The results of the
government's effort in the land redistribution exercise have been acclaimed
as remarkable. By 1998, 74000 families had been settled under the
willingseller/willing-buyer basis. An additional 220000 communal peasant
families and 54000 indigenous commercial farmers were settled under the
fast-track resettlement programme on 11-million hectares of land. Ideally,
full compensation should have been paid as the land was being appropriated.
This programme has no doubt addressed, to some extent, the internal
dissatisfaction arising from the skewed colonial land policy which remained a
potential source of conflict in Zimbabwe. On the other hand, it is reasonable
to except that a major reform on this vast scale would be attended by some
measure of corruption together with complaints of unfairness. In response to
these criticisms, President Mugabe confirmed to me that he had in place
procedures for receiving complaints, and that all those found guilty of
malpractices have been brought to book. Moreover, in order to promote
transparency, equity and ensure sustainable utilisation of resettled land, as
well as determining the level of uptake, the government of Zimbabwe has
instituted a land audit that aims to generate confidence in the whole
process.
With regard to the criticisms on land given to some
officials but not utilised, it seems that this may not be directly connected
with the fast-track programme. Generally, the Zimbabwean government gave land
to those who intended to utilise it for farming purposes. It is also true
that many of those allocated land need financial assistance from government
for optimum utilisation. Unfortunately, with priority being given to payment
of compensation for improvements on the land, the government has only been
able to provide financial assistance to about 30% of this group. This, I
believe is an area where the international community can genuinely
provide assistance, not to the government, but to those genuinely desirous
of farming. It is encouraging that there has been renewed
international interest in supporting the LRP in Zimbabwe. Given the progress
which I have outlined above, it is essential that we should continue to look
at ways by which we can get more members of the international community not
only interested but actively involved in the programme. Only then can the
average Zimbabwean begin to reap the benefits of the exercise and the country
would be helped to cope with the issue of scarcity of food. A major concern
and perhaps criticism of the LRP by the international community has been
the fate of former farm workers from neighbouring states of Mozambique,
Malawi and Zambia particularly affected by the redistribution programme. I
am informed that, of the estimated 400000 people affected, some have
been resettled, while many others have been re- employed on the 54000
recently created commercial farms.
On the issue of interparty
dialogue, the government of Zimbabwe remains committed to resuming the talks
but feels that this can only happen after the court's ruling on the petition
by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). In my separate
meetings with Mr Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC, I have brought to his
attention the position of the Zimbabwean government with regard to
negotiations. The MDC will now therefore have to decide on whether to
withdraw the case from the court so that the negotiations can resume in
earnest or wait until the determination of the case by the court. There is a
need for Zimbabweans of all parties to dialogue and reach consensus on good
governance, human rights, stability and general direction of development of
their country. During my visit to Zimbabwe, Honourable Job Sikhala, the MDC
MP for St Mary's, forwarded a petition to me complaining of a breach of
fundamental human rights on the part of the Zimbabwean police and possibly
sponsored by government. I raised the issue with President Mugabe who
confirmed that the MP concerned had taken the case to court and that the
police admitted with apology that the MP was assaulted. The police were to
take necessary disciplinary action against the culprit. President Mugabe
denied any government involvement in such police acts. Allowing the case to
be prosecuted in court must convince people that government was not behind
the act and would not condone it. From all accounts, it would be appear that
violence political or nonpolitical is fairly pervasive
in Zimbabwe.
If there is some coming from government agencies,
there is certainly some coming from nongovernment agencies. All stakeholders
in Zimbabwe have to work together to stop the reign of terror and violence.
The government must be in the vanguard of such efforts. With the above, it is
clear to me that we must concert to give every assistance to Zimbabwe so that
the present crisis may be speedily brought to an end. We should encourage
the international community to redeem the pledges of financial
assistance, reaffirmed in our Marlborough House decision, in order to
expedite the land reform process and bring about the desired improvement in
the standard of living of the generality of Zimbabweans. The earlier Zimbabwe
can get out of her political crisis, economic difficulties and food shortage,
the better it would be for the country, the subregion and the continent. It
is important that we remain positively engaged with Zimbabwe. We must
continue to make good offices available for mediation between the UK and
Zimbabwe, a rather unfortunate confrontation in which rhetoric and media
warfare tend to be suppressing reason and fair mindedness.
From
the above, together with what I personally saw in Zimbabwe, I believe the
time is now auspicious to lift the sanctions on Zimbabwe with regard to her
suspension from the Commonwealth councils. This will represent an appropriate
development for the final resolution of the crisis in that country. I crave
your indulgence to forward a copy of this letter to President Mbeki and
another copy to the secretary-general of the Commonwealth who can use it as a
basis for re-establishment of contact with Zimbabwean authorities at all
levels. This will be made easier with Prime Minister Blair already accepting
an appeal to discourage the media offensive against Zimbabwe from the UK side
and President Mugabe agreeing to reciprocate in kind. This should be the
precursor to re-engagement between the UK and Zimbabwe. Copies of this letter
will also be forwarded to President Mugabe and Prime Minister
Blair.