The ZIMBABWE Situation Our thoughts and prayers are with Zimbabwe
- may peace, truth and justice prevail.
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Zim Independent

Muckraker

Useful idiots and principled players
NO demonstrations of any sort would be allowed at the World Cup matches, the
police ruled. No banners were permitted in the grounds. No expression of
dissent would be tolerated.

On Monday security at the gates was tight. People wearing armbands were
arrested and copies of the Zimbabwe Independent and Daily News were
confiscated.

But two white men were shown on the front page of the Herald, one clearly
supporting the Zimbabwe tobacco industry, carrying a banner taunting Nasser
Hussein and the English team. "Just come and play cricket", their facile
message read.

We don't know who these "useful idiots" were. But by playing into the hands
of the Herald and its political masters they disgraced themselves and their
sport. Thank God for Andy Flower and Henry Olonga. Their principled stand
saved the day and shamed the pathetic ZCU and the weasels who run the ICC.
Muckraker salutes them and Heath Streak's team which stood by them in their
noble gesture. And we salute the English team which, after much
soul-searching, realised that it was impossible in Zimbabwe today to "just
come and play cricket".

We haven't been giving the Nigerians and South Africans an easy ride
recently over what we see as their complicit role in masking President
Mugabe's misrule. So when a Nigerian official speaks out unequivocally on
issues of governance and human rights, he needs to be recognised and
thanked.

High Commissioner Wilberforce Juta told the Daily News on Saturday that
Nigeria had communicated its displeasure to Zimbabwe over the arrest and
torture of MPs. In particular it cited the arrest of Harare mayor Elias
Mudzure and MP Job Sikhala.

"We said the arrests of MPs were unnecessary because they were embodiments
of the people they represented in parliament," Juta said.

"Tension was rising because of those arrests, and in particular that of
Engineer Elias Mudzuri, the executive mayor of Harare, is of great concern
to us and especially the torture of an MP."

Those remarks are indeed welcome. Especially considering the fact that the
state failed to pursue its case against Sikhala in court.

Juta's remarks also serve as a fitting rebuke to the Sunday Mail's resident
apologist Munyaradzi Huni who last Sunday dismissed evidence of human rights
abuses. He said the Nigerian and South African presidents, together with
Australian prime minister John Howard (who Huni thinks is Australia's
"president") were tasked by the Commonwealth "to verify some unfounded
allegations of non-observance of the rule of law by the government and
alleged human rights abuses".

Not quite so "unfounded" it would seem? You have to feel sorry for the
Nigerians and South Africans. No sooner do they think they have a cast-iron
case of reform in Zimbabwe to present to the international community than
Zanu PF comes along and ruins everything by its heavy-handed tactics. We can
rely on them to do it every time.

SABC News on Tuesday night showed footage of a woman being assaulted by riot
police for simply trying to gain access to a building.

It was then rebroadcast on SABC's Africa service.

The Zimbabwe Independent has been the target of some bitterness in the
columns of the Daily and Sunday Mirror of late. They are clearly irked by
stories we have run on their rather opaque funding arrangements. This has
led to venomous personal attacks on the Independent's editor and reporters
and more recently snide comments about our publisher, Trevor Ncube.

The comments derive from a report that Ncube is part of a rainbow coalition
designed to map out new political terrain. Despite featuring prominently in
the front-page Sunday Mirror story, Ncube is dismissed in the paper's
"Behind the Words" column as "not important" and "marginal to Zimbabwe's
politics". His only significance, we are told, is as a "comprador element"
representing "internal and external sources of power who have a particular
agenda in Zimbabwe".

Apart from exposing the machinations of the "comprador element", the Mirror
couldn't help exposing its own bankrupt agenda. Anybody criticising the MDC
will be given unlimited space by the paper which evidently takes its cue
from the Sunday Mail on these matters. Indeed, the editorial line between
the two papers is becoming increasingly blurred. How else do you explain the
Mirror's use of redundant terminology like "comprador element"?

But, having said that, there are occasionally hints of friction between the
two ideological soulmates. The Sunday Mail reported last weekend that Mirror
publisher Ibbo Mandaza was having a spot of bother over ownership of five
large farms in Bubi district. Not only is he in dispute with 95 new farmers
who reject his pretensions as a landowner, he is also having problems with
his friend Joseph Made whose ministry keeps redesignating the properties
despite previously issuing a certificate of no interest.

Mandaza has said he wants to develop residential housing stands, among other
things.

"I have reason to believe that the designation of the properties was caused
by certain powerful people who were interested in acquiring the same,"
Mandaza said in court documents. No sooner had he been delisted than "scores
of people flocked onto the farms on the pretext they were being resettled."

So Mandaza is now aware from his own experience of the chaos and opportunism
that has characterised government's land campaign? We hope this will be
reflected in the columns of his newspapers. But Mandaza should have
disclosed his ambitions as a non-comprador landowner earlier so readers
would know he was an interested party in any discussion of the land issue.
Just like he is in the tourism sector.

We liked the statement by the land occupiers in their opposing court papers.

"It is ironic for applicant to claim that he is augmenting the government's
land reform programme whilst applicant through his employees is destroying
the maize that we have ploughed by letting his cattle into our fields that
we have sown with the seed having been supplied by government."

Time for a word with "technocrat" Made, hailed by Mandaza in 2000 as
Zimbabwe's salvation.

Which brings us to the 100 000-hectare Chinese paddy-field project which is
also being hailed as the country's salvation. The irrigated scheme will
guarantee food security, we are gullibly informed.

The Nuanetsi irrigation project was awarded to a Chinese company by the
tender board. Not only will it feed the nation but it will reduce inflation,
provide thousands of jobs and boost exports to the region, we are told. It
will probably also solve the fuel crisis, rebuild the hospitals, and put a
man on Mars, judging by the breathless enthusiasm of the state's spin
doctors.

But they do not once tell us why this scheme was necessary in the first
place. What has happened to food production on the farms?

The Nuanetsi project is an Arda scheme put in place by Made, we are
informed, as if that would recommend it to the public!

What has been the fate of Made's other schemes likes the Masvingo maize
project? How much maize did that produce? What was his record at Arda, and
what happened to the DRC agriculture venture?

Please minister, no more Made-made disasters!

Last week Muckraker referred to sloppy research by Ugandan fugitive David
Nyekorach-Matsanga who claimed one of our reporters, Mthulisi Mathuthu, had
worked at a mortuary in London. Mathuthu in fact has never been to London.
We suggested Matsanga could have been thinking of another journalist with
the same name.

This week we received a call from Mduduzi Mathuthu in Wales where he is
studying. He pointed out that he had never worked in London, let alone at a
mortuary.

Africa Strategy which Matsanga heads is supposed to be a research out-fit.
It endorsed Mugabe's electiongrab last March, no doubt on thebasis of
similarly researched "facts".

Finally, a Friday joke.

When God was creating the world, he figured that for humans to prosper, he
would grant them two virtues.

So he made the Swiss neat and law-abiding, the Ghanaians lively and musical,
the Brazilians easygoing and sexy, the Japanese hard-working and patient and
the Italians happy and romantic. And so on.

When Zimbabwe's turn came, God told the Helper Angel who was taking notes:
"Zimbabweans shall be good, bright, and Zanu PF supporters."

When the world was finished, the Helper Angel reminded God: "My Lord, you
have given every nation two virtues but three to Zimbabweans. This is not
fair."

God thought about it. "You are right. Divine virtues, however, cannot be
taken away. But there is a way out. Zimbabweans shall keep all three but not
all at the same time. The Zimbabwean who is good and Zanu PF cannot be
bright. The Zimbabwean who is bright and Zanu PF cannot be good. And the
Zimbabwean who is bright and good cannot be Zanu PF."
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Zim Independent

Eric Bloch Column

Government not committed to economic recovery
THE state-controlled media (audio, visual and print) is having a field day
in praising its master, commending government for its alleged constructive
and positive approach to negotiations with the Tripartite National Forum
(TNF). The sycophants of the Minister of Fiction, Fable and Myth are
determined to ingratiate themselves with He Who Must Be Obeyed, and
therefore write wildly far-fetched eulogies of praise for government and the
ruling party, in total disregard for any realities which are at variance
with the figments of their imaginations.

The scribes that resonantly are government's praise-singers not only
ecstatically enthuse at the readiness of government to interact and dialogue
with private sector enterprise and with labour, but also project that
dramatic, positive economic developments will result. Unfortunately, all
available evidence is that the reverse will occur. That is not because of
the interplay of the parties symbolised by TNF, but because very clearly
that which government agrees to within TNF is diametrically opposite to its
real intents, and consequently it has no commitment to implementing policies
agreed upon.

Regrettably, the characteristic of agreeing to certain economic policies,
but not pursuing them with any commitment, has prevailed almost continuously
since Independence in 1980. By now, government has developed an immense
ability to pay lip-service to economic principles, policies and strategies,
but also to implement them without any commitment and, all too often, to do
so concurrently with pursuit of others which can only undermine those agreed
upon.

Shortly after Independence, government launched the five-year transitional
development plan. With very great enthusiasm it pursued a successful facet
of the plan, being persuasion of the world at large to come forward with
vast amounts of monies to fund development. A donors' conference was staged
with extraordinary proficiency, resulting in billions of dollars pouring
into Zimbabwe. Massive development in education enabled Zimbabwe to attain
the highest literacy in rate in Africa, and like development in health
brought about tremendous expansion in health delivery. However, little was
achieved in bringing into being a strong, dynamic economy which could
sustain a fast growing population, or which could eliminate the great
economic deprivation which had been the lot of most Zimbabweans.

Then government brought forth a new five-year economic development plan to
be implemented from 1986 to 1990. That succeeded no more than had its
predecessor, the failure yet again being attributable to government only
implementing such aspects of the plan which it found acceptable, mainly
being those which would entrench government control, would favour the
hierarchy, and which were compatible with political ideologies of those in
power. Measured against a yardstick of improved nation-wide economic
circumstance, the programme was a total failure. In contrast, measured
against the enablement of government to divert awareness of fault to its
racial, ethnic and political opponents, and measured on the basis of
enrichment of the few, the plan was an immense success. In actuality, it
failed because government was not committed to it.

From 1990 to 1995, the promoted magical resolution to Zimbabwe's economic
ills was the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (Esap), founded upon
economic deregulation, investment stimulation, export incentivisation, and
like policies. For more than three years, government accorded the programme
the same apathetic support as it had done the previous ones. It partially
implemented the programme, but only superficially and without necessary
interactions with other facets of the programme. Only when successive
droughts left government with no alternative did it address the programme
with some conviction, and the result was a significant economic upturn from
1994 to 1997, although government unhesitatingly blamed Esap for any
negative economic circumstances.

Esap was to have been followed by Zimprest (the Zimbabwe Programme of
Economic and Social Transformation) to be implemented from 1996 to 2000. So
great was government's commitment to Zimprest that it was only made public
in 1998, some two years after implementation should have commenced.
Moreover, almost immediately after it was finally released, government
pursued policies within agriculture, and fiscal and monetary policies, which
openly conflicted with the fundamentals of Zimprest. Once again government
demonstrated its total lack of commitment to a programme which it alleged
was intended to improve the Zimbabwean economy.

For about 20 years government has practised the "forked-tongue" approach of
putting forward blueprints for economic advancement and then following
measures which not only were not complementary to the agreed strategies, but
were in fact detrimental to them. Government has not shown any wish or
ability to practise that which it preaches. Recently government has yet
again evidenced such a stance. For some years many economists have urged
that Zimbabwe enter into a Social Contract, being an agreement between
government, private sector enterprise and labour for stabilisation and
management of prices, wages and salaries, government charges and imposts and
other factors, directed towards containing inflation and revitalising the
economy.

When, mainly due to government's intransigence and economic dictatorial
rule, no such contract was concluded, government sought to impose it with a
unilateral promulgation of price controls. But a contract has no substance
if it is not entered into willingly by all relevant parties.

Belatedly, government sought an accord, which ultimately yielded the
signature of a first Protocol (others being expected to follow). Titled the
Tripartite Prices and Incomes Stabilisation Protocol, its declared intent is
that the three parties to the protocol will collaborate to manage prices and
incomes. But it is very difficult not to question whether or not government
has entered into that protocol in good faith and with commitment.

First of all, in the same week as government signed the protocol, it
gazetted a 100-page Control of Goods (Price Freeze) (Amendment) Order, 2003
(Statutory Instrument 42 of 2003) adding hundreds of products to the
multitude placed under price freeze in the original order, effective from
November 15, 2002. The price freeze failed to contain inflation, but
succeeded in exacerbating shortages, so government expands upon it, and does
so with disdainful dismissal of its obligations under the protocol to
collaborate with the other two contracting parties in managing prices.

This did not suffice! At almost the same time as government negotiates and
agrees the price management protocol, it permits its parastatal, TelOne, to
increase its charges by between 80% and 100%! And in the same week as the
protocol is signed, the state-controlled media radically increase the prices
of its newspapers!

This speaks for itself as to the extent of government's commitment to make
TNF strategies effective.
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Zim Independent

Editor's Memo

Showing the way
Iden Wetherell
EVERY now and again, amidst the gloom of our present darkness, a small light
will shine reminding us of the principles and courage still alive out there.

I am referring of course to the statement of Andy Flower and Henry Olonga on
Monday (see right) which, together with the England team's refusal to play
cricket under Mugabe's tyranny, have restored the faith of many people in
the game and its players.

"We believe it is important to stand up for what is right," Olonga told the
BBC, adding the public response had been overwhelming.

The two must have known the price they would have to pay for this act of
singular bravery. President Robert Mugabe is the patron of the Zimbabwe
Cricket Union. His minions will see the two are suitably punished. The ZCU
has referred their case to the ICC which will rule on their fate shortly.

Olonga's club, the inappropriately named Takashinga, has already disowned
him.

We can expect to see a number of cowards coming out of the woodwork in the
next few weeks as the cricket authorities scramble to demonstrate that the
sentiments of the two players do not represent the sport as a whole.

But for me the single biggest lesson from the debate over whether the teams
should come here on tour has been the pathetic posture of the South African
cricketing authorities. Their desire to please their political masters has
far exceeded that of their Zimbabwe counterparts.

It is difficult to know where to start. Certainly, Ali Bacher who presided
over rebel tours to South Africa in the 1980s, provided some of the most
breathtakingly cynical remarks. He insisted "the-tour-must-go-on" as
evidence of repression in Zimbabwe mounted.

Asked by a reporter if the England team were not justified in their concerns
about security, he replied: "Of course, we are all concerned about security
in the wake of September 11."

Then there was André Puis, the policeman who repeated the mantra of the
South African Police Service's intelligence wing that the threat against the
England team from the British-based "Sons and Daughters of Zimbabwe" was a
hoax. One had the distinct impression this conclusion had been arrived at
before the facts had been established.

Are these not the same people, by the way, who have been collaborating with
the ZRP on Sarpcco, the regional police chiefs' organisation?

Whatever the case, the South African cricketing authorities have bought the
political line that nothing will be allowed to disturb the success of the
tournament. And they are threatening retaliation against anybody who rains
on their parade. SA cricket chief Percy Sonn told reporters in Cape Town on
Monday that if England boycotts Zimbabwe, then South Africa and its ZCU
"brothers" could boycott England later this year. If the ZCU go along with
this Zanu PF-type agenda it will be curtains for them in the public's mind.

They and Percy Sonn need reminding that in England demonstrators don't have
their heads cracked open for differing with the government.

I get asked a lot about why we are not mounting the same sort of opposition
to Pakistan's presence. Is this not evidence of double standards? Well yes
and no. Yes Pakistan is not a good advertisement for the Commonwealth. But
on the other hand we do not live on its doorstep.

The debate around Zimbabwe's suitability as a World Cup host emanates from
within this country and extends to those societies that claim to uphold
democratic values.

The England team, and now also its managers who displayed such arrogance
when demonstrators occupied Lords last month, have woken up to the fact that
playing in Zimbabwe will discredit cricket.

In five years time when Mugabe has gone people will look back at this
episode and wonder why there was a controversy in the first place. The
issues are crystal clear. This is a thuggish regime that does not deserve
the international endorsement that the tournament will bring.

Can any sportsmen and women today look back with pride to the era of
sporting ties with apartheid South Africa or rebel tours? Those saying then
that politics and sport should not mix are now seen as naïve and foolish.

Tim Lamb, Ali Bacher, Percy Sonn and Malcolm Speed are trotting out the same
brain-dead mantras today.

Similarly, Albie Sachs, for whom I had considerable respect until this week,
will be judged ruthlessly by history for his politically correct ruling that
ignored the suffering of millions of Zimbabweans so that the game could go
on. A terrible blindness has afflicted South Africa's officials which will
cost them dearly when Zimbabwe's crisis becomes theirs.

The ICC has appeared to sacrifice Zimbabwe on the altar of greed. The £350
million deal with a Rupert Murdoch company for TV rights has undoubtedly
been behind its strenuous opposition to moving the England game. So has the
indifference of South Africa, Namibia, India and Pakistan to Zimbabwe's
plight. None of this looks good for cricket.

Fortunately, Andy Flower and Henry Olonga have shown there are some for whom
principle and human decency count for something. They are a fine example to
all Zimbabweans, especially the younger generation who need to know that
cricket is not devoid of a social context. These are the true patriots, not
the vicious Green Bombers who blight our land.

Just when we needed people to stand up and be counted in the struggle for
freedom and justice, Andy Flower and Henry Olonga stepped forward. Now
others need to follow their lead.

Flower/Olonga statement in full

It is a great honour for us to take the field today to play for Zimbabwe in
the World Cup.

We feel privileged and proud to have been able to represent our country.

We are, however, deeply distressed about what is taking place in Zimbabwe in
the midst of the World Cup and do not feel that we can take the field
without indicating our feelings in a dignified manner and in keeping with
the spirit of cricket.

We cannot in good conscience take to the field and ignore the fact that
millions of our compatriots are starving, unemployed and oppressed.

We are aware that hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans may even die in the
coming months through a combination of starvation, poverty and Aids.

We are aware that many people have been unjustly imprisoned and tortured
simply for expressing their opinions about what is happening in the country.

We have heard a torrent of racist hate speech directed at minority groups.

We are aware that thousands of Zimbabweans are routinely denied their right
to freedom of expression.

We are aware that people have been murdered, raped, beaten and had their
homes destroyed because of their beliefs and that many of those responsible
have not been prosecuted.

We are also aware that many patriotic Zimbabweans oppose us even playing in
the World Cup because of what is happening.

It is impossible to ignore what is happening in Zimbabwe. Although we are
just professional cricketers, we do have a conscience and feelings.

We believe that if we remain silent that will be taken as a sign that either
we do not care or we condone what is happening in Zimbabwe.

We believe that it is important to stand up for what is right.

We have struggled to think of an action that would be appropriate and that
would not demean the game we love so much.

We have decided that we should act alone without other members of the team
being involved because our decision is deeply personal and we did not want
to use our senior status to unfairly influence more junior members of the
squad.

We would like to stress that we greatly respect the ICC and are grateful for
all the hard work it has done in bringing the World Cup to Zimbabwe.

In all the circumstances we have decided that we will each wear a black
armband for the duration of the World Cup.

In doing so we are mourning the death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe.

In doing so we are making a silent plea to those responsible to stop the
abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe.

In doing so we pray that our small action may help to restore sanity and
dignity to our nation.

Andrew Flower,

Henry Olonga.
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Zim Independent

Letters

Hitting a six for freedom and democracy!

WE, Bulawayo "Christians Together for Justice and Peace", warmly applaud the
courageous stand taken by Henry Olonga and Andy Flower, two senior members
of the Zimbabwe cricket team during the first one day international in
Harare on Monday, February 10.

We salute their courage in wearing black armbands during the match to
symbolise the death of democracy in this country.

We wholeheartedly endorse the clear statement they issued in protest against
the present tyrannical misrule and in solidarity with the countless victims
of torture, violence and human rights' abuses.

In this timely statement to the international community, they have spoken
for all of us who share the same deep commitment to freedom, democracy and
the rule of law.

Andy Flower, you have hit a "six" for freedom and democracy.

Henry Olonga, you have taken a valuable "wicket" of the team that is batting
for violence and oppression.

We salute your true patriotism that has given us all a brave example to
follow.

You have also done much in our view to restore the good name of cricket in
Zimbabwe.

It is vital that these two brave patriots and sportsmen should receive,
without delay, the open and wholehearted support of their fellow
Zimbabweans - or we fear those in power will victimise them for their
principled stand.

To this end, we trust that their team mates in the Zimbabwean side will not
be slow to show the world that they stand by Olonga and Flower.

At the same time, we call upon all our fellow citizens who believe in
freedom and democracy to demonstrate their support by wearing black armbands
for the duration of the World Cup series.

This is particularly incumbent upon those privileged few who have tickets to
watch the remaining one-day internationals.

Let us show the world that it is not just a few isolated individuals but the
vast majority of Zimbabweans who reject violence and oppression and stand
for justice and peace.

Rev Graham Shaw,

Bulawayo.
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The Straits Times, Singapore

It's all quiet and still in Harare
Zimbabwe lives with England's no-show while there may yet be more boycotts

HARARE - Not much moved at Harare Sports Club yesterday morning, not even
the flags which adorned the match that never was - the World Cup Group A
game between Zimbabwe and England.

The game was called off on Tuesday after a lengthy battle of wills between
the International Cricket Council, which wanted the fixture played, and the
England and Wales Cricket Board, which feared for its players' safety in
Zimbabwe.

The World Cup technical committee will meet today to rule whether the Harare
match should be switched to South Africa, whether England should forfeit the
match or whether the points should be shared.

India's cricket board has asked that England have four points deducted if
the ICC maintains its stance.

'If Zimbabwe is not a safe country, then shift all the matches from there.

'But if it is safe, award full points to Zimbabwe for the England match and
levy a penalty of four minus points on England,' Jagmohan Dalmiya, president
of the Indian board, said in a letter to ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed.

India plays in Zimbabwe on Wednesday while England's first match in Group A
will now be against Holland on Sunday in East London.

Over in Port Elizabeth, New Zealand kept its nerve to beat West Indies by 20
runs in their World Cup Group B match yesterday and keep alive its hopes of
progressing in the tournament.

The Kiwis, who made 241 for seven, looked to be heading for a comfortable
victory when the West Indies collapsed to 80 for six. But a seventh-wicket
partnership of 98 between Ramnaresh Sarwan and Ridley Jacobs gave them hope.

Daniel Vettori then bowled Sarwan for 75 and Jacobs was superbly caught by
Jacob Oram for 50, effectively ending West Indian hopes of a second straight
win.

The West Indians were eventually bowled out for 221 in the last over.

New Zealand, beaten by Sri Lanka in its opening match, struggled for most of
its innings, Nathan Astle top-scoring with 46 and Chris Cairns making 37.

But Andre Adams (35 not out) and Brendon McCullum (36 not out) shared a
sparkling eighth-wicket partnership of 53 to provide a late flurry of runs.

Cairns conceded 21 runs in his solitary over but struck a vital blow when
his direct hit ran out Brian Lara for two. Adams had three wickets and Oram
two before Sarwan and Jacobs led the West Indies recovery.

--Reuters, AFP
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Zim Independent

Letters

Where have all the tickets gone?

THE tickets for the World Cup Cricket matches to be played in Harare are
virtually impossible to come by for the ordinary Zimbabwean.

The refurbished ground at Ha-rare Sports Club is able to hold 7 000 people.
This means that there should have been a total of 21 000tickets available
for the three games.

In fact, only 800 tickets (or 3,8%) went on sale to the general public. This
means that more than 20 000 tickets have been distributed through other
means.

In response to queries, the Zimbabwe Cricket Union gave the following
figures: 2 500 tickets went to sponsors; 2 500 tickets are for the public
and 1 000 tickets went to the tobacco industry.

This leaves 1000 tickets un- accounted for. It is also at variance with the
number of people who were in the queue but failed to purchase any ticket.

When the ZCU was asked in situ to explain the shortage of tickets, the
figure of 800 was quoted as the total available to the public.

Either the ZCU is covering upsomething or it is simply incompe-tent.

People are so desperate for tickets that, following phone calls to the ZCU
as well as to an official at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday last week,
we were informed that ticket sales would resume at the club the next day at
8am where 400 to 500 tickets would be on sale.

Later, we were told that these would only be for the Namibian game. We
informed all our networks and eager members of the public began queueing at
4am.

The guards at State House were very nervous and the group was told to
disperse. They remained in the vicinity and the queue built up to about 200
people by 9am.

The ZCU then informed the group that there were no tickets for sale. When
questioned as to how we had been so misinformed, a Mr Mackay from the
Mashonaland Cricket Union said that they had been expecting some tickets to
be returned from South Africa but this had not happened. He was sorry but
there were no more tickets for sale.

As the disgruntled group disp-ersed from the Harare Sports Club, the CIO
moved in and picked up a group of seven people.

They were loaded into a police van and taken to Harare Central Police
Station. There, they were severely beaten and released in the afternoon
without being charged.

A Mr Musa was largely instru-mental in their release although he was also
detained for a period. This group has been given medical attention and we
await the report.

Where then have all the tickets gone? One rumour circulating is that certain
Zanu PF members saw the opportunity to present to the world the image of a
contented population watching the cricket and applied to the ZCU for 1 000
tickets per game.

Given the mixed messages we have received, and in the public interest, we
call on the ZCU to issue a statement explaining the whole picture of ticket
sales.

We further ask whether the ICC is content with only 3,8% of tickets being
made available to the Zimbabwean public?

The Zimbabwe Cricket

Supporters for Democracy,

Harare.
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Letters

They had the courage

ANDY Flower and Henry Olonga have made me proud to be a Zimbabwean. Their
statement on the first day of the International Cricket in Harare was not
"political". It was about life. Life as it is in Zimbabwe today where we
live and love our cricket.

They had the courage to state how they felt even in the prevailing
atmosphere of fear and opression.

If I were a man, I would doff my cap to you! You are my heroes!

Petra,

Harare.
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Letters

Hats off to Andy Flower, Henry Olonga

CONGRATULATIONS to Andy Flower and Henry Olonga for their courageous,
principled and correct stand for human rights and democracy in Zimbabwe.

They have displayed true sportsmanship and put to shame all those who have
remained silent in the face of all the evil that has been perpetrated on so
many Zimbabweans.

They deserve the full support of all Zimbabweans as well as their cricketing
colleagues and the Zimbabwe Cricket Union.

They have shown themselves to be much more than just excellent cricketers
and they should walk tall among their cricketing colleagues and the whole
nation.

Let their example be emulated by all Zimbabweans who care for their fellow
countrymen who have been brutalised, victimised, starved, arrested, tortured
and otherwise made to suffer for caring about their country's destruction by
a corrupt and uncaring regime that has ruled for 23 years.

Let their example be emulated by all their sporting colleagues and all
sporting organisations - especially in the high profile international sports
where Zimbabweans are actively participating such as tennis and golf. And
here at home - especially in the people's sport of soccer.

The issue is not about party politics, nor is it about that "red herring" of
sport and politics being unconnected. The issue is about fundamental and
universally accepted human rights and the rule of law - both of which are
being denied to Zimbabweans by an illegitimate regime.

Perhaps some good may yet come from the World Cup Cricket matches being
played in Zimbabwe - especially if the actions and statements of Andy Flower
and Henry Olonga galvanise the rest of the nation into similar action.

If there are any spectators at the cricket matches who lack the courage to
follow the example set by these two fine cricketers - shame on them. And if
the ZCU does not fully support them - shame on them.

And if the MDC does not avail itself of the opportunity presented by these
cricket matches - shame on them also.

In fact, we should all follow the example of these two fine sportsmen by
wearing black arm bands, not just at the cricket matches, but every day
until this regime is consigned to the dustbin of history and Zimbabweans are
free at last.

RES Cook,

Harare.

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Zim Independent

Olonga to face disciplinary committee
Staff Writer
ZIMBABWE World Cup star bowler Henry Olonga is set to appear before his
club's disciplinary committee next week following his hard-hitting statement
on Monday denouncing human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.

The seamer, together with veteran batsman Andy Flower, expressed their deep
distress at events in Zimbabwe, including starvation and oppression, ahead
of their match with Namibia. (See full statement under Editor's Memo.)

It was subsequently reported that Olonga's club, Takashinga, had suspended
him. But the club's chairman, Givemore Makoni, yesterday denied Olonga had
been suspended. He would be subject to "disciplinary action", he said.

He said the player had violated the club's constitution and would appear
before a disciplinary committee next week.

"We have not suspended Olonga," said Makoni.

"What he did by wearing that armband brought the game into disrepute and he
is subject to disciplinary action.

"Olonga is a senior member of the team and he is supposed to lead by
example. There are youngsters in the team who can copy that and take
politics into the game," he said.

The Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) this week referred the issue to the
International Cricket Council (ICC).

The ZCU public relations manager, Lovemore Banda, yesterday said the ZCU
would only act against the two players after the ICC's determination.

The ICC ruling would decide whether the two players can play in Zimbabwe's
next match against India on Monday.
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Business snippets from Zim Independent
 


Bank Expo renamed Finex
PREMIER banking showcase - Bank Expo - will from this year sport a new outlook as the organisers of the event bring on board other financial and supporting institutions that were previously left out.

Unicem to shut down for five weeks
A WEEK after the closure of Circle Cement citing the unavailability of the major raw material, coal, another cement producing company, Unicem, will soon be on a five-week shutdown.

Troubled FNBS placed under curator
TROUBLED First National Building Society (FNBS) which closed indefinitely last week has been placed under a curator for a period of six months.

Genesis weathers the storm
DESPITE the cloud of turmoil hanging over its head following the curatorship, Genesis Investment Bank weathered the storm to post an after-tax profit of $154 million in the six months period ending December 31 2002.

Sandawana - Of banks and corporate governance
THE collapse of the First National Building Society has brought under scrutiny once again the supervisory role of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe in relation to institutions, the accounting profession and corporate governance.

At The Market with Tetrad - PG building strong investor relations
PG last week held an investor and stakeholder tour of its Harare-based businesses in an effort to update the market about its operations.

Leadership at the peak - From operational management to strategic leadership
THE Peter Principle states that "in a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his own level of incompetence". It is a complex matter to determine whether the leader of the business has risen or is being promoted to his level of incompetence.

Barbican's first results win praise
ANALYSTS have described Barbican's firstresults as a public company after a revised listing as commendable given that the company is still in its growth phase and experiencing harsh operating conditions.

More financial institutions spring up
FIVE applications have been lodged with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the Registrar of Banks for the creation of financial institutions at a time when the collapse of the First National Building Society is chaffing the market amid charges that Zimbabwe is over-banked.

RTG turnover increases 130%
TURNOVER for the Rainbow Tourism Group was up 130% to $2,973,3 million over the same period last year. Operating costs went up by 133% to $2,159 million on the back of unplanned labour costs, inflationary driven costs and maintenance costs to some of the company properties despite tight costs control.

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Zim Independent

Ben-Menashe contract no secret in US, Canada

A CONTRACT kept out of public evidence in the high-profile treason trial of
Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai because it was
considered a state secret has been freely available in Canada and the United
States for over a year.

Information from the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) files shows
that Ari Ben-Menashe - star prosecution witness in the case - was hired to
be a mouthpiece for President Robert Mugabe's government in January last
year.

The Globe & Mail newspaper of Canada this week reported that Ben-Menashe
performed various paid public relations jobs for Mugabe, which included
spreading negative information about Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai and two other MDC members, secretary-general Welshman Ncube and
agriculture secretary Renson Gasela, are charged with plotting to
assassinate Mugabe. They face the death penalty if convicted.

Ben-Menashe signed the contract with an official from Mugabe's office on
January 10 2002, according to documents filed with the US Department of
Justice.

According to FARA, international lobbyists such as Ben-Menashe are required
to publicly reveal their clients.

Ben-Menashe was to get US$100 000 upon signing. Although the stated value of
the contract was US$225 000, the bill ran up to US$400 000 within a matter
of months, according to the FARA filings.

There is nothing that appears to be particularly sensitive about the
US-filed memorandum of agreement, nor is there explicit mention of
Tsvangirai.

Rather, Ben-Menashe undertook to create "goodwill" for the regime and get
rid of "the pariah- state label currently attached to Zimbabwe and the
Zimbabwe government".

He also vowed to try to get the US to declare that "the March 2002
presidential election held in Zimbabwe was conducted freely and fairly".

In the most recent FARA filings, Ben-Menashe lists some of the paid
"political activity" he has undertaken, including press releases that were
unflattering of Tsvangirai.

A spokeswoman for Ben-Menashe this week said the terms of the contract had
expanded beyond what was originally written, but the matter could not be
discussed further because "it definitely jeopardises (Zimbabwe's) national
security".

Documents also show that press releases titled "Tsvangirai attempts
assassination of Mugabe" and "Tsvangirai attempts suppression of evidence" -
allegations circulated during last year's presidential election - are among
some of the jobs for which Ben-Menashe has been paid by the Zimbabwe regime.

On Tuesday, State Security minister Nicholas Goche issued a certificate
ordering Ben-Menashe not to divulge any details of the contract.

"Any attempt to disclose these (contract) details would impair the security
of the state," prosecutor Bharat Patel said.

The defendants' lawyers, however, complained the ban would represent an
unconstitutional cover-up.

Justice Paddington Garwe on Wednesday dismissed Goche's certificate but said
the evidence would be heard in camera.

Tsvangirai flew to Canada to talk business with Ben-Menashe in December 2001
and the meeting was secretly videotaped inside Montreal consultancy Dickens
& Madson.

The videotape, which purportedly shows a coup plot taking shape, has been
entered into evidence at the treason trial.

Though Ben-Menashe formally went to work for Zimbabwe a month after making
the video, he denies he was paid for making the tape.

Meanwhile, Ben-Menashe yesterday told the court that Welshman Ncube did not
appear to know about the coup plot when it was discussed with him.

"The good professor looked surprised when the subject was discussed," said
Ben-Menashe.

When asked by the defence lawyer whether it was not strange that a
secretary-general of a party did not know such a thing, Ben-Menashe launched
into a tirade against the MDC.

"It is possible that the MDC secretary-general did not know. It is typical
of terrorist organisations," he said. - Staff Writer/Globe & Mail.
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Hindustan Times

      Zimbabwean Indians claim harassment in adopted land
      Fakir Hassen (Indo-Asian News Service)
      Johannesburg, February 13

      Zimbabwe's small but affluent Indian community claims that it is being
targeted by police, tax investigators and politicians but is too afraid to
speak out in public for fear of further victimisation.

      Several Zimbabwean Indians who are attending World Cup matches in
South Africa said Indian businessmen were being specifically targeted
because of a general belief that they all dealt illegally in foreign
currency.

      But Zimbabwean authorities said all groups believed to be involved in
activities considered to be "political sabotage" are targeted, not just
Indians.

      A businessman from Harare told IANS by telephone that almost all the
Indians in Zimbabwe might eventually leave the country although many were
third generation citizens.

      "There is no future there for us. We fought side by side with the
African majority to get freedom from the Ian Smith regime, yet we are now
considered to be equal to the whites who have become the target of the
illegal land grabs. I believe it is only a matter of time before they start
seizing Indian properties.

      "Some radical politicians have already made such calls, and even
reassurances by (President Robert) Mugabe himself and his senior ministers
have not eased the tension within the Indian community.

      "Most of our children are already in South Africa, Britain and a few
even in India. We are only holding on, trying to sell our properties so that
we can start a new life elsewhere."

      The businessman said he did not know of any Indian in Zimbabwe who did
not feel otherwise or who had confidence in the nation's economy, which has
been rated as the fastest shrinking economy in the world by the
International Monetary Fund.

      "You can't blame them for not speaking out in public and for making
the right political noises of solidarity when they are under pressure, but
the truth is very different."

      A friend who was also with him at the game told of his family being
woken in the early hours of the morning and being harassed when closing
their shops by investigators from the feared Central Intelligence
Organisation, which is said to have a free hand in its activities, reporting
directly to Mugabe.

      "They confiscate any foreign currency found in your possession, and it
is almost impossible to get it back because it is illegal to hold foreign
currency. But without it, there is no way we will be able to leave the
country of our birth or even continue our business transactions."

      An industrialist from Harare said he had been forced to close down
several factories because there was not enough foreign exchange for him to
import raw materials.

      He claimed that the seizure of cash was a ploy by the government to
get money to pay for fuel and major industrial equipment in desperate
attempts to keep the once-thriving economy going.

      Denying that Indians were being singled out for raids, Harare police
commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena told the Sunday Tribune last week that the
raids were the result of implementing the Public Order Safety Act last year.

      He said the act is designed to deal with political turmoil and
"economic sabotage" which was crippling the country's economy.

      "The searches were legal. We had warrants. The authorities identified
culprits who were committing crimes against the economy," Bvudzijena said.

      But Indians are not convinced that they are not increasingly becoming
targets of the raids as whites have been all but neutralised.

      "There is nowhere else they can get money as unemployment among the
blacks is rampant and fuel and basic goods are in short supply," the
industrialist said.

      "Even though some of the Indian community leaders have had discussions
with senior officials and even with Mugabe, nothing has come of this. Some
of the meetings have been so secret that we only hear about it long after
they happen, without first being consulted for input on the discussions."

      Preparing to emigrate to Australia with his family, leaving behind the
business started in 1920 by his grandfather, he said Indians born in
Zimbabwe had made huge contributions to the country's economy and given
millions of Zimbabwean dollars to keep President Mugabe in power.
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News24

Zim situation 'deteriorating'
13/02/2003 23:11  - (SA)

Christi van der Westhuizen

Cape Town - Unlike perceptions held by South Africa and Nigeria's heads of
state, the situation in Zimbabwe has not improved, but has shown serious
deterioration since 2000.

Speaking his mind about the situation on Thursday, was Moeletsi Mbeki,
executive deputy director of the South African Institute for International
Affairs and brother of President Thabo Mbeki.

He declined to elaborate on reasons why the South African government
believes the situation in Zimbabwe has improved.

His remarks follow on Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo and Foreign
Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma's confirmation that South Africa
and Nigeria are convinced Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth should
be lifted.

Moeletsi Mbeki said while Obasanjo was well aware that an MDC member of
parliament had been subjected to torture, he was still insisting the
situation has improved.

Reasons for him taking this stance could be because Zimbabwe does not pose
an immediate problem to Nigeria as a result of geographic distances between
the countries; Nigeria's attention is distracted by the civil war in Côte
d'Ivoire and Liberia; Obasanjo's attention is focussed on the upcoming
Nigerian elections; and regular inter-religious violence plaguing Nigeria,
Moeletsi Mbeki said.

He declined to explain South Africa's stance.

Responding to possibilities available to South Africa in acting against
Zimbabwe, Moeletsi Mbeki said Zimbabweans supporting the MDC have asked the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) to invoke sanctions similar to
those imposed by the European Union.

Intensifying violence

Directors of South African companies with interests in Zimbabwe told him
(Moeletsi Mbeki) the situation in Zimbabwe is heading for full-scale civil
war. It appear that ruling Zanu-PF intends intensifying violence between
their supporters and alleged MDC supporters.

Reports by the Zimbabwean human rights organisation also suggests the
situation is deteriorating.

Sapa reported that Kenya became the first African country to support
Australia when its foreign affairs minister, Kalonzoe Musyoka, said
Zimbabwe's suspension can only be lifted at the earliest during the
Commonwealth summit to be held at the end of the year.

The US, who is not a member country of the Commonwealth, has come out in
support of Australia. This follows on remarks made by US foreign secretary
General Colin Powell, saying that Mugabe was pushing Zimbabwe closer to the
brink of disaster in every conceivable way.
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English cricketers talk to psychologist
      Feb. 13, 2003. 12:04 PM
      CAPE TOWN (AP) - Instead of taking on Zimbabwe in a World Cup game
Thursday, England's cricketers had a session with a sports psychologist.

      The players say they don't want to play in politically volatile
Zimbabwe, fearing that opponents of President Robert Mugabe might use the
game to hold demonstrations and that could lead to rioting.

      After the players and team administrators had spent five days
agonizing over whether to play in Harare, championship organizers decided to
call off Thursday's game. The International Cricket Council now has to
decide whether to reschedule it.

      That means England's first game of the championship is now against the
Netherlands at East London on Sunday and team officials want to get their
minds off the Zimbabwe issue and onto that game.

      They spent almost three hours with sports psychologist Steve Bull in
an effort to help them focus on the match against the Dutch and the rest of
their World Cup opponents: Namibia, Pakistan, India, Australia and, maybe,
Zimbabwe.

      Team officials said that Bull's session had been prearranged but had
been postponed because of the frequent delays in deciding about the game in
Zimbabwe.

      "This morning's session has been about drawing a line under the
difficult circumstances of the last week and then refocusing on the cricket
and the World Cup," he said.

      "It's been about identifying goals, identifying challenges and ways in
which the team can work together on and off the field, to meet those
challenges and achieve their goals.

      "The players have spent many hours in difficult meetings over the last
week and yet they were still prepared to engage in these discussions for 2
3/4 hours to ensure it achieved some positive outcome."

      The players then departed for training with coach Duncan Fletcher and
captain Nasser Hussain checking on the fitness of all-rounder Craig White,
who has been struggling to overcome a torn stomach muscle.

      Although he managed to bowl in a warmup game last week, White had only
20 minutes in the nets on Wednesday. If he breaks down again, England may
have to send him home and ask permission for a replacement.
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News24

Witness admits payment from Zim
13/02/2003 20:25  - (SA)

Harare - The main state witness in the treason trial of Zimbabwe opposition
leader Morgan Tsvangirai admitted on Thursday he received US$200 000 from
the government after providing a secretly recorded video tape incriminating
Tsvangirai in a plot to kill President Robert Mugabe.

Canada-based political consultant Ari Ben Menashe denied the money was paid
under a deal with Zimbabwe's security chiefs to entrap Tsvangirai, the
Movement for Democratic Change candidate, before presidential elections last
year.

He told the Harare High Court the money was a fee for other research work by
his Montreal firm, including intelligence and information gathering and
"background work" for the Zimbabwe government.

"It may have had to do with the treasonous activities of the MDC but it had
nothing to do with this case," Ben Menashe said.

He said his wife, a Montreal lawyer, received another US$30 000 from
Zimbabwe to cover the expenses of making the secret video. She was to pay
for technical services involved in concealing two ceiling-level cameras and
making the recording.

Ben Menashe, 51, has testified before Judge Paddington Garwe that Tsvangirai
and senior opposition colleagues Welshman Ncube and Renson Gasela hired him
to help kill Mugabe. The opposition politicians deny the charges and say Ben
Menashe framed them. They could face the death penalty if convicted.

No formal contract

The charges are based on a grainy 4-hour video recorded during a meeting
between Tsvangirai and Ben Menashe in Montreal on December 4, 2001 in which
Tsvangirai allegedly asked for help to "eliminate" Mugabe.

In heated exchanges with defence attorney George Bizos, Ben Menashe admitted
a member of Zimbabwe's Central Intelligence Organisation collected the tape
from his offices on December 5 after he informed the government of its
contents.

He said he wanted to expose Tsvangirai to 50 leaders of the Commonwealth of
Britain and its former territories in Australia for a Summit. To this end he
approached his contacts at the Australian TV station that broke the story.

Ben Menashe said he did not sign a formal consultancy contract with the
Zimbabwe government until January 10. In terms of that contract his firm was
to be paid US$1m including what he termed "a performance bonus."

Bizos said records of payments Ben Menashe received before being contracted
indicated he was rewarded for an operation to entrap the opposition leaders.

He has repeatedly accused Ben Menashe of lying and being evasive in his
testimony on the nature of his work for the Zimbabwean government.

Ben Menashe said he was once an Israeli intelligence agent - a claim denied
by Israel. He said he led Israel's raid to rescue Israeli hijacking hostages
at Entebbe airport in Uganda in 1976 and "meddled" in the US presidential
vote in 1980 and Australia's 1986 elections.

A congressional committee and Australian lawmakers concluded he lied on both
occasions to discredit election candidates, Bizos said.

Asylum

Ben Menashe earlier testified the US government of then President George
Bush and the Western media tried to discredit him after he exposed US
weapons sales to Iran and apartheid-era South Africa.

He was acquitted by a US federal jury in 1990 of charges he illegally
arranged a US$36m deal to sell US-made military cargo planes to Iran in
exchange for the release of four American hostages in the Middle East.

He said his Montreal partner Alexander Legault, who attended the taped
meeting with Tsvangirai, could not testify in Zimbabwe "because someone has
to be in the office".

Bizos said Ben Menashe had been a character witness for Legault at a hearing
to have him extradited to the US to face fraud charges. Legault avoided
extradition by seeking asylum in a Canadian court by pleading the US Central
Intelligence Agency wanted to "act unlawfully against him". He claimed the
CIA was conducting illegal brain washing experiments with hallucinogenic
drugs in Montreal.

Ben Menashe said he could not remember details of the hearing "about 20
years ago" but said the court cleared Legault of all wrongdoing in the
United States.

Bizos said Canadian records showed the asylum hearing was in 1993 and could
not overrule fraud allegations in three US states. - Sapa-AP
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Ananova

      Cricket chiefs investigate South Africa president

South African cricket chiefs are looking into reports that their president
Percy Sonn made derogatory comments about England at Tuesday's match between
India and Holland.

Sonn, who twice made disparaging remarks about England's decision not to
play in Harare earlier in the week, was allegedly drunk at the game in
Paarl.

Witnesses claim he made his tirade about English cricket in front of England
and Wales Cricket Board chairman David Morgan, who was at the game as Sonn's
guest.

While the ECB have chosen to keep a dignified silence over the affair, South
African politicians demanded Sonn apologised in Wednesday's local
newspapers.

United Cricket Board of South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola said he
was aware of the reports and that he would hold talks with Sonn about the
alleged incident.

"I have spoken with Percy and he will get the opportunity to discuss the
matter with the UCB general council in the next few days," said Majola.

"Until that discussion has taken place, it is inappropriate for the UCB to
make any further comment on the issue."

Sonn has been publicly critical of England this week and suggested at a
press conference that South Africa should boycott their tour of England
later this year in retaliation for the ECB's refusal to honour their World
Cup fixture in Zimbabwe on security grounds.

Story filed: 19:16 Thursday 13th February 2003
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Violence Increases Ahead of By-Election, NGO Report

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks

February 13, 2003
Posted to the web February 13, 2003

Johannesburg

Human rights groups in Zimbabwe have voiced concern over an increase in
political violence in the run up to a parliamentary by-election in the
Harare suburb of Kuwadzana over the weekend of 29-30 March.

In its latest report, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum alleged that
politically-motivated violence had increased in several parts of the country
during the month of January, "with a substantial number of human rights
abuses being recorded in Kuwadzana".

The seat fell vacant following the death in custody of Learnmore Jongwe, the
opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Member of Parliament in
October last year.

The report, released on 10 February, alleged that supporters of the ruling
ZANU-PF "had stepped up organised violence and torture in the area"
following the death of ZANU-PF member Tonderai Mangwiro in a petrol bombing.

Mangwiro reportedly died from burns and severe head injuries he sustained
when suspected MDC supporter's petrol bombed a ZANU-PF base in the area in
late January.

Since then, about 30 MDC members have claimed that they have been abducted,
detained, tortured and subjected to inhumane treatment by the police and
Central Intelligence Organisation, the report said.

The by-election is expected to test whether the ruling party has made any
in-roads in Zimbabwe's urban areas. The MDC won all the 19 seats in Harare
and Chitungwiza in the 2000 parliamentary elections.

In January the MDC alleged that it had unearthed hundreds of phantom and
non-resident voters in the Kuwadzana constituency in an audit that revealed
10,000 new names had been added to the voters' roll since the March 2002
presidential election. ZANU-PF has denied that it had fiddled with the
register to ensure the party won the by-election.

The ZANU-PF candidate David Mutasa, a local businessman, is expected to
challenge former student leader Nelson Chamisa who is a member of the MDC
national executive committee for the seat.
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MSNBC

British rights activist to make Mugabe arrest bid



LONDON, Feb. 13 - British gay and human rights activist Peter Tatchell said
on Thursday he would try to arrest Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe when
he attends a Franco-African summit in Paris next week.
       ''If Slobodan Milosevic can be put on trial for human rights abuses,
why can't Robert Mugabe,'' he said, referring to the Yugoslav ex-president
now on trial for war crimes in The Hague.
       It will be the third time the Australian-born Tatchell has tried to
detain Mugabe, having already failed twice in Brussels and London to perform
citizens' arrests on the homophobic Zimbabwean premier.
       This time, however, Tatchell will make his attempt through the
courts, starting on Monday with an application for an arrest warrant to be
issued in Paris.
       ''The legal basis of my bid to have Mugabe arrested is the U.N.
Convention Against Torture 1984, which France has signed, ratified and
incorporated into its national law,'' Tatchell said in a statement.
       ''I have affidavits from human rights groups stating that the use of
torture in Zimbabwe is endemic, routine and systemic, that President Mugabe
must be aware of its use and that he has taken no discernible action to
condemn it or stop it, or to bring the perpetrators to justice,'' he added.
       France stitched together a deal in Brussels on Wednesday in which it
agreed to extend European Union smart sanctions against Mugabe in return for
his being allowed to travel to Paris for the three-day summit that starts on
Wednesday.
       As a backup for his legal arrest bid, Tatchell said he would
coordinate protest activities at the summit by gay rights activists and
Zimbabwean exiles and refugees.
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BBC
 
Zimbabwe go through motions
A policeman patrols the empty Harare Sports Club on the day of the cancelled game between England and Zimbabwe
All quiet at the HSC on Thursday
Zimbabwe staged a forlorn practice session at the Harare Sports Club on the day of their cancelled match against England.

The fixture was called off on Tuesday after England refused to travel to the Zimababwean capital amid security fears.

The World Cup's technical committee will meet on Friday to rule whether the Harare match should be switched to South Africa.

It will also decide if England should be fined and forfeit the match or whether the points should be shared.

Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak summed up the gloomy mood in Harare, telling reporters: "This is sad.

"We wanted to play England here, we were so looking forward to it.

"So many people have put so much effort into getting the ground ready for today."

His sentiments were echoed by a patron at a restaurant on the boundary edge, who said: "It's an extraordinarily sad day, and it should have been something so special."

Zimbabwe won their opening World Cup match on Monday, when they beat Namibia by 86 runs in Harare.

The next match of the competition scheduled to be played at the Harare Sports Club is between Zimbabwe and India on 19 February.


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Farm Workers' Plight

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks

February 13, 2003
Posted to the web February 13, 2003

Johannesburg

The plight of farm workers affected by Zimbabwe's fast-track land reform
programme amid a serious food security crisis is being largely ignored, NGOs
warn.

Two recent reports have noted the need to assess in greater detail the needs
and vulnerability of farm workers, while NGOs have called for them to be
included in national feeding schemes.

The latest Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) monthly report
said the number of commercial farm workers affected by the fast-track
resettlement programme had "increased from about 488,000 in August to about
1 million in December 2002, as more farms have been affected by the
government's fast-track resettlement programme".

The report said between 600 and 1,000 commercial farms were currently
operational, a sharp decrease from about 3,000 farms last year and about
4,400 when the land reform programme started in 2000.

"Currently, organisations such as Farm Community Trust of Zimbabwe (FCTZ)
have started feeding programmes in the Mashonaland provinces, but the level
of assistance so far has not kept pace with the needs," the FEWS NET report
noted.

A recent Humanitarian Situation Report by the UN Relief and Recovery Unit
(RRU) said "some NGOs noted that despite the vulnerability assessments, farm
workers have not been included in the main assistance programming".

"Indications are that farm workers are more vulnerable than the communal
population, which is now receiving WFP [World Food Programme] assistance.
There was a suggestion that vulnerability assessments need to cover the
commercial farming areas (for both the ex-farm workers and the newly
resettled) and identify the most affected [and] in need of humanitarian food
assistance," the RRU noted.

The FCTZ indicated that it was providing general feeding to 100,000
beneficiaries in four provinces, the RRU added.

An FCTZ official, who asked not to be named, told IRIN that many former
commercial farm workers have been forcefully removed from their homes and
have migrated to informal settlements outside towns.

"The situation on the farms is kind of fluid at the moment, there are
different scenarios farm workers are finding themselves in. Some have been
displaced and have had to migrate to informal settlements, some are still on
the farms, depending on the model of the farm under A1 (divided into smaller
communal plots) or A2 model (which allows for allocation of bigger plots of
up to 400 hectares for commercial use). Some former commercial farm workers
have managed to retain their [residence on] farms, but it is only a handful
of those who have not been affected," the trust official said.

In some cases the newly installed farmers have absorbed the former
commercial farm workers into the new set-up, "so they work for the new
farmers but there's always the problem of payment".

Another scenario farm workers found themselves in was "one of co-existence,
where new settlers have moved onto the land but the old farm workers have
remained, so they have to co-exist".

Despite the various scenarios one thing was common to all affected former
commercial farm workers - their livelihoods have suffered.

"The general livelihoods of the farm workers have been compromised quite
significantly. [They were consequently more vulnerable] especially when it
comes to issues of food security. Most have lost their jobs and they relied
on that income, so they are finding it very difficult to sustain themselves.

"You also find that most of the former farm workers are from a foreign
ethnic background, and in most cases security of tenure is inextricably
linked to employment on the farm. Once operations cease, it means there's no
more security in terms of residence on the farm and they have to find
alternative places to live," the trust official noted.

Most displaced former farm workers "don't have links in their communal
areas, no family there, and most cannot go back to their countries of
origin, given the expense involved. Others are second generation here [in
Zimbabwe] and have lost the links they had in their countries of origin",
the official added.

FCTZ believes there is an urgent need for affected former commercial farm
workers to be added to national food aid assistance programming.

"We have moved in as an organisation to respond because they have become
generally very vulnerable, we've had to move in with a general feeding as
well as a supplementary feeding programme," the FCTZ official said.

"The general feeding programme is targeting at the moment 100,000 farm
workers with rations of mealie [maize] meal, cooking oil and dry beans. With
the children aged between six months to 12 years we are running a
supplementary programme at pre-schools and primary schools as a way to
mitigate the impact of the crisis on the farm worker households."

But with an estimated one million affected farm workers, FCTZ believes this
is far from enough. "They need all the assistance that can be made available
to them because they are in such a difficult situation," the trust official
added.
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