SABC
March 27,
2006, 08:15
Zimbabwean police intervened at the weekend to avert violent
clashes between
factions of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC), Harare's
Herald newspaper reported today.
Its website said
this happened at a rally in Chitungwiza yesterday. The
rally, meant to
introduce Arthur Mutambara, the MDC faction leader in St
Mary's Chitungwiza,
was attended by an estimated 800 people. Scores of
supporters for Morgan
Tsvangirai, the party leader, gathered about 70m away,
singing loudly and
dancing provocatively.
A group of nyau dancers who were also performing
adjacent to the jeering
supporters worsened the situation. This irked some
Mutambara supporters who
charged towards the nyau dancers and Tsvangirai
followers. Only the quick
reaction by the police averted a violent clash,
said the Herald.
Riot police dispersed both the nyau dancers and
Tsvangirai supporters,
making it possible for Mutambara's rally to proceed
unhindered. Mutambara
told supporters if the opposition party failed to
remove Zanu (PF) from
power through democratic means, it would resort to
demonstrations and mass
stay-aways.
"We are not afraid to use
demonstrations and mass stay-aways to remove the
Government. We will not
rule out using violence because this is still our
option," he
said.
Mutambara referred to Tsvangirai as "my brother" saying efforts
should be
made for him and his followers to join his faction. Mutambara's
calls for
violence, follow similar threats by Tsvangirai who pledged to
incite civil
disobedience in his quest to unseat the government. Joseph
Msika, the
vice-president, had dismissed Tsvangirai's calls as empty talk
meant to
cause mayhem in Zimbabwe.
Nathan Shamuyarira and Elliot
Manyika, the ruling Zanu (PF) party's
secretaries for information and
publicity, said the MDC's calls for violence
undermine democracy and could
lead to bloodshed. - Sapa
Business Day
Dumisani
Muleya
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harare
Correspondent
THE Zimbabwean government's proposal to set up a human
rights commission
soon has been dismissed by the main opposition and
analysts as a
"smokescreen" to disguise President Robert Mugabe's long
record of
human-rights abuses.
Factions of the divided opposition
Movement for Democratic (MDC) said
yesterday the plan was calculated to fend
off growing criticism of human
rights abuses against his
regime.
Harare has been accused of human rights abuses by local civic
society
organisations as well as the African Union, the European Union and
the US.
In the 1980s at least 20000 minority Ndebele civilians were
massacred by
armed forces in a political crackdown in the south-western
region of the
country.
During the 2000 general election, more that
200 people were killed in
state-sponsored political violence. Most of the
elections in Zimbabwe are
accompanied by violence.
Government has a
long record of arresting, torturing and detaining suspects
without
trial.
Political analysts also said the plan for a human rights
commission, which
showed government was caving in to sustained pressure to
halt abuses, was
designed to ward off mounting local and international
criticism.
The proposal for a human-rights commission appears to have
been taken from
the constitutional draft crafted by the ruling Zanu (PF) and
MDC at
President Thabo Mbeki's urging.
Mugabe has already taken
provisions from the Mbeki draft, and welded them
into the old
British-designed constitution relating to the electoral
commission,
anticorruption commission and a two-tier parliament.
But analyst Prof
Brian Raftopoulos said the plan was a smokescreen. "This
regime has an
appalling record of human-rights abuses and the commission
will only act a
camouflage."
Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for the MDC faction led by Morgan
Tsvangirai, said
the government's move was insincere and the plan
ridiculous.
"They are the perpetrators of blatant human rights abuses, so
how can they
now set up a commission to monitor themselves?
"The
commission, just like all the others which are in existence, will again
be
stuffed with Mugabe's cronies, and will do nothing except to cover up."
A soggy Vigil. It has been so dry
in England that we haven't used our
tarpaulin for some time - long enough
for some people to forget that when we
prod it with our brollies, heavy with
rain, it cascades over everyone on the
periphery! Vigil Co-ordinator Dumi
Tutani, from Southampton, was tireless
leading the singing and everyone was
supplied with tea thanks to the
generosity of Patricia, the daughter of the
venerated Jairos Jiri, who
donated three thermos jugs. Yeukai happily took
on the role of tea lady,
filling the thermos jugs with boiling water from
our friendly local pub,
Theodore Bullfrog, and making sure everyone had tea
and coffee to order.
Two of our stalwarts, Ephraim Tapa and Julius
Mutyambezi-Dewa, went to
support our sister vigil in Bristol on their first
day. Ephraim welcomed
them to the "Vigil family" and spoke of the need to
see ourselves as
Zimbabweans rather than cling to a tribal identity. He
emphasized that the
vigils would continue until there were free and fair
elections in Zimbabwe
and people could go home to rebuild the country.
Julius spoke of the
importance of the Zimbabwean diaspora. He said so many
Zimbabweans who had
much to offer the country had been dispersed but they
were vital in
determining the future of Zimbabwe. The Bristol Vigil
startled passers-by
with its vibrant spirit. Several people were dressed in
traditional
attire - perhaps not suitable for an English early spring - but
it attracted
some Zimbabwean passers-by. How extraordinary that so many
Zimbabweans are
dispersed all over the place. Congratulations to Barbara
and her team -
from all reports their first Vigil was a very successful
event. The Bristol
Vigil will be held on the last Saturday of every month
and the London Vigil
will continue to support them and other vigils
throughout the United Kingdom
and elsewhere to give courage to the suffering
back home. We might be
lonely and homesick but we are dancing and singing
for a new Zimbabwe.
We were lifted by news that two of our supporters,
Richard and Philipa, have
had their asylum status granted which means they
can now work here until
things are right in Zimbabwe for them to return
home. You may remember us
mentioning that Richard had been tagged by the
Home Office - he is still
waiting for the tag to be removed.
A new
role for the Vigil - it's providing material for literary efforts.
Addley,
who is studying English, was asked to write a short story for her
English
class. She wrote a story about the adventures of the Vigil dog
which was
very well-received.
FOR THE RECORD: 50 signed the register.
FOR
YOUR DIARY: Zimbabwe Forum, Upstairs at the Theodore Bullfrog pub, 28
John
Adam Street, London WC2 (cross the Strand from the Zimbabwe Embassy, go
down
a passageway to John Adam Street, turn right and you will see the
pub).
· Monday, 27th March, 7.30 pm - Yvonne Marimo, Chair of the
Zimbabwe
Women's Network UK will talk about social issues affecting women of
the
Zimbabwean Diaspora.
· Monday, 3rd April, 7.30 pm - Peter
Tatchell will talk on how to
campaign effectively to put Zimbabwe on the UK
agenda.
Vigil co-ordinator
The Vigil, outside the Zimbabwe
Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place
every Saturday from 14.00 to 18.00
to protest against gross violations of
human rights by the current regime in
Zimbabwe. The Vigil which started in
October 2002 will continue until
internationally-monitored, free and fair
elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk
World Press
Raymond
Majongwe
Ambrose Musiyiwa
Leicester, Britain
March 26, 2006
In
December, Raymond Majongwe became the third critic of Zimbabwean
President
Robert G. Mugabe's government to be placed under virtual country
arrest when
security agents seized his passport.
Earlier that same month, authorities
had seized the passports of two other
government critics: newspaper owner,
Trevor Ncube; and Movement for
Democratic Change official, Paul Themba
Nyathi.
Majongwe, who is secretary general of the Progressive Teachers'
Union of
Zimbabwe (P.T.U.Z.) and a general council member of the Zimbabwe
Congress of
Trade Unions (Z.C.T.U.), was returning from an International
Labor
Organization workshop on H.I.V. and AIDS in Nigeria when immigration
officials at the Harare International Airport approached him and told him
they were withdrawing his passport.
He says
that although no explanation was given for withdrawing the passport,
the
move did not surprise him: "It did not surprise me because this regime
is
determined to thwart all dissenting voices."
Majongwe has first hand
experience of how the government of President Mugabe
deals with its
critics.
In October 2002 he was arrested twice following a national
teachers strike
launched by the P.T.U.Z. He was first arrested on Oct. 9 and
charged under
Section 17 of the Public Order and Security Act (P.O.S.A.) for
allegedly
disrupting classes and threatening teachers.
The Public
Order and Security Act was enacted in January 2002 and it imposes
severe
restrictions on civil liberties and criminalizes a wide range of
activities
associated with freedom of assembly, movement, expression and
association.
The Act makes it an offence punishable with imprisonment or a
fine for "any
person who, acting in concert with one or more other persons,
forcibly
disturbs the peace, security or order of the public or invades the
rights of
other people."
The Act violates Zimbabwe's obligations under
international human rights
law, including the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights and
the African Charter on Human and Peoples'
Rights.
Following his 2002 arrest, Majongwe was held in police custody
for 48 hours,
during which time he was badly assaulted by police officers,
sustaining
injuries to one of his eyes, both his arms and several ribs. He
did not
receive medical treatment until his release on Oct. 11.
On
Oct. 16 he was re-arrested for allegedly disrupting activities at Harare
schools by purportedly trying to force teachers into joining the strike. He
was taken to Harare Central police station and later transferred to
Chitungwiza police station. From there he was driven to a place outside
town, where he was blindfolded and tortured. Electric shocks were applied to
his genitals and mouth. Police officers ordered him to call off the strike,
to disband the P.T.U.Z. and not to make any statements to the
press.
He was released on Oct. 21, after the court found that the state
had failed
to make its case against him.
Now, three years later, and
following another amendment of the country's
constitution, which provided
for the withdrawal of travel documents from all
Zimbabweans who are
perceived to be enemies of the state, authorities seized
Raymond Majongwe's
passport.
Z.C.T.U. information officer, Mlamleli Sibanda says the
amendment to the
constitution is a retributive counter-action by the
government after the
entire ruling Zanu-PF leadership and government
ministers were slapped with
travel sanctions by the international
community.
"It is a mischievous act of flagrant disregard of the freedom
of association
and movement. Rights which the government of Zimbabwe
ratified under
Convention 87 [Freedom of Association and the Protection of
the Right to
Organize] of the International Labor Organization," Sibanda
says.
While the passports of Trevor Ncube and Paul Themba Nyathi were
returned
within weeks, it would be a month before Raymond Majongwe's
passport was
returned.
Arnold Tsunga, director of the Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights, in an
interview with SW Radio Africa (Jan. 18)
says Majongwe's passport was
returned after a letter of demand was sent to
the police. The letter stated
that the seizure was unlawful and that the
police had no legal basis for
holding onto Majongwe's passport.
He
describes the return of Majongwe's passport as a small victory, which has
no
political significance in that the government of President Mugabe will
comply with the rule of law where there is no threat to the balance of
political mapping in the country.
Tsunga warns that once the
Zimbabwean government has sorted out the
regulatory framework, which is the
precondition for the amendment to work,
it will be no surprise to see it
"begin to selectively target individuals,
especially human rights defenders;
who are seen as an impact in terms of the
world knowing what is happening in
the country and in terms of influencing
the grassroots movement."
Business in Africa
Posted Mon, 27
Mar 2006
Harare - A wholly state-owned Zimbabwean mining firm said it
planned to
invest $40mn in joint ventures with foreign partners to open
seven mines in
the southern African nation.
Zimbabwe Mining
Development Corporation (ZMDC) chief executive, Dominic
Mubayiwa, said the
firm had teamed up with Russian and Chinese investors to
open the mines,
some of which will be chrome and copper.
He said the mines had been
acquired from some multinational companies that
abandoned them in recent
years. It could not be confirmed which mines the
executive was referring to
and what the reasons were behind them being
abandoned.
"Almost
everything is now in place and by next week we will be able to
announce the
name of the new (joint venture) company," he said.
"In the nickel and
copper projects, we are partnering with Norico of China
and discussions with
Indian and Iranian investors are at various stages,"
Mubayiwa
said.
ZMDC is taking centre stage in the mining sector of the country,
after the
government announced plans this month to seize 51 percent shares
in all
foreign-owned mining companies.
Most foreign-owned mining
companies are contemplating pulling out of the
country in protest at the
plans. -panapress
The Herald
(Harare)
March 25, 2006
Posted to the web March 27,
2006
Harare
POLICE rounded up 85 gold panners in Mazowe on
Thursday night and impo-unded
40 kilogrammes of gold ore and an assortment
of mining equipment, as they
intensify their campaign against illegal
mining.
The panners, who included nine women, were arrested along Mazowe
River under
an operation code named "Operation Environment Friendly," which
was recently
launched to curb rampant gold panning. Among the impounded
mining equipment
were 20 shovels, nine steel rods, five axes, eight hammers,
12 picks, one
chisel, two wooden panning dishes, one plastic bucket, one
steel tube and
two ropes.
The Officer commanding Harare Suburban
Chief Superintendent Mbeko Kunene
said the panners would be vetted. First
offenders, he said, would be fined
while those with previous records would
be sent to court. "We will take them
to Mazowe Police Station where they
will undergo a vetting process," he
said. Interviewed panners, said they
sold a gramme of gold for about $2,5
million to some dealers who visit the
area on a daily basis. Some of the
women arrested had children strapped on
their backs.
March 27,
2006
By Andnetwork .com
AS the costs of health care
continue to spiral out of the reach of
many poor people, the government is
contemplating controlling private clinic
fees.
Health
and Child Welfare Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said the high
pricing
system at private-run health institutions as without any basis or
logic.
"To me charging $50 million for a Caesarean is madness -
there is no
other explanation for it except madness. A Caesarean is prompted
by
complications, meaning it is a basic procedure that everyone should
expect
with pregnancy because things do go wrong.
"To then make
people pay such a huge amount for something so basic is
what I cannot
accept. It does not make any sense at all and something has to
be done," he
said.
For a long time, Government has let private-run health
institutions
operate with a large measure of independence and autonomy.
Private hospitals
and clinics, said Dr Parirenyatwa, had been an enterprise
he believed should
be left to grow as they relieved the public health
delivery system and
increased competition in the sector to the mutual
benefit of all
stakeholders, including patients.
Until
recently, private clinics offered an alternative of faster and
generally
better medical attention to people with extra money to spend on
their health
needs. Among people who could afford were mainly those in
employment and on
medical aid.
However, of late, costs have become too high,
resulting in even those
on medical cover not affording anymore, as after
using their medical aid
entitlements they are incurring large shortfalls. Dr
Parirenyatwa said while
Government does not expect private clinics to charge
the same fees as public
health institutions, the fee levels should be
reasonable and affordable.
"What they are charging is not
commensurate with inflation so they
should not hide behind inflation.
Admittedly, they are in business and they
should make profit, but what they
charge should be reasonable. There should
be a balance." He said private
clinics should not fleece the sick as they
are only an alternative to public
health institutions.
"They are to ensure that the country's health
care system can have
some sort of competition and that people can make a
choice. If everyone is
crying, then it means no one is managing to get
assistance from private
clinics and hospitals and that is where I get
concerned," he said.
Source : Herald
The Herald (Harare)
March 25,
2006
Posted to the web March 27, 2006
Harare
HIGH Court judge
Justice Anne-Mary Gowora yesterday slapped eight cattle
rustlers from
Norton, Rusape and Nyanga with jail terms ranging between 46
months and nine
years in prison for stocktheft.
Luckmore Gwanzura (26), Moses Mushayi
(25), and Obediah Chikafu (24) all
from Norton were each slapped with an
effective 46 months in jail on one
count of stocktheft. The court, which
confirmed their conviction by the
Norton Magistrates' Court, had initially
sentenced them to four and half
years in prison.
However, eight
months of the sentence, was conditionally suspended. Justice
Gowora said she
could not impose the mandatory nine years prescribed by the
new Stock Theft
Act, because the three were convicted before the law was
amended. David
Chikapu (36) from Rusape, Tawanda Mubayiwa (28) from Norton,
Sunday
Nyamukaya from Nyanga, James Sumbizi, Whatmore Nemaire, both from
Rusape,
were each sentenced to nine years in jail for cattle rustling.
The cattle
rustlers had been referred to the High Court for sentence because
provincial
magistrates have no jurisdiction to pass sentences that are over
five years.
Under the new Stock Theft Act, convicted persons are liable to a
mandato ry
sentence of nine years on each count, without the option of a
fine. The
court can decide against imposing the mandatory sentence if there
are
special circumstances. There has been rampant stock theft in the
country, a
situation threatening the success of agrarian reform, as most
communal
farmers rely on cattle and donkeys for drought power.
The Mercury
March 27,
2006
Zimbabwe's ruling party and government have threatened
opposition
leader Morgan Tsvangirai with jail over his call for mass action
to confront
Robert Mugabe's government.
In a statement, Zanu-PF
spokesmen Nathan Shamuyarira and Elliot
Manyika said Tsvangirai would be
dealt with mercilessly if he ever tried to
convene any form of mass
protest.
Manyika equated Tsvangirai's call for mass action to a
call for war
against the Mugabe government.
State
Security
Minister Didymus Mutasa, who is in charge of the spy agency
the
Central Intelligence Organisation, has also railed against Tsvangirai,
warning that the government would not hesitate to
jail the
popular opposition leader if he called for protests.
Tsvangirai
raised the stakes at the weekend when he told a well-
attended congress of a
faction of his Movement for Democratic Change to
prepare for mass protests
to liberate Zimbabwe from the Mugabe government. -
Mercury Foreign
Service