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There has been little change on the Zimbabwean political landscape since our last Zimbabwe Inclusive Government Watch mailing. Certainly, the twenty one-month old Zimbabwean Global Political Agreement (GPA) produced little tangible progress through the month of June.
To find the root cause of this shameful display of negative governance, one needs to analyse the situation. Seventy news articles from the internet media were captured and catalogued during the moneht of June. Each article is a unique record of a breach of the terms of the GPA. Categorising these articles according to the nature of breach, allows basic statistics to be drawn from them.
The results clearly show the cause of Zimbabwe's crisis of governance. Harassment through the courts of "opposition" supporters and politicians increased significantly for the second month in a row to top the list of breaches with twenty-one articles (a staggering 30% of all breaches). Cases of attempts to derail the outreach phase of the constitution-making process rocketed to second place as the exercise finally got under way, with ten articles (14.3% of the total). Summarising just these two most significant categories, Zanu-PF were accountable for 96.8% of breaches of the GPA that were recorded for those two categories alone. Overall, Zanu-PF were either responsible for, or involved in, 97.1% of all breaches recorded for the GPA for the month of June. Other significant results were cases of violence, intimidation, hate speech and abductions, cases of deliberate non-cooperation with GPA partners, and cases of corruption, which all came in as joint third with 8 articles each (11.4% of the total, each).
The breaches of the GPA listed clearly show that, for the month of June, Zanu-PF were pushing to re-establish a reign of terror throughout the country. Although Zanu-PF blindly deny it, the clear and direct assault on their two political partners in the GPA - MDC-T and MDC-M - is being daily chronicled by both the local and international media. Whilst the pleas of the majority of the Zimbabwean people go unheard, the silence from the majority of African states on the situation in Zimbabwe continues to shame the continent.
In June, Zanu-PF scaled up the use of their control of the Police force and Judiciary to arrest, detain and harass members of any "opposition" political party on trivial or trumped-up charges, forcing the victims to waste valuable time, effort and money defending themselves in court. One of the most illogical events noted this month was the arrest of MDC-T MP for Marondera Central, Ian Kay, for allegedly "distributing expired and unregistered medicines" that had "not been registered by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe", to clinics in his constituency. The medicines - mainly dietary supplements, vitamin pills and aspirin - were donated to relieve the dire lack of resources that the medical facilities in Kay's constituency face.
Interestingly enough, Zanu-PF turned on one of their own this month, which has shaken the party's ranks. Zanu-PF official and businessman Temba Mliswa was arrested after calling police commissioner Chihuri "the most corrupt police officer in Zimbabwe". Mliswa and Chihuri clashed over a company in which Mliswa said he bought 51 percent of the company from Hammerskjold Banda. Banda was in partnership with a Paul Westwood - a business partner of Chihuri - who held the remaining 49 percent. Westwood claims Mliswa fraudulently acquired the shares from Banda and made a police report, leading to Mliswa's arrest.
However, the case of legal harassment that made the biggest news in June was the arrest of diamond rights activist Farai Maguwu - director of Centre for Research and Development in Mutare. He allegedly "made or published falsehoods" relating to the diamond mining operations in Marange. Despite a month having passed, charges against Maguwu are still unclear. Maguwu has been refused bail several times, and State prosecutors on 30th June were seeking to have him detained for another two weeks while police "carry out investigations".
The second-biggest news story of the month detailed a long list of cases in which Zanu-PF launched their countrywide campaign to derail the outreach phase of the constitution-making process. While the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) was deploying outreach teams across the country, the army had already set up bases - up to a week previously - for its soldiers at some rural district offices. It was reported that soldiers camped at Masasa business centre in Buhera central and Mutiusinazita in Buhera south had been force-marching villagers to Zanu-PF meetings for indoctrination and to instruct villagers what to do and say during the outreach programme.
In reply to the attempts to derail the outreach program, MDC-T's deputy organizing secretary, Morgan Komichi, claimed CIO operatives were speaking on behalf of Zanu-PF during the exercise. Komichi said that Zanu-PF were making it impossible for ordinary Zimbabweans to participate freely in the outreach by issuing threats and intimidating MDC supporters. 'If they had support, as they claim, why don't they let the people speak for themselves?' Komichi added.
Sadly, Zanu-PF's culture of violence took its toll again, marked by a violent clash between MDC-T and youths of the newly-formed MDC99, in the city of Gweru, each accusing the other of selling out. MDC-T's Youth Assembly Organising Secretary for Chiwundura District was badly injured. The incident happened at a bar in Mkoba Village, after the MDC-99 held its national executive meeting in Gweru. Three MDC-99 members were involved in a dispute with youths from their former party while drinking beer at the bar, which degenerated into a brawl with pool sticks, a knife and bar stools.
Meanwhile elsewhere, Zanu-PF's vindictiveness has blocked the building of a badly-needed clinic in Chegutu East. A former Zimbabwe student leader and Namibian businessman, Charlton Hwende, offered to fund the clinic's construction, but Webster Shamu, local Zanu-PF MP for Chegutu East, has ordered the District Administrator not to release the paperwork that is required before building can begin - because Hwende is a member of the MDC.
Not to be outdone, Police commissioner Augustine Chihuri has demonstrated innovative corruption in the use of idle State assets. He has been using the Police force's anti-riot trucks to ferry water to his house in Borrowdale. Neighbours said the trucks supply water to Chihuri's house every day. The water is also used for watering the garden - in a city where many residents go without running water for weeks at a time.
On the regional scene, Zanu-PF displayed their continued contempt for co-operation with their GPA partners and the regional SADC Tribunal. The Zimbabwean government boycotted a hearing in the SADC court at which a group of white farmers were seeking suspension of Harare from the regional organization for ignoring a 2008 ruling by the SADC court. The tribunal found the seizures of white-owned commercial farms discriminatory and illegal. Despite Harare's failure to send a representative, the tribunal heard arguments from several farmers organisations, as well as farmers. The tribunal was asked to propose a special SADC summit to look at ongoing seizures of white-owned farms in Zimbabwe.
Turning to Zanu-PF's well-known tendency to subvert matters legal, the arrest of Farai Maguwu, director of the Center for Research and Development (CRD) has clarified that the Joint Operations Command (JOC) continues to function. Maguwu is alleged to have leaked a document compiled by police for the JOC titled "Brief for Sub-National JOC by Assistant Commissioner Mawere N. on Operation Hakudzokwi Phase V11 on 07/05/201." Under the GPA, the JOC should have been disbanded and replaced by the National Security Council.
This month's footnote serves to again highlight how Zanu-PF's refusal to apply internationally accepted human rights standards are affecting minority groups. It appears that Zimbabwean HIV&AIDS researchers are afraid of including homosexual and drug injection communities in the national HIV&AIDS priority research document they are working on, because of the criminalization of the activities associated the latter communities by the country's government. These two areas among other minority groups are key drivers of HIV&AIDS. Zimbabwe AIDS Network National Director Lindiwe Chaza-Jangira said there was need for the nation to prioritize them and have national campaign programs targeted at them.
Mliswa Arrested After Calling Chihuri Corrupt
RadioVOP:
29/06/2010
Zanu-PF official and businessman Temba Mliswa has been
arrested for an undisclosed offence after calling police commissioner Chihuri
the most corrupt police officer in Zimbabwe. Mliswa and Chihuri clashed over a
vehicle repairs company which Mliswa said he bought majority 51 percent of the
company from Hammerskjold Banda. Banda was in partnership with a Paul Westwood
who had remained with 49 percent. Westwood claimed that Mliswa fraudulently
acquired the shares from Banda and made a police report leading to Mliswa's
arrest. Westwood and Chihuri are business partners . Mliswa said Chihuri was
conniving with Westwood to have him arrested and possibly tortured. Mliswa is
expected to appear in court Wednesday after completion of investigations.
State prosecutors seek extension of Farai Maguwu detention
SW
Radio Africa (ZW): 30/06/2010
State prosecutors on Wednesday sought
to have diamond rights activist Farai Maguwu detained for another two weeks.
Maguwu has now spent nearly four weeks in custody while police claim to be
carrying out investigations. Prosecutors on Wednesday claimed that the
investigating officer in the case, Detective Inspector Dowa, had evidence to
support their application. The court will now wait to hear Dowa's testimony on
Thursday morning before ruling on the matter. Maguwu's defence team objected to
the application, pointing out that prosecutors had submitted in writing that
police investigations would be complete by the 22nd June, but now they were
seeking a 'blind remand' without good reason.
Outreach program begins as soldiers set up bases in rural areas
SW
Radio Africa (ZW): 21/06/2010
The Constitutional Parliamentary
Committee (COPAC) was on Monday overseeing the deployment of outreach teams to
the country's 10 provinces. But while COPAC was busy deploying teams, the army
has already set up bases, up to a week ago, for its soldiers at some rural
district offices. It is reported that soldiers camped at Masasa business centre
in Buhera central and Mutiusinazita in Buhera south have been force-marching
villagers to ZANU PF meetings for indoctrination. A top MDC official said the
armed soldiers were deployed with specific orders to instruct villagers what to
do and say during the outreach programme.
CIO 'speaking' on behalf of ZANU PF at constitution meetings
SW
Radio Africa (ZW): 30/06/2010
The MDC-T's deputy organizing
secretary, Morgan Komichi, on Wednesday claimed CIO operatives were now speaking
on behalf of ZANU PF during the constitutional outreach program. 'It is clear ..
that they don't have people to articulate their views on the new constitution.
.. the CIO's are now their voices during consultative meetings,' Komichi said.
Komichi reiterated that ZANU PF is once again hiring it's 'thugs and
killers'from the 2008 presidential run-off to do their dirty work. He said these
people were making it impossible for ordinary Zimbabweans to participate freely
in the outreach, by issuing threats and intimidating MDC supporters. 'If they
had support, as they claim, why don't they let the people speak for
themselves?,' Komichi added.
Sellout accusations cause violence in MDC-T and MDC99
youths
ZimDiaspora: 21/06/2010
There was a violent clash between
MDC-T and MDC99 youths in the city of Gweru at the weekend, each accusing the
other of selling out. MDC-T's Youth Assembly Organising Secretary for Chiwundura
District was badly injured. The incident happened at a bar in Mkoba Village, a
few hours after the MDC-99 held its national executive meeting at a Gweru hotel.
Three MDC-99 members were involved in a dispute with fellow youths from their
former party while drinking beer at the bar, which degenerated into a
brawl
with pool sticks, a knife and bar stools.
Minister Shamu blocks building of clinic in Chegutu East
SW Radio
Africa (ZW): 08/06/2010
A former Zimbabwe student leader, and
successful Namibian businessman, Charlton Hwende, is being blocked from building
a clinic in Chegutu East by Information Minister Webster Shamu. Building plans
for the clinic have been sitting in government offices for over 29 years. Hwende
offered to fund the clinic's construction, but Shamu, local ZANU PF MP for
Chegutu East, is resisting. Shamu ordered the District Administrator not to
release the paperwork required before building can begin. Shamu remains
determined to politicize the issue because Hwende is a member of the MDC.
Chihuri abuses Police vehicles
ZimEye:
15/06/2010
Zimbabwe's Police commissioner Augustine Chihuri is using
the force's anti-riot trucks to ferry water to his garden in Borrowdale. Two of
the trucks were seen Friday supplying water to Chihuri's residence. Neighbours
said the trucks, originally used with water cannons against anti-government
demonstrators, currently supply water to Chihuri's house every day. "Obviously,
this is too much water to be used for household purposes alone," said an
observer in the area. A source at Chihuri's house confirmed that the water was
needed for watering the garden.
Zimbabwean Government Boycotts Regional Tribunal Hearing on Farm
Seizures
VOANews (USA): 01/06/2010
The Zimbabwean government
boycotted a hearing in the SADC at which a group of white farmers lodged an
application seeking suspension of Harare from the regional organization for
ignoring a 2008 ruling by the SADC court. The tribunal found the seizures of
white-owned commercial farms discriminatory and illegal. Despite the Harare
government's failure to send a representative, the SADC tribunal heard arguments
from the Commercial Farmers Union, the Southern African Commercial Farmers
Alliance and several farmers. The tribunal was asked to propose a special SADC
summit to look at ongoing seizures of white-owned farms in Zimbabwe. The
tribunal reserved judgment in the case.
'Disbanded' Joint Operations Command still operational
SW Radio
Africa (ZW): 03/06/2010
Farai Maguwu, director of the Centre for
Research and Development (CRD) is said to be being victimised for leaking a
document compiled by the police for the Joint Operations Command (JOC). It is
titled "Brief for Sub-National JOC by Assistant Commissioner Mawere N. on
Operation Hakudzokwi Phase V11 on 07/05/201." The document raises serious
questions over the security sector reform under the GPA as, under the GPA, JOC
was supposed to have been disbanded and replaced by the National Security
Council. The document reveals that JOC is still very much operational.
Zimbabwe Homosexuals excluded from HIV-AIDS resource
ZimEye:
28/06/2010
Zimbabwean HIV&AIDS researchers are afraid of
including homosexual and drug injection communities in the national HIV&AIDS
priority research document they are working on because of the criminalization of
these areas by the country's government. These two areas among other minority
groups are key drivers of HIV&AIDS and researchers said they was need for
the nation to prioritize them and have national campaign programs targeted at
them. Zimbabwe AIDS Network National Director Lindiwe Chaza-Jangira said the gay
and lesbians as well as the drug injectors should not be ignored in the
research. She said it was disturbing to note that researchers have not
highlighted these groups as key priority areas in their research because of the
criminalization of the activities associated with gays, lesbians and drug
injecting communities.
http://www.busrep.co.za
August 12,
2010
Zimbabwe's government netted around $71 million from a major
sell-off of
rough diamonds from its controversial Chiadzwa diamond fields,
the country's
mining minister said Thursday.
On Wednesday, Zimbabwe
resumed full-scale diamond exports by auctioning
close to 1 million carats
to international buyers at Harare airport.
"We sold 893 000 carats at
about 80 dollars each (totalling about 71.44
million dollars)," Mpofu told
the German Press Agency.
The amount sold is a fraction of the 4.5 million
carats of diamonds the
government says it has amassed over the past year
from abundant fields in
the east of the country.
Before the auction,
which was attended by buyers from the United States,
Lebanon, India, Israel
and other countries, Mpofu had said all 4.5 million
carats were up for
grabs.
But a monitor from the Kimberley Process (KP) - the international
body set
up to clamp down on trade in diamonds used to fund conflicts
-certified only
a quarter of Zimbabwe's diamond stocks for sale.
"We
expect the monitor to be back in early September to look at the rest of
the
stock we have," Mpofu said.
The KP last year ordered Zimbabwe to
suspend its diamond exports over
reports of gross human rights abuses by the
army against small-scale miners
and residents in Chiadzwa.
Following
several visits by KP inspectors in recent months, during which the
government got approval for two small diamond sales, Zimbabwe got the
go-ahead Wednesday to resume exporting diamonds that have been mined under
KP supervision.
The diamonds sold on Wednesday were diamonds that had
been mined since May.
Zimbabwe's diamonds became tarred with the "blood
diamond" brush after the
army launched a brutal crackdown against thousands
of illegal diamond
diggers in the area in late 2008, when Mugabe's Zanu- PF
party still had a
monopoly on power.
New York-based rights watchdog
Human Rights Watch says scores of people were
killed and injured by the army
in the operation. Zimbabwe's government
denies there were any
killings.
The army is still securing the fields, which are being mined by
the state
Zimbabwe Diamond Mining Corporation in a joint venture with two
little-known
South African companies. - Sapa-dpa
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Alex Bell
12 August
2010
A political row over control of the country's diamond revenue is
expected to
intensify, after Wednesday's multi-million dollar sale of the
controversial
Chiadzwa stones.
Buyers from the US, Israel, Russia,
Lebanon and India jetted into Zimbabwe
this week for the auction, which saw
900 000 carats of Chiadzwa diamonds go
on sale. The stones were certified
for legal trade by the Kimberley Process
monitor Abbey Chikane, but
represent only an estimated quarter of the
stockpile the Mines Ministry has
been waiting to sell.
The auction nonetheless still brought in about $70
million, but who the
profits will benefit is still of concern. Speaking at
the auction, Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said the government was
working on 'modalities'
to ensure that Zimbabweans benefited from diamond
trade.
"I am pleased to note that the Minister of Finance, in
consultation with the
Minister of Mines and Mining Development and other
stakeholders, is working
on a framework of determining how the revenues from
this supervised sale are
applied for the benefit of the generality of the
people of Zimbabwe through
the fiscus," he said.
These 'modalities'
have not been made clear, although it's reported that the
government will
get 10% from the sales as royalties. The Minerals Marketing
Corporation of
Zimbabwe is set to get 0.8% while the government owned
Zimbabwe Mining
Development Corporation (ZMDC) will get 2.5% from the
proceeds. The ZMDC's
joint venture partners, who have been illegally mining
the Chiadzwa claim in
contempt of a Supreme Court Order, will apparently get
up to 5% percent each
in management fees. The remaining 79% percent is
reportedly going to cover
'production costs' while the balance will go to
the government through the
ZMDC and its investment partners.
Quite how this has been worked out and
who is behind the agreed formulas is
unclear, although Mines Minister Obert
Mpofu has insisted that the ZMDC will
only pay the government 'dividends'
from the revenue it gets from the sales.
Economist Tony Hawkins pointed out
that the ZMDC, as a government owned
entity, should not be dictating how
much profit it hands over to the
Treasury. He said that Mpofu's comments are
a direct contradiction of
proposals by Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who
wants the ZMDC to hand over
its full share.
"Biti should be in a
higher position of power, but clearly Mpofu seems to
think he has the upper
hand," Hawkins said. "As a result of this, there are
accusations flying that
ZANU PF plans to use the ZMDC revenue to finance its
election
campaign."
Biti said last week in Parliament that he wants a Diamond Act
in place to
ensure that all diamond proceeds benefit Zimbabweans. He
admitted that the
Treasury had not seen any profits from diamond sales made
in the past year,
which amounted to an estimated $30 million. The Finance
Minister has also
indicated that he wants all mining operations to be under
government control
to ensure the profits benefit Zimbabwe, after previously
saying that the
mining licenses given to the current firms at Chiadzwa were
obtained
'unlawfully'.
The two firms, Mbada and Canadile, have been
mining in direct contravention
of the Supreme Court, which in February
ordered that all mining activities
cease until the ownership wrangle of the
site was sorted out. A UK based
mining firm, African Consolidated Resources
(ACR), holds the legal title to
the claim that they were forced off at
gunpoint in 2006. The parastatal ZMDC
moved in instead and joined forces
with Mbada and Canadile.
The firms, regardless of the contempt of court
accusations and ongoing
worries about their involvement in smuggling and
human rights abuses, will
still benefit from Wednesday's sale. As title
holders, however illegitimate,
they are entitled to profits.
"It's
all a bit of a farce," said Hawkins, adding; "It is difficult now to
predict
what is going to happen and how the political row is going to play
out."
The diamond auction was the result of a last-minute deal reached
between the
Kimberley Process and the Mines Ministry last month, and one
more auction is
expected before September. Experts are then set to visit the
country and
review its progress with meeting international trade standards,
potentially
paving the way for a full resumption of exports.
Diamond
sales had been suspended last year because of human rights
atrocities at the
military controlled diamond fields, including murder and
forced labour. But
the Kimberley Process, instead of banning Zimbabwe from
trade, gave the
Mines Ministry six months to fall in line with international
standards.
Chikane, the Kimberley Process monitor, has since said that these
minimum
standards have been met, despite reports of ongoing abuse,
smuggling, and
the blatant contempt of the Supreme Court.
http://www.kubatanablogs.net/kubatana/?p=3539
Zimbabwe auctioned about 900,000 carats of diamonds, worth
more than $72
million from the controversial Marange / Chiadzwa diamond
fields yesterday.
According to Mining Minister Obert Mpofu, the 4.5
million carats of diamonds
currently in Zimbabwe's stocks could sell for up
to $1.7 billion - over half
Zimbabwe's annual budget. In fact, according to
the mid-year fiscal policy
review by the Minister of Finance, Zimbabwe's
expenditure from January to
June 2010 was US$813.4 million - so that
estimated $1.7 billion would cover
the whole year's expenditure.
But
there are fears that ordinary Zimbabweans won't benefit from the country's
diamond wealth, and that the violence and corruption which have
characterised the Marange fields since diamonds were discovered there will
continue. What do Zimbabweans want to see the country's diamond revenue
spent on? Civil servants, education, health, and job creation
primarily.
Today we sent our subscribers this text message:
Kubatana! Zimbabwe sells diamonds worth about $72 mill yesterday. More
sales
to come. Will the people benefit? What should govt's priorities be for
this
money?
Below we share some of their responses:
Civil servants
pay
--
Civil servants salary.
--
Education + industries
--
Education health and housing
Anne
--
Give civil servants an increment
--
Govt must direct diamonds funds towards resuscitating ailing
industries
to boost employment
--
Gvt workers salary,
health and industry devt.
--
Health and
education
--
Health, infrastructure and salaries for civil
servants
--
Hope we will have more drugs, equipment and
machinery in hospitals and
subsidised tertiary education
--
I think gvt shld prioritise industry
--
I
think the most important things to do is to address the health and
education
issues and also the poverty issue
--
Infrastructure
development
--
Infrastructure development, upgrading of
power stations and
recapitalisation of ZISCO
--
It
should develop Masvingo road, health, water and sanitation, Hwange
and
Kariba power stations, then Civil servants to attract professionals
abroad
to come back.
--
Look into the affairs of the civil
service and revitalise production in
industry
--
More
$ to civil servants who are 'moving dead'.
--
Pay civil
who are caring home 165 dollars, whom they claim to want to
uplift.
--
Payment of civil servant salaries and
building of bridges where
necessary.
--
Recapitalise
our industries
--
Revive manufacturing industry and health
and education
--
Some people will benefit no doubt - the
same people that have always
been selfishly & corruptly "benefiting" on
behalf of the rest of the
suffering nation.
--
To make
masvingo road first, byo rd to reduce carnage and hospitals
--
Wages for civil servants and health care
--
We hope it is going to increase salaries for workers without delay
--
Zim will benefit a lot. I think a small percentage to the
hospitals for
medicines will be fair.
This entry was posted on August
12th, 2010 at 3:16 pm by Amanda Atwood
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Lance Guma
12
August 2010
While some senior politicians in the coalition government
bury their heads
in the sand, professing ignorance about incidents of
violence, it is the
ordinary villagers in remote areas who are facing the
reality of ongoing
ZANU PF sponsored political violence.
After a
recent attack by ZANU PF supporters in Chipinge two MDC activists,
Perpetua
Pedzisai and Tsvakai Muzhambi, were said to be battling for their
lives at
clinics in Murambi and Sasu. According to a statement released by
the MDC
the attacks were an attempt to bar the activists from participating
in
outreach meetings, taking place to try shape the content of a new
constitution.
Pedzisai is the MDC organising secretary for Ward 6 in
Chipinge Central
constituency while Muzhambi is a committee member for Ward
16 in Chipinge
West. Both are said to have been playing key roles in
mobilizing people to
participate in constitutional outreach meetings. After
the attacks, in
separate incidents, Muzhambi was detained at Murambi Clinic
while Pedzisai
is at Sasu Clinic.
Makoni South MP Pishai Muchauraya
told us that despite the violence ZANU PF
was failing to win over people to
its cause. As an example he said ZANU PF,
out of desperation, bussed in
people from Masvingo to attend meetings at
Gumira in the Musikavanhu
constituency. But the plot was quickly uncovered
and the ZANU PF supporters
expelled from the meeting.
In Mount Darwin South another MDC activist,
Chakanetsa Murenga, was arrested
Wednesday on trumped-up charges of
undermining Robert Mugabe during a closed
meeting the MDC held at Matokwe
Business Centre. Police took Murenga to
Bindura Central police station and
he is now expected to appear in court on
Friday charged with breaking
controversial 'insult' laws.
And in the Midlands North province, the
double standards of the police were
exposed. While police forces in several
provinces have allowed war vets
leader Jabulani Sibanda to go around the
provinces intimidating people, the
police there barred MDC officials from
holding their meetings in the area.
They claimed the meetings will disturb
the outreach meetings that are being
led by the parliamentary
group.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Tererai
Karimakwenda
August 12, 2010
The political crisis in Zimbabwe is once
again scheduled to feature at the
Southern African Development Community
(SADC) summit, starting Monday in
Namibia. Leaders of the three main parties
in the coalition government are
due to attend to deal with the contentious
issues that remain, more than a
year after they signed the Global Political
Agreement that created the
so-called "inclusive government".
The SADC
mediator on Zimbabwe, South Africa's President Jacob Zuma, is
expected to
present an update on the ongoing negotiations to President
Armando Guebuza
of Mozambique, who also chairs SADC's security troika. But
observers say
they do not expect any real action to be taken by the regional
grouping,
particularly in light of the fact that South Africa's Foreign
Ministry on
Thursday said Zuma will tell SADC that Zimbabwe is 'on the
correct path.'
Foreign Ministry Director General Ayanda Ntsaluba told a news
conference in
Pretoria; "He (Zuma) will recognise that the task in Zimbabwe
is not
completed but the overwhelming picture is favourable."
Writer and human
rights activist Elinor Sisulu said: "Frankly I don't think
we can put much
hope in SADC. We couldn't in the past and there's certainly
nothing to
indicate that has changed. The MDC has raised issues and
basically they've
been ignored by SADC. You can say they are a toothless
bulldog that Zimbabwe
ignores."
As to whether discussing Zimbabwe at the SADC summit would be a
waste of
time, Sisulu said: "Discussions are always necessary and I suppose
from the
MDC point of view it is important that it's on the agenda." However
she
added that it would not be useful "to put one's eggs in the
basket".
The remaining issues in the GPA are clearly a result of ZANU-PF's
refusal to
abide by the signed agreement and relinquish some power. Mugabe
has also
continued to act unilaterally on several occasions, making critical
decisions without consulting the MDC.
Zuma talked tough on Zimbabwe
before he took over from Thabo Mbeki as South
Africa's president, but
critics say he has been as ineffective as his
predecessor. And they believe
South Africa has much to gain from the crisis
next door.
Meanwhile
SADC has also done nothing to punish the Zimbabwean authorities
for ignoring
rulings by the regional court in Namibia, which held them in
contempt for
continuing violent farm invasions and harassing white
commercial
farmers.
The Africa Union's Human Rights Commission also found Mugabe's
government
guilty of human rights abuses during Operation Murambatsvina, in
which the
state bulldozed homes and businesses that were considered illegal.
Close to
a million Zimbabweans were displaced but again, no action was
taken.
http://news.radiovop.com
12/08/2010 08:07:00
Harare,
August 12, 2010 - Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has
been
officially invited to attend the Southern African Development Community
leaders' summit set for Namibia next week, in a confirmation that Zimbabwe
will be on the regional bloc's discussion agenda.
A senior official
in the office of the Prime Minister has confirmed that the
MDC leader will
be part of SADC's annual meeting adding that the Global
Political Agreement
(GPA) and the SADC Tribunal will be
discussed.
It was expected that
South African President Jacob Zuma would ratchet up
pressure on Harare to
fully implement the GPA ahead of the summit.
"Yes, the prime minister has
been invited on his capacity as one of the
three principals to the GPA. He
will be travelling to Namibia for the SADC
summit," said the official
without giving further details of the trip.
The official said Tsvangirai
will leave Harare Thursday and will pass
through South Africa before heading
for Namibia.
President Robert Mugabe, Tsvangirai and his Deputy Arthur
Mutambara are
expected to be part of the discussions that will be centred on
the full
implementation of the country's inclusive
government.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jameson
Timba Wednesday
confirmed that Zimbabwe is going to be discussed at the
summit.
"The GPA and the SADC Tribunal will be discussed after Zimbabwe
was reported
to the summit for its decision not to accept a ruling by the
tribunal over
the case of the white commercial farmers."
Analysts say
the continued suffering of ordinary people, highlighted by the
fact that
Zimbabwe tops the list of countries providing asylum seekers
worldwide,
should drive this country's leaders into positive action.
http://www.mg.co.za/
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA Aug 12 2010
14:29
President Jacob Zuma will tell a regional summit next week
that Zimbabwe is
"on the correct path" under its unity government, a Foreign
Ministry
official said on Thursday.
Zuma is the official mediator in
Zimbabwe for the 15-nation Southern African
Development Community (SADC),
which holds its annual summit on Monday and
Tuesday in Namibia.
"He
will recognise that the task in Zimbabwe is not completed but the
overwhelming picture is favourable," Foreign Ministry Director General
Ayanda Ntsaluba told a news conference in Pretoria.
"There is a
semblance of stability and Zimbabwe is on the correct path,"
Ntsaluba
said.
Zuma visited Zimbabwe in March to press long-ruling President
Robert Mugabe
and the new Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, to settle their
differences
over a raft of key government appointments and to press forward
the reform
process.
No progress has been made on resolving the
dispute over Mugabe's unilateral
appointments of the Reserve Bank governor
and Attorney General.
Referendum
Under the power-sharing pact,
Zimbabwe should have held a referendum on a
new constitution last month,
which would pave the way for fresh elections
after the violent and
inconclusive polls in 2008.
The constitutional process has barely gotten
off the ground, but the new
government has halted Zimbabwe's stunning
economic freefall by abandoning
the local currency in favour of US dollars
and opening up the market to
imports.
Media reforms have allowed
foreign reporters greater access to the country
while a new independent
newspaper is on the streets, with others in the
works. Electoral and human
rights reforms, however, are proving tougher to
implement.
South
Africa also backed Zimbabwe's sale of an estimated $72-million-worth
of
diamonds on Wednesday, in the first approved auction of the gems from its
Marange fields since the global "blood diamonds" watchdog partially lifted a
ban.
"This is a legitimate process and Zimbabwe is beginning to use
its natural
resources to improve the lives of its people," Ntsaluba said. --
AFP
http://www.mg.co.za/
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA Aug 12 2010
14:29
President Jacob Zuma will tell a regional summit next week
that Zimbabwe is
"on the correct path" under its unity government, a Foreign
Ministry
official said on Thursday.
Zuma is the official mediator in
Zimbabwe for the 15-nation Southern African
Development Community (SADC),
which holds its annual summit on Monday and
Tuesday in Namibia.
"He
will recognise that the task in Zimbabwe is not completed but the
overwhelming picture is favourable," Foreign Ministry Director General
Ayanda Ntsaluba told a news conference in Pretoria.
"There is a
semblance of stability and Zimbabwe is on the correct path,"
Ntsaluba
said.
Zuma visited Zimbabwe in March to press long-ruling President
Robert Mugabe
and the new Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, to settle their
differences
over a raft of key government appointments and to press forward
the reform
process.
No progress has been made on resolving the
dispute over Mugabe's unilateral
appointments of the Reserve Bank governor
and Attorney General.
Referendum
Under the power-sharing pact,
Zimbabwe should have held a referendum on a
new constitution last month,
which would pave the way for fresh elections
after the violent and
inconclusive polls in 2008.
The constitutional process has barely gotten
off the ground, but the new
government has halted Zimbabwe's stunning
economic freefall by abandoning
the local currency in favour of US dollars
and opening up the market to
imports.
Media reforms have allowed
foreign reporters greater access to the country
while a new independent
newspaper is on the streets, with others in the
works. Electoral and human
rights reforms, however, are proving tougher to
implement.
South
Africa also backed Zimbabwe's sale of an estimated $72-million-worth
of
diamonds on Wednesday, in the first approved auction of the gems from its
Marange fields since the global "blood diamonds" watchdog partially lifted a
ban.
"This is a legitimate process and Zimbabwe is beginning to use
its natural
resources to improve the lives of its people," Ntsaluba said. --
AFP
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