Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2000 9:56 AM
Punch Magazine
By Pete Sawyer
ALL MUGABE'S MEN
The Zimbabwean leader is turning his fire on the white population, but
some of his key supporters have a distinctly pale shade.
Zimbabwean President Mugabe has turned to the race card in an attempt
to save his political life. The images in the newspapers and on TV
screens in recent weeks have demonstrated the effects of his policy of
turning his supporters against white farmers in an attempt to distract
attention from his country's collapsing economy and the rampant
corruption within his government.
But this exercise in scapegoating is not the only scaffolding Mugabe is
using to hold up his wobbly regime. His government is being kept in
power and its corrupt wheels oiled be the income from diamonds that
Mugabe's military is plundering from the war ravaged Democratic Republic
of Congo (DRC).
The irony is that the real power in this operation lies in the hands of
a group powerful, shadowy, extremely wealthy white men. Without the
backing of these secretive international players, Mugabe's government
would crumble to dust. Some of these key players live not in the DRC,
nor even in Harare, but the quiet, leafy surroundings of the Home
Counties.
Last month, one such player was exposed in the House of Lords. John
Bredenkamp of Sunningdale, Berkshire, was named as being involved in
brokering substantial arms shipments from countries such as Bulgaria to
Zimbabwe for probable use in the Congo.
The war in the DRC involves no fewer than nine African nations and has
been dubbed by some political analysts "Africa's First World War". It
has destroyed the economy of the DRC, a country the size of Western
Europe with vast mineral resources. Millions of people have been killed
and millions more made homeless.
A third of Zimbabwe's army is now fighting in the DRC, supporting the
government of president Laurent Kabila and in return Zimbabwe's
leadership has staked out the country's estimated 39 billion pounds in
mineral wealth including gold, copper, diamonds and cobalt.
However, a potent mix of incompetence, rampant corruption and
difficulties in obtaining the finance needed for mining operations has
so far stalled the plan, save for the easily accessible diamonds.
According to South African intelligence sources, John Bredenkamp, who
administers his world-wide business empire from offices in Hurst, near
Reading, is Zimbabwe's main arms procurer and has provided arms,
helicopters and pilots to the Congo. His personal fortune, owned
through off shore trusts, is estimated at well over 440 million pounds.
Once in charge of the financial affairs of the Rhodesian Defence Forces,
Bredenkamp was involved in sanctions busting for the Smith regime in
return for a highly lucrative concession to export tobacco from
Rhodesia. He went on to turn his company, Casalee, into a multi-million
pound empire with offices around the world, including Windsor.
Casalee's business dealings were often racked with controversy. In the
early Nineties, documents came to light which indicated that Casalee had
acted as an intermediary in the sale of anti-personnel mines to Iraq.
The Belgian authorities, which subsequently investigated the
allegations, suspected Casalee of being deeply involved with MI5, which
historically has special responsibility for former colonies such as
Zimbabwe.
A few years ago, a Swiss lawyer, Ulrich Kohli, who handled
administrative paperwork for Casalee AG, seemed to confirm this. He
told a journalist that MI5 were the "organizers" behind Casalee, which
had somehow also got itself entangled with arms dealing to Iran.
Bredenkamp has always denied that Casalee was involved in the arms
trade. In 1993, he bailed out of Casalee, netting 70 million pounds in
the process. Soon after, Bredenkamp set up Breco Services, which is
ultimately owned, via an Isle of Man company, by family trusts. The
boss of Casalee UK remains, Jacobus Coetzee, the former boss of Armscor,
the notorious South African apartheid era state arms company, who now
also lives in Sunningdale, close to Bredenkamp.
A Breco subsidiary, Masters International, manages several well known
cricketers, rugby players and golfers, as well as Gary Kasparov, the
Russian chess master. For a short time, the company managed golfer Nick
Price. The group also has property interests. A few years ago
Bredenkamp tried to buy Nottingham Forest football club.
Bredenkamp has remained loyal to his native Zimbabwe. Last year when
Zimbabwe was beset with yet another fuel crisis, Bredenkamp, through a
company called Zimalzam, offered to provide fuel by rail from South
Africa. The deal went sour and led to a flurry of allegations of
deliberately inflated tenders, over which Zimalzam is now suing.
Allegations over inflated or dubious contracts are nothing new in
Zimbabwe. Over the years, many of them have centred on Mugabe himself,
who remains close to Bredenkamp, and who controls a string of businesses
and concessions in Zimbabwe through the main political party, Zanu PF.
It is also known that Mugabe's first wife had property in the
Netherlands and in the UK, and that the family owns several farms and
houses in and around Harare. But the records cannot be found.
Mugabe's second wife Grace, borrowed thousands of pounds from a
government low income housing scheme financed by a US aid programme.
The scheme was supposed to help people living on the breadline, but
instead it was used to build luxury mansions for Zimbabwe's wealthy
elite.
One of the contractors for Grace's mansion was an offshore company
called, appropriately enough, Hazy Investments. The company (which has
no track record with building international airports) also won the
multimillion pound contract to build a new international airport in
Harare. Its representative was Mugabe's nephew, Leo, who some say is
the "clearing house" and the front for a lot of businesses the president
himself is alleged to own. Leo also hit the jackpot as part of a
consortium which was awarded a licence for a mobile phone network. In
both cases, the government rescinded earlier decisions by its own tender
board.. An attempted investigation into alleged kickbacks to government
ministers in the airport deal has so far been stalled.
The ongoing economic crisis has increased the importance of the Congo to
Zimbabwe. But, although the former Belgian colony has vast strategic
mineral resources, it needs outside help to unlock the treasure chest.
Not surprisingly, mining companies are reluctant to work in the Congo.
However, this has not deterred Kabila from handing out mining
concessions to prominent members of the Zimbabwe government and
military.
John Makumbe, a political science lecturer in Zimbabwe, told PUNCH: "A
number of government officials, particularly ministers and guys in the
military, have a lot of business with the DRC in terms of mining. It is
all done very secretly".
However, from the little that we do know, Zimbabwe's defence industry
has done particularly well out of Kabila's deals. The head of Zimbabwe
Defence Industry, Colonel Tshinga Dube, has a lucrative 39 million pound
contract to supply provisions, uniforms, boots and ammunition to
Congolese troops.
A trucking company, owned by the chief of the Zimbabwean army, allegedly
has the contract to move troops and supplies from ZDI into the Congo.
Potentially much more lucrative are the deals for mineral rights. These
were allegedly offered by Kabila to Mugabe himself. However, getting
the minerals out of the ground has proven difficult.
In 1998, when Kabila met Mugabe to discuss ways of paying for Zimbabwe's
military support, Mugabe recommended the services of Billy Rautenback, a
former rally driver who controls a vast business empire in Southern
Africa, through a company registered in the British Virgin Islands
called Ridgepoint Overseas Development Ltd.
Rautenbach was put in charge of the Congo's stationed copper mining
company, Gecamines, and told to arrange finance so that mining
operations could begin. As an inducement, his own company, Centre
Mining Group, was given valuable mining concessions at Kababankola for
cobalt, and Shituri for processing.
But, by all accounts, Rautenbach failed to get the finance needed. In
an apparently unrelated matter, his offices in South Africa have been
raided no fewer than three times by the South African Police's Serious
Crines Squad. Now, he is out of favour and in hiding.
Rautenbach's failure to get finance has left the Zimbabweans relying on
the easily accessible diamonds. Again, ministers and members of the
military are benefiting personally from these deals. A senior
Zimbabwean air force executive allegedly has a diamonds-for-arms deal in
the bag, and the Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, is also said to be
involved. Many believe that Mnangagwa is the man who will step into
Mugabe's shoes when he eventually goes, as one way or the other he
will. A point in Mnangagwa's favour is his close association with none
other than John Bredenkamp.
The diamond area in the Congo has some 10,000 Zimbabwean troops
stationed around it. Reputedly, every week, two chartered jets fly from
Kinshasa in the DRC to an airport in Belgium, The planes bring with
them packets of diamonds, which are then sold on the Antwerp diamond
market. The proceeds go towards the cost of the war.
Diamonds are also funding the rebel armies backed by Rwanda and Uganda,
which have mysteriously joined the list of diamond exporting nations,
even though they have no indigenous deposits.
Meanwhile, the arms run to the Congo continues unhindered, paid for in
part by the diamond run to Antwerp. The European Union could probably
stop the war in Central Africa at a stroke, simply by impounding the
planes. Yet the truth is that some very powerful Europeans have an
interest in the continuation of this particular war. The pawns are
Mugabe and President Kabila, the prize is the Congo's vast mineral
wealth, and during the match there is money to be had from the Congo's
killing fields.
Interesting!!
For an accurate portrayal of events in Zimbabwe, please access the DAILY NEWS website.
The Daily News is and independent newspaper and the only daily which presents a reasonably balanced overview. It publishes articles from all political opinions and does not subscribe to the blatant propaganda of the government controlled media.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw/
HARARE, May 18 (AFP) - Four members of a small opposition party
in Zimbabwe were killed and many more people were injured during
clashes with ruling party members in northeastern Mudzi district, a
party official said Thursday.
The clashes occurred late Wednesday and early Thursday, James
Chitungo, United Parties (UP) elections director told AFP.
"We received information this morning that two of our members
were murdered last night, and just now I have received a report that
two more have been murdered this morning," Chitungo said.
The UP is led by former prime minister Bishop Abel Muzorewa of
the short-lived Rhodesia-Zimbabwe transitional government of 1979.
"There are a lot of people injured and the assaults are going on
on a daily basis," Chitungo said.
GRAND-BAIE, Mauritius, May 18 (AFP) - Britons will not be
allowed to observe Zimbabwe's general elections slated for June 24
and 25, President Robert Mugabe told journalists attending an
economic summit here Thursday.
Mugabe told journalists in his hotel room that he had advised
Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon that the Commonwealth
was welcome to send observers to the election as long as the
delegation included no British nationals.
"I can accept friends from SADC (the Southern African
Development Community), COMESA (the Common Market of Eastern and
Southern African States, meeting at summit level here), the OAU
(Organisation of African Unity), the United Nations, but not from
Britain," the Zimbabwean president said.
Mugabe made a similar declaration earlier this week in Harare,
saying no Britons should be part of Commonwealth or EU
election-watching teams.
Mugabe is involved in a bitter dispute with the British
government over its criticism of his handling of a violent crisis
sparked by state-backed moves to seize white-owned farmland in
Zimbabwe.
On Thursday, he accused Tony Blair's government of wanting to
"demonise" the Zimbabwean regime.
At least 20 people -- mostly supporters of the political
opposition -- have been killed by government supporters, mainly in
connection with the seizure of more than 1,000 white-owned farms by
landless blacks.
Britain has pledged 36 million pounds (54 million dollars) for
the purchase of white-owned land for redistribution to the landless
black majority, but said the money could be channelled to other
deserving African countries if Mugabe was not willing to accept its
terms for the funding.
Britain says the funding is available on condition that the
invasions of white-owned farms by veterans of the country's 1970s
liberation war end and that the country holds free and fair
elections.
Mugabe has told Britain to keep its money if it comes with
conditions.
HARARE, May 18 (AFP) - Zimbabwean war veterans humiliated two
primary school teachers in front of their pupils in the small remote
eastern town of Chimanimani during a "re-education programme", a
fellow teacher said Thursday.
The pair were made to publicly denounce their allegiance to the
opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on Wednesday at an
outdoor assembly of school children and teachers from two schools in
the town - Ngangu primary and secondary school.
A fellow teacher who witnessed the event told AFP by telephone
that a colleague of his "was asked to confess in front of the
people. He was convinced to do away with the MDC".
The teacher who wished to remain unnamed because of the nature
of events unfolding in the town related the three-hour meeting
during which the war veterans spoke "about the history of Zimbabwe,
from the occupation of whites in 1890; occupation of land; why they
fought the liberation war."
He said the war veterans arrived at the school in the morning
while classes were in session and summoned everybody to assemble.
"They told all the teachers and children to assemble at a point.
"They came without our knowledge while we were busy with our
lessons," he told AFP from Chimanimani.
Revolutionary songs were sung and political messages delivered.
"We've come to teach you, not to intimidate you," the war
veterans were reported to have said.
The teacher said the war veterans talked of elections, urging
the teachers and pupils to vote for ZANU-PF. Very few, if any of the
children, whose ages ranged from six to about 17 years would be
eligible to vote in forthcoming general elections due on June 24 and
25.
For the children it was a new experience: "They had never
experienced this," the teacher said.
He, however, said he did not witness anyone being beaten,
despite reports that a teacher from Ngangu was "beaten, but not
thoroughly."
Some of the teachers reportedly fled the meeting but came back
later.
Residents, including white commercial farmers, have been fleeing
the town near the border with Mozambique.
"Most people are leaving this place. Even us, I think we'll be
leaving tonight," said one resident contacted by AFP.
Teachers at rural Zimbabwean schools have become the latest
targets of political violence, with many of the 90,000 educators
accused of backing the main opposition Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC).
COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION - FARM INVASIONS UPDATE
17 MAY 2000
REGIONAL REPORTS
Masvingo
Save Conservancy - Problems continue on Humani Ranch in the form of
threats to burn the tractor, and demands that no labour works. Invaders
have been holding one of the game scouts since Friday. On Mukazi Ranch
electric wire has been stolen, and there has been an increase in the
theft of grass and firewood. The manager had a good meeting with some
leaders who said that they would deal with the culprits. Mukwasi Ranch
has also reported an increase in activity moving eastwards and they have
now passed the homestead and crossed the Mukazi River. There are
reports of invaders charging radios at Masapas Ranch.
Mwenezi - Merryvale Farm has been reinvaded by approximately 150
invaders. Reinette Ranch was reinvaded by about 100 today.
Chiredzi - Fair Range Estates has reported a reinvasion 40 -50 war vets
on their property again.
Gutu/Chatsworth - No communication.
Masvingo East and Central - Quiet.
Mashonaland Central
Centenary - Negotiations at Hereford are ongoing and work is expected to
be allowed to continue. Chikale and Chiripiro are stable although there
is a presence on both farms. War vets ordered that the people tenants
of a house at Shady Acres should vacate today, but the situation has
been defused. Vehicles continue to be comandeered, and local war vets
were unhappy that people are coming from different areas.
Victory Block - A number of requests for transport and food have been
made, which have been supplied in some cases. About 70 communal cattle
have been pushed onto Aberdeen and one of the farm's beasts was
slaughtered yesterday for food.
Mvurwi - Reasonably quiet, although there have been a number of death
threats.
Tsatsi - The report yesterday to be corrected as follows: the owner of
Cairnsmore was not present when the manager was requested to sign over
the farm and he did not do so. Some requests for transport were denied
yesterday when the Police advised the farmers concerned not to provide
transport.
Glendale - The area is quiet at present, but some non-violent
re-education took place on Ndiri East and Glenbrook last night.
Mutepatepa - Two invasions took place at Butleigh and Ashcott and a
presence has been left at these farms.
Shamva - Chiwaridza Farm has been invaded and a presence left on the
farm. A pregnant woman from the farm village was assaulted at Golden
Star last night but her condition is currently unknown. There appears
to be a pattern forming of war vets claiming compensation or replacement
of "lost property" if they move off a property.
Mazowe - Iron Mask was revisited yesterday. Accommodation was demanded
on Makalanga but the Officer-in-Charge has insisted that farmers do not
allow war vets to move into any farmhouses.
Harare West/Nyabira - Lone Pine was invaded by a group from Nyabira.
Broomhill was visited by a group, who were unhappy with the dismissal of
the foreman but calmed down when it was established that the Foreman was
fired for theft. There are not many farms with a residential presence,
but there are daily visits by large numbers.
Mashonaland East
Macheke/Virginia - There has been one threat to stop work on one farm,
but the security liaison and ZRP Macheke are dealing with the problem.
There is action to change the resident war vet representative on the
taskforce for this area as there are a few problems with him. There will
be a meeting at the Marondera North club tomorrow at 10:00 am with Mr
Kochi to discuss the matter.
Enterprise/Ruwa - The owner of Kiltullagh has been threatened. Lonely
Park still remains a problem.
Marondera South - Increased activity on Western side of upper Wenimbe
Valley. Four farms were visited yesterday. Today Lydiasdale was
revisited by 6 youths in a blue Peugeot 504 pick up. There is continued
disruption of work on Labour Farm, as well as the theft of a seed bed
fumigation sheet and extensive pegging and selling of plots of land.
There are numbers of upto 4000 on the farm on week ends, and invaders
are believed to be opportunists cashing in on the deal. This relates to
similar scams on other farms near Marondera
Marondera North - 2km of wire has been stolen on Dormavale and it is
directly linked to the War Vets.
Wedza - Demands and thefts continue. There was a movement onto Markwe
of a group youths which had met on Fells yesterday. In the afternoon
they were given beer and food, the origin of which is unknown. There
was a new invasion on Mitengo in Marondera yesterday.
Four truckloads of War Vets went into Wedza town on Saturday and beat up
a number of people. The town folk were upset that the farmers were
sending the War Vets into the towns now to relieve the pressure from
themselves and put it elsewhere. It appears that the vehicles were taken
with no consent or permission by the farmers and three were only
returned to the farms on Sunday morning.
Mashonaland West (North)
Mtorashanga - Invaders demanded a beast, but were given some cash
instead.
Karoi - A number of farms have had work stoppages, and houses are being
searched for weapons.
Raffingora - Situation very serious. War vets have accessed two pickups
and are visiting a number of farms. Approximately 10 farmers have left
this area to avoid any confrontation. It is felt these war vets have
spilt over from the Victory Block.
Trelawney/Doma/Banket/Tengwe/Umboe - Quiet.
Chinhoyi - There is pegging going on on Sheepridge. From Marnette, a
tractor driver took 30 men and women to Ormeston near Lions Den.
Mashonaland West (South)
Norton - The situation on Parklands has now been defused and the farmer
is planting wheat. On Saffron Walden yesterday another AK-47 was seen.
Mrs Rusike visited Garvillan Farm, Broom Hill Farm and Bryn Farm
yesterday and pegging has continued on Bryn. There was a buildup of
numbers on Nyadgori, pegging on Franceys Farm, and invaders are now
living in the homestead on Jenkinstown.
Kadoma - A reinvasion at Pamene Farm and a new invasion on Riverside
Farm.
Battlefields - A farmer spent the night in jail for failing to produce
his drivers licence within 7 days of not having it on him. It looks
like he may have to spend a second night in jail as well. It is
disheartening to see that the police are happy to arrest some people
that are in contempt of court but not others.
Selous - Some ZANU (PF) individuals went to the Lion Park today and
threatened to invade should a substantial donation not come their way
for a ZANU (PF) rally. They have told them that they will leave them
alone if a donation is given. The owner has faxed this information to
the police and the Ministry of
Tourism with the names of these extortionists. If they do invade the
confrontation with the lions could be interesting.
Matabeleland
Inyathi - The owner of Goodwood Farm has been told to vacate with his
cattle by the weekend. Clonmore has signed over a portion of the farm.
Insiza - A paddock has been signed over on Wabaayi, and the owner has
been forced to give three head of cattle to each labourer.
Figtree - Plots are being pegged and sold on Woolendale Farm.
Marula - The game scout on Marula Farm is not being allowed to enter the
property.
Mpabaziduna - The owner of Parsons Farm was warned whilst returning to
his farm, that an armed vet was awaiting him. There are threats to
invade the property.
Midlands
Shurugwi - The farmer on Highlands Farm has arranged to have all
household belongings moved into Gweru for safekeeping and will be
resident elsewhere until the situation stabilises.
The owner of Edwards and Outward Bound Farms has received 2 death
threats. There is some concern on retribution on his labour. ZRP has
been informed and negotiations continue with the War Vet leadership.
A new invasion took place on Merryvale Farm, and Glen Tourle Farm
received a message to move all the cattle off the farm. The labour
refused to do so and visited to War Vets' office in Shurugwi to report
the matter. The War Vets office reprimands their members.
Gweru - Two new properties have been invaded - Fairhill and Wildebeest.
Somabhula - Goodhope Farm and Ghoko Lot 1 were visited, but have no
presence.
Chirumanzu - Occupied farms remain peaceful, with no additional
problems.
Kwekwe - Reports indicate generally quiet but there is a special farmers
meeting this afternoon at which a full update on the Kwekwe situation
will be obtained.
Chikomba - Reported to be quiet with no particular problems at the
moment.
Manicaland
Chipinge - A new invasion took place on Nyatute Farm.
Chimanimani - Border Timbers has closed and a lot of the managers have
left because of the intimidation that has started up in this area. It
was reported that intimidation occured in Ngangu High Density Area last
night. There is concern about Charter Sawmills being closed as that is
the only access road open at the moment. Things are tense, so farmers in
the area await direction from the police.
Juliasdale - 30 people have invaded Silver Rock Farm, and have pegged at
the bottom of the farm where there are no farming operations in progress
and they have promised not to cut down trees.
Old Mutare - Invaders returned to a farm today and there was a tense
situation when one woman accused the farmer of making a man sick by
giving him poisoned water. The situation has been defused. Yardley Farm
was invaded.