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Daily News - Leader Page

Rule by war veterans must come to an end

4/9/02 8:53:45 AM (GMT +2)



Whatever new explanation President Mugabe may have for allowing lawlessness
to continue after he has secured himself another term in office can only
have a hollow ring to it.



Not a lot of people are likely to take him seriously. And that includes many
of his faithful supporters who, having been caught in the crossfire as it
were, have become victims of the senseless post election violence.

Unsophisticated as Zanu PF leaders have always erroneously and tragically
believed the ordinary Zimbabwean citizen to be, the people of this country,
including staunch Zanu PF supporters, have long made up their minds that the
present government is not the best they could have and that they, in fact,
deserve better.

As far as most of Mugabe’s supporters were concerned, the violence was
“necessary” for only one reason: to secure victory for Mugabe. Now everyone
is asking: Since he is now safe in his seat as President, why does the
violence continue?

It was politically motivated violence - all to do with trying to destroy the
MDC - clumsily disguised as an exercise to correct the land ownership
imbalance issue, that was responsible for the demise of the once thriving
commercial agricultural industry and the cause of the now looming mass
starvation and not, as Joseph Made and other government apologists would
want to make us believe, the current drought.

As stated above, that violence was, so we all believed, born out of the need
to entrench Zanu PF in power, against popular sentiment, through, first
ensuring a majority of elected parliamentarians in the June 2000 election
for Zanu PF and securing a win, at any cost, for Mugabe in the just-ended
presidential election.

But that the violence and lawlessness have continued, and even intensified,
after that crucial goal was achieved, has become cause for great concern for
all Zimbabweans, not just MDC supporters. Criticism has been levelled
against the media, both local and international, for appearing to focus most
of their attention on the violence directed at whites and downplaying the
unspeakable atrocities against blacks when reporting on acts of lawlessness
in this country ever since violence erupted on commercial farms in February
2000.

While we are sensitive to that, it would be an exercise in needlessly
groping in the dark if, simply because the victim of the most widely
reported act of mindless violence was white, we avoided using his as an
example of the unacceptable continuation of lawlessness in this country.

We have here in mind the gruesome murder recently of Norton farmer, Terry
Ford. As it turns out, the people who killed him took advantage of Mugabe’s
condonation of violent crimes committed in the name of advancing the cause
of his party to perpetrate what was manifestly an act of brigandry with no
basis at all in the need to boost Zanu PF’s political fortunes.

We are citing this incident, not because we approve of Zanu PF using
violence to force people to leave it in power. Not at all, but because it is
the most recent and apposite illustration showing that common criminals have
taken advantage of Mugabe’s constitutionally reprehensible policies, pursued
for political expediency, to render the country totally lawless.

Last week, we had reports in the government-controlled Press that the
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) had started
“giving ultimatums to commercial farmers whose farms have been designated
for resettlement”.

This is no idle speculation. A picture of Andrew Ndlovu, the ZNLWVA’s
“secretary for projects”, serving farmer R Beattie with an ultimatum was
published together with the story. It is a most disturbing development given
that the association has no legal power to act in that manner.

The same fate has befallen Indonesians whose ostrich breeding properties
have been attached. So have the Oppenheimers and other farmers in the
Esigodini area. The solution to all this lawlessness is very simple.

The President must restore the government’s authority to what it was before
his capitulation to Chenjerai Hunzvi and his fellow blackmailers in 1997.
All Mugabe has to do is to order Augustine Chihuri, the Police Commissioner,
to put a stop to the lawlessness and the country will, in a flash, be back
to normal.
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From the CFU, 7 April


Matabeleland farm violence


Richard Pascall (51) and two friends, Timothy Lamprecht (40) and Jonathan
Johnson (60) were yesterday arrested on charges of attempted murder in
Inyathi, Matabeleland. These arrests followed the incident on Gourlays Farm
yesterday morning when farmers and war veterans exchanged gunfire. One
settler was injured in the skirmish by a bullet, which is said to have
glanced off the back of his head. The war veterans were only charged with
using abusive language. Pascall was called to talk to a group of settlers at
his gate yesterday morning and whilst he was informing them that he was
packing to leave the farm, he was attacked from behind by a group of persons
who had entered through a back gate. Pascall was manhandled and the group
attempted to strike him with an axe and handcuff him. He called for
assistance as his life had been threatened the night before and he thought
they group would kill him. Two friends came to his aid by firing shots into
the air to disperse the crowd. Pandemonium broke out and the 60 to 80 strong
mob scuttled back and forth, it is in this fracas that Pascall feels the
person was injured in the crossfire. Speaking just before he was taken into
custody, Pascall said, "They are charging us with attempted murder. It is
said that someone was shot in the incident this morning. I was fearful for
my life after a war veteran, Vote Ndlovu, threatened me in the presence of
the officer in charge, Desmond Dube. Ndlovu said to me in a local dialect,
'Ngizakungcwaba' meaning 'I will bury you'."


The farm, Gourlays is a wildlife conservancy with 30 black rhino resident.
The Rhino are state owned. The farm is the only farm owned by the Pascall's.
It is also a registered conservancy, and a Zimbabwe Investment Centre
project. Events began to unfold some weeks back when two male Rhinos fought
for territory - one died from injuries. A report was made to National Parks,
with both the horn and skin being surrendered to Parks officials. Several
incidents have occurred since then with attempts to evict the farmer. The
mob that live in building close to the farm entrance, insisted that farm
workers leave and twenty-nine have since left. Normal routines and patrols
have not been permitted and Rhino and other wildlife will soon run out of
water. Horses and Ostrich have also been released from paddocks and are
roaming wild. At about 10am on Friday 5th April, war vets arrived at the
house at the farm and more war vets were outside the gate, they demanded
that Mrs Pascall take a person who had been attacked by one of the Ostrich
to hospital. She called an ambulance but declined to pay the fees, this
resulted in further harassment and death threats. This was reported to
Inspector Dube at the Inyathi police station at about 1 o'clock.


A larger crowd of war vets began assembling at the house and the police
eventually arrived at 7 pm with Mr Pascall. Police invited seven of the war
vets who were armed with sticks and knobkerries to go into the house to
negotiate. However negotiations were not fruitful as the war vets screamed
abuse at the Pascall's, threatening to kill both Mr and Mrs Pascall. There
was no reaction from the Police to this abuse, with the Officer in charge
describing it as 'Political sayings'. Eventually at about 10 pm, the
situation was defused and the Police left with the war veterans. Pascall was
called to the gate at 7am on Friday morning by a group of about 40 war
veterans. Although he assured them that he was packing to leave, they were
abusive and threatened to smash the gate down. Another group broke a rear
gate lock and came in to ambush Pascall from behind, attempting to handcuff
and axe him. His life was saved by firing of shots into the air by Johnson
and Lamprecht. The three managed to escape to the house under fire from
various weapons including rocks shot from catapults. Members of the Police
Support Unit arrived and were able to prevent further incident. Pascall and
his friends were then charged with attempted murder. Mrs Pascall has since
left the farm along with the remaining three staff. National Parks have
since sent scouts on site to ensure the safety of the wildlife. Legal
representatives are hopeful to secure a court hearing on Monday.


In another incident on Sunday 7th March, an Esigodini farmer and his 129
staff decided to stand their ground and refuse to be illegally evicted by
war veterans and youth, led by notorious dissident Luke Thambolenyoka. The
horticultural farm in Matabeleland South has not been invaded to date
although an army colonel had visited with his wife indicating that he was
the beneficiary of the 300-hectare Glenala Park farm. The farm was purchased
300-hectare farm 10 years ago by Mr Alastair Coulson. Although reports were
made to the Police yesterday and again today when seven workers were
assaulted, the police remain aloof and seem unable to demand respect from
the war veterans who were insistent that they would evict the farmer despite
no legal papers. The farm is under a compulsory notice of acquisition but
the owner is due to argue his case in court. It is the family's only farm
and the direct source of survival for 800 people. The farm which is about 35
kilometres South of Bulawayo, supplies vegetables to formal and informal
vegetable vendors in Bulawayo, Zvishavane and other centres. The farm owner,
Mr Alastair Coulson (51 yrs) said, "I am not going to vacate until I obtain
an official eviction notice from Government."


The group, numbering about 60, comprising war veterans settlers and hired
youths from nearby Habane Township. The war veterans could be seen loitering
in the garden in groups, and just after noon a delegation approached and
reminded Coulson of their ultimatum. When he declined to leave, they
threatened to seek reinforcements to force their way in. Noises where heard
coming from the farm village. It was determined that some youths had gone
into the village and looted workers possessions. A police vehicle then left
the farm and for two hours there was no police presence. The Officer in
charge arrived at 4 pm and said that he could not guarantee the safety of
the farmer and that he should therefore leave. For the next 3 hours
negotiation was centered on the security of the farm workers who were still
within the homestead and the security of farm assets. Coulson and his wife
eventually left after the war veterans were removed off the farm and safety
of the workers promised by the officer in charge, who left a police presence
on the farm.

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Daily News

Land grab, political tension blight investment chances

4/9/02 8:10:57 AM (GMT +2)


By Ngoni Chanakira Business Editor

Zimbabwe’s ongoing land redistribution exercise and the simmering political
differences between the two main contenders in the recent presidential
election, Zanu PF and the Movement for Democratic Change, are now further
heightening the country’s perceived country risk factor.

The country has already been termed the world’s riskiest investment
destination by the European Intelligence Unit.

President Mugabe has thrown his weight behind an ambitious new land
resettlement programme intended to “boost the agricultural programme as well
as increase employment”.

Mugabe says his government now intends to complete the land distribution
programme begun as farm invasions after the government-backed draft
constitution, which had a clause obliging Britain to fund land repossession,
was rejected in a referendum in February 2000.

The programme has been fraught with violence resulting in the death of 10
commercial farmers at the hands of individuals calling themselves war
veterans.

Land was the main thrust of the Zanu PF presidential campaign.

Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe Limited (Stanbic) this week said the country faced
numerous problems which need urgent solutions before Zimbabwe joined the
“have been countries”.

The bank, in an economic pointer, said: “As the country puts behind it the
first quarter of the year, prospects of economic recovery over the remainder
of 2002 remain bleak, aggravated by a plethora of challenges.”

The bank said the challenges included food shortages, the foreign exchange
crisis, inflation, as well as the country-risk factor.

“The foreign exchange crisis - reflected in accumulation of foreign payment
arrears -as well as gross misalignment of key signals, such as inflation,
exchange rate and interest rates, have eroded Zimbabwe’s credit worthiness
on international financial markets.

“Controversies on the ongoing land redistribution exercise and simmering
political differences are also heightening Zimbabwe’s perceived country
risk, in some cases to synthetic levels.”

The government has been blamed for ignoring property rights because of the
ongoing land redistribution exercise.

The international community has called for the exercise to be transparent,
legal and orderly.

Stanbic said: “Until and unless the authorities expeditiously restructure
and reduce the now elephant-high public sector debt, fiscal consolidation
will remain a mirage. This would effectively scuttle other efforts aimed at
arresting the current economic meltdown. The stock of domestic debt,
estimated at over $225 billion as at the end of March 2002, is set to exceed
$300 billion by year-end if no remedial measures are taken.”

In his new land programme, which has raised eyebrows within the business
community, Mugabe says he intends to follow “an agriculture-led economic
growth and development thrust whose premise is stimulation of small-scale
agriculture through greater input and extension support”.

The President said the government would now “force” the concerned ministries
to respond much faster to land allocation issues.

“The demarcation and allocation of land under the A2 programme which had
been slowed down by the elections must now resume immediately so that the 54
000 eligible applicants are in place for both the winter and summer crops
which are critical four our growth,” Mugabe told the Zanu PF central
committee meeting on Friday.

“The party must demand that all ministries and departments involved in land
preparation and allocation must regain momentum so we can deliver land in
the same way and with the same speed as characterised the A1 model.”

Ironically, it is this “speed” that has resulted in the unprecedented food
shortages facing the country as commercial farming has been disrupted over
the past two years
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Daily News

MDC supporters flee terror campaign in Chimanimani

4/9/02 7:46:42 AM (GMT +2)


From Brian Mangwende in Mutare

MORE than 50 Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), members in Chimanimani
have fled their homes after sustaining serious injuries from assaults by
Zanu PF youths who have intensified their terror campaign in Manicaland.

The youths accused their victims of backing Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the
opposition, in the tightly contested presidential election three weeks ago.

President Mugabe won the election amid allegations of massive rigging,
prompting Tsvangirai and the international community to reject the result.

Two mothers, both with babies, were among the people attacked by the youths,
despite the call by Oppah Muchinguri, the provincial governor, for the
ruling party to accommodate the opposition.

The group recently recounted their ordeals to Zimrights officials in Mutare.

With her four-month-old grandchild in her arms, Sophia Chipanga of Rusitu
said: “Zanu PF youths came and destroyed my property. They burnt my field
and gave me two hours to leave the constituency otherwise they would harm
me.

“ As I was going to inform my neighbour, four of them ordered me to leave
immediately. My other grandchildren are at home alone. God knows what is
going on there. Please help me”.

She accused Chief Ngorima of spearheading the violence.

Arnold Tsunga, the president of Zimrights, said Zanu PF was on a massive
retribution exercise with Manicaland being the worst affected.

He said: “The violence is unprecedented and has to be stopped. We sought
audience with the governor to address the problem, but we are always told
that she is too busy.”

But Muchinguri dismissed Tsunga saying he was overzealous, “and the rights
he is enjoying now, we fought for them. Now he says he knows more rights
than those who fought for the freedom of the country. He is being
overzealous”.

Another victim, Eunice Muchero, said she fled the area at midnight after
receiving death threats.

Pishai Muchauraya, the MDC's spokesman in Manicaland, said the opposition
are in the process of finding alternative accommodation for the victims.
Daily News


Police arrest student leaders

4/9/02 7:47:18 AM (GMT +2)


Staff Reporter

Two University of Zimbabwe students, Madock Chivasa and Courage Shumba, were
arrested by the police on Wednesday last week, apparently to prevent them
from organising students’ participation in Saturday’s demonstration
organised by the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) to press for a new
constitution.

The NCA planned demonstrations in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo and
Mutare, but the police came out in full force threatening and beating the
demonstrators.

Chivasa is the Students’ Executive Council treasurer, while Shumba is a
former vice president. Other student leaders fled.

Eddington Shayanowako, the Students’ Representative Council secretary
general, said: “They were picked up at around 4 pm by the riot police. They
did not say why they were arresting them.”

Mcdonald Lewanika, one of the students said: “Avondale police told us that
they were picked up on suspicion that they were going to support the NCA
march in Harare on Saturday.
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Zim Farmers Cash in On Blantyre Tobacco


Daily Times (Blantyre)

April 9, 2002
Posted to the web April 9, 2002

Thomas Chafunya
Blantyre

ZIMBABWEAN commercial farmers, faced with low tobacco output in their
country, are reported to be buying Malawi burley tobacco at higher prices at
the borders.

Some growers at Limbe Auction Floors yesterday complained the Zimbabwean
buyers were offering higher prices-US$1.80/kg (K130/kg)-free from deductable
levies and taxes.

The revelation comes hot on the heels of a National Smallholder Farmers'
Association of Malawi (Nasfam) warning that government will lose millions in
taxes, levies and fees if it does not check the cross-border trade in
tobacco.

"My friends have moved their tobacco into Mozambique where white farmers
from Zimbabwe are buying it at very good prices," Kelly Mankhusu, a
commercial farmer at Mayaka in Zomba, said yesterday.

He said selling the leaf across the border was lucrative because no levies
and taxes were deducted from the payments made, unlike at the auction floors
where almost 35 percent of the total sales go to levies, taxes and fees.

Another grower from Namwera in Mangochi, Marko Maulana, said soon after
government authorised direct exports of tobacco, merchants from Mozambique
were buying tobacco right at the farms and selling it to Zimbabwean farmers
in Mozambique.

"Farmers started selling their tobacco long way back before the auction
floors opened. That is the surest way to get their retains," he said.

He said it was not clear whether the tobacco comes back into the country
later for processing or it is exported elsewhere by the Zimbabweans for
processing.

But Godfrey Chapola, general manager of Tobacco Control Commission (TCC),
said yesterday the commission has not received any reports of Zimbabwean
commercial farmers buying Malawi tobacco across the borders.

"All I know is that cross-border tobacco exports are going on but I don't
know if it is the Zimbabweans buying because I have not been there," he
said.

Albert Kamulaga, president of Tobacco Association of Malawi
(Tama)-representative body of tobacco growers in the country-dismissed the
claims as untrue.

"Its not true. Zimbabwe grows flue-cured tobacco and there is no way the
farmers there could come and get burley from Malawian farmers," he said.

Kamulaga, who last week branded as "illogical" government's decision to
restrict sales of tobacco after liberalising production, said Zimbabweans
have little interest in the burley leaf because their major export leaf type
is flue-cured.

Nasfam warned in a statement last week that government is losing millions in
tax revenue and levies as cross-border tobacco trade continued to grow.

"There is no argument that buyers across the borders (just across) may be
providing attractive prices in Malawi kwacha. The real complaint should be
why the buyers on our auction floors are providing less attractive pricess,"
Nasfam said.

Official figures from TCC indicate that last year 6 million kilogrammes of
tobacco were lost to Mozambique and Zambia in crossborder deals.
Government's decision to liberalise tobacco exports is likely raise the
figures this year.
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Daily News

Murambinda villagers flee homes for fear of attacks by war veterans

4/9/02 7:49:38 AM (GMT +2)


From Sandra Mujokoro in Bulawayo

SOME VILLAGERS in Murambinda district of Manicaland are fleeing their homes
at night for fear of being attacked by war veterans in the area.

Others have deserted their homes and are staying in Mutare or relocating to
other cities.

A villager, who declined to be named, said life had not returned to normal
ever since the presidential election.

She said the situation was particularly bad for those who were known to be
MDC supporters.

The MDC presidential candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai garnered massive votes in
Mutare Urban ahead of the Zanu PF candidate, President Mugabe.

Villagers in areas such as Chabata, Mutiusinazita, Muzvikomba, Chimbudzi and
Chimombe, said they were being terrorised by war veterans and uniformed
soldiers.

The fleeing villager, who was in Bulawayo on her way to join her husband in
Botswana, said they were told that the number of people in Murambinda
district should equal the number of Zanu PF votes during last month’s
presidential election.

“They said if the figures did not match, there would be bloodshed.

“When we were voting, the soldiers were milling around at the polling
stations and this further intimidated villagers,” she said.

She showed The Daily News Zanu PF cards which they were forced to buy at $82
each. They are valid until 2006.

After the election Zanu PF supporters descended on the villagers because the
numbers did not tally.

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Daily News

MDC blasts State-controlled media

4/9/02 7:51:51 AM (GMT +2)


Staff Reporter

THE MDC has condemned reports in the government-controlled media yesterday
suggesting that remarks made by Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition party
leader, would dash the talks between his party and Zanu PF.

Tsvangirai told his supporters in Chitungwiza over the weekend that the
talks which began in Harare yesterday between the country’s two major
political parties should focus on the key issue of a presidential election
rerun as a way of returning the country to legitimacy.

In a statement, Learnmore Jongwe, the MDC secretary for information and
publicity, said The Sunday Mail, The Herald and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation (ZBC) were on a mission to tarnish the image of the MDC by
publishing false and malicious reports, quoting the MDC leader out of
context.

Describing the reports as hypocritical, Jongwe said it was surprising to
note that it was, in fact, President Mugabe who recently made remarks on the
talks in which he categorically ruled out a fresh election.

On Sunday last week, Mugabe told hundreds of his Zanu PF supporters and
relatives at his rural home in Zvimba that his party would not entertain
calls for another election.

Part of the MDC statement reads: “The Zanu PF president himself recently
made remarks on the talks that ruled out a poll rerun. The ZBC did not cry
foul and neither did The Herald and The Sunday Mail. Are we to believe that
only remarks acceptable to Zanu PF should be made during the period of
talks?” said Jongwe.

He pointed out that the propaganda reports were “totally uninformed and
glaringly spiteful” because an MDC position on the talks could not in any
way unsettle facilitators whose brief is not to say a word about party
positions to the negotiations but to merely assist in the presentation of
those positions.

“The comments are also hypocritical in that it is Zanu PF and its media who
have either expressly or indirectly, through their conduct, attacked the
efforts of President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Thabo Mbeki and
demeaned the persons of their representatives,” said Jongwe.

Jongwe cited a front page story in The Sunday Mail this week, which said:
“The two facilitators should go back home and leave us alone.
Their presence is creating too much tension for no good reason. We were
doing fine until these two came.”

Jongwe said given the amount of government control at the Zimbabwe
Newspapers group, it was difficult to understand how the disparaging remarks
about the envoys of Mbeki and Obasanjo could have been written and published
by The Sunday Mail if they did not reflect the Zanu PF government’s attitude
towards the talks in general and to the mediators and their principals in
particular.


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Daily News


Disgruntled villagers dump murdered MDC agent’s body

4/9/02 7:49:00 AM (GMT +2)


From Energy Bara in Masvingo

HUNDREDS of disgruntled villagers on Saturday dumped the body of Petros
Jeka, an MDC polling agent and treasurer for Masvingo North constituency, at
Winter Chirove’s homestead, accusing him of Jeka’s murder.

Chirove, who was not at home, is the Zanu PF district youth chairperson for
the area.

Villagers, including Jeka’s relatives, camped at Chirove’s homestead for the
whole day and have vowed to remain there until the body is buried.

A relative of the deceased, who refused to be named, said: “We are just
complying with what the deceased told us before he died.

“He said we should dump his body at Chirove’s home and we are doing just
that.”

Chirove could not be reached for comment as he was reported to have gone to
Harare.

Police in Masvingo were trying to mediate, but the angry villagers remained
defiant.

They accused the police of failing to arrest Jeka’s murderers. Jeka died
after being stabbed several times in the back by suspected Zanu PF
supporters at Bondolfi Mission business centre, after an argument.

He died on 4 April at Masvingo General Hospital after being admitted for a
day.

By Sunday no one had been arrested in connection with the murder.

“We are human beings and the time shall come when we cannot just sit by
while our members are being butchered,” said Shaky Matake, the MDC
provincial vice-chairman.

Police in Masvingo on Sunday said they were trying to encourage the feuding
families reach a compromise.

This is the second time in less than two months that a corpse has been
dumped at a Zanu PF activist’s home.

Last month the body of war veteran, Amos Maseva, was dumped at deputy
minister Shuvai Mahofa’s homestead following a land dispute at Lothian Farm.

The body was buried three weeks later following an agreement brokered by
Vice-President Muzenda.

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Daily News

MDC, Zanu PF square off

4/9/02 9:00:16 AM (GMT +2)


By Sandra Nyaira Political Editor

TALKS between Zanu PF and MDC, designed to create a working relationship
between the two parties following last month’s disputed presidential poll,
officially started inside Parliament building yesterday.

The positions of Zimbabwe’s two major political parties remained
diametrically opposed, creating doubt that the talks will yield anything
positive for the country.

The MDC, led by Professor Welshman Ncube, told the meeting the present
crisis that engulfs Zimbabwe could not be resolved except through holding a
fresh presidential election thereby legitimising the result.
Ncube, who presented the MDC’s position paper, said: “The will of the people
of Zimbabwe must be seen to be supreme and sovereign. This can only be
achieved through a fresh, free and fair presidential poll.”

He told the facilitators, Kgalema Motlanthe representing South African
President Thabo Mbeki, and prominent West African diplomat Adebayo Adedeji,
Nigeria’s special envoy to the talks: “Legitimacy flows from the free and
sovereign will of the people.”

He added that through dialogue, the MDC was seeking an immediate restoration
of law and order, the rule of law and guaranteeing the security and
political freedoms of every Zimbabwean, without regard to political
affiliation.

It also wanted an unconditional return to legitimacy through a fresh poll
held in a climate of peace, where freedoms of all political parties were
guaranteed.

His counterpart, Patrick Chinamasa, leading the Zanu PF delegation, spoke at
great length about the country’s history “from the First to the Third
Chimurenga”, about British imperialism, Zimbabwe’s sovereignty and related
issues.

He stated unequivocally that a fresh presidential election could not be held
since Mugabe’s re-election had been legitimised by most Southern African
Development Community states, African and Third World countries.

“We have been independent for the past 22 years and those hungering after
colonialism can go back in spirit,” Chinamasa said in his position paper.

“As Zanu PF, it’s not our business to accompany them. We, therefore, decline
the sinister invitation to go back in time in search of re-colonisation.
Zimbabwe will never be a colony again.”

He said Zimbabwe had a lawful and legitimate government and Zanu PF would
defend its victory to the end.

Chinamasa, taking his cue from President Mugabe, attacked the British and
American leaders, Tony Blair and George W Bush, respectively, saying
Zimbabweans did not participate in the election to please the two leaders
and their allies.

Ncube and Chinamasa said there must be an end to political violence. The MDC
went further by pointing out the more than 500 000 human rights abuses
recorded in the past year.

The MDC team leader said all Zanu PF militias and war veterans must be
unconditionally disbanded and there must an immediate cessation of any
further training.

Ncube said the partisan policing by officers of the Zimbabwe Republic Police
must end to ensure the law is not enforced selectively.

The MDC is also calling for the depoliticisation of all of the country’s
security forces, with Zanu PF ceasing forthwith its use of the Central
Intelligence Organisation in party political activities.

Ncube said an agreed impartial monitoring and verification mechanism must be
established to ensure that once implemented, these measures are permanent
and irreversible.

Ncube said all legislation that seeks to prescribe and proscribe people’s
basic constitutional rights, such as the Public Order and Security Act, the
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the electoral
regulations put in place immediately before the presidential election should
be repealed.

He also spoke against the abuse of the State media by the Zanu PF
government.

The facilitators said the talks, whose consultations began on 22 March,
would continue today.

Both Chinamasa and Learnmore Jongwe, the MDC’s spokesman, admitted the two
parties’ positions were still very divergent.

The other members of the Zanu PF delegation were Dr Witness Mangwende, the
party’s deputy secretary for administration; Professor Jonathan Moyo, the
deputy secretary for information and publicity, and Dr Frederick Shava, the
director of administration.

The MDC delegation included Gift Chimanikire, Yvonne Mahlunge,
Professor Elphas Mukonoweshuro, Dr Bhekimpilo Sibanda, Ian Makone, Gandhi
Mudzingwa, Percy Makombe, Dennis Murira and Vinnet Ndhlovu.

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MBENDI


Libya receives visit from Zimbabwean President
Libya is one of the only oil-producing countries that still supply Zimbabwe
with oil. This is as a result of the country’s non-payment. As a result
Zimbabwe has experienced a fuel crisis and President Mugabe has entered into
a stringent agreement whereby the Libyan government has received key stakes
in state enterprises and tourist initiatives. The deal ends in two months
time and President Mugabe has gone on a visit to Libya in order to extend
it. His visit falls at a time when talks begin between the MDC and ZANU-PF.
It is hoped that these talks will help to ease the crisis in the country
From The Star (SA), 8 April


Mugabe in Libya to beg for more money, oil


President Robert Mugabe is in Libya to scout for more money and oil to
lessen Zimbabwe's economic crisis. Mugabe's mission came as talks between
Zanu PF and the Movement for Democratic Change kicked off in Harare on
Monday. Mugabe has been increasingly isolated by the world in the wake of
his rigged victory in last month's election, and reports say he has
virtually mortgaged Zimbabwe to Libya in exchange for oil and money. A
12-month oil deal signed by Mugabe and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi last
year for Libya to supply Zimbabwe with oil expires in two months' time, and
Mugabe is anxious to get an extension. The R4,3-billion deal, under which
Gaddafi supplied oil in exchange for land, agricultural produce and stakes
in key state enterprises in the banking and tourism sectors, helped Mugabe
to reduce the magnitude of the fuel crisis that has crippled the economy.
With the exception of Gaddafi, the rest of the world's suppliers have
stopped oil supplies to Zimbabwe due to non-payment. Gaddafi described
Mugabe's victory in the presidential election as a "victory for Africa".


Meanwhile, MDC secretary-general Welshman Ncube said Zimbabwe was facing a
political and economic crisis. "The crisis cannot be resolved except through
a return to legitimacy. The will of the people of Zimbabwe must be seen to
be supreme and sovereign. This can only be achieved through a fresh, free
and fair presidential poll," said Ncube. However, Patrick Chinamasa, head of
the Zanu PF delegation at the talks, said the MDC had to accept the
legitimacy of the ruling party, and he ruled out another election. "We treat
the result of the presidential poll as non-negotiable," he said. Chinamasa
said that if the MDC had problems with the election result, it should
challenge it in court. The MDC has ruled out going to the courts, which are
packed with Mugabe loyalists. Both the MDC and Zanu-PF have also ruled out a
government of national unity. "We are naturally opposed to co-operating with
reactionary forces, whether local or international, which are fronts for
foreign interests that are hostile to Zimbabwe," Chinamasa said, referring
to claims that the MDC is a puppet of the former colonial power, Britain.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai told a rally on Sunday that if Zanu PF was not
willing to discuss new elections, there was no need to start negotiations.
Mugabe vowed on Friday that no new poll would be held.


Violence in the western Matabeleland province has surged with the arrest of
three white farmers on charges of attempted murder. Richard Pascal, Johnny
Johnston and Tim Lamprecht were arrested after they came to the aid of
Pascal's wife, who had come under siege by a group of Zanu PF militants. The
chairman of the Electoral Supervisory Committee, Sobusa Gula-Ndebele, has
admitted that the presidential poll was "totally confusing". But he said the
committee did not conduct Zimbabwe's election as its mandate was limited to
a supervisory role. Twenty-one pro-democracy activists, arrested on Saturday
for involvement in anti-government protests, appeared in court yesterday
over allegations of violating Zimbabwe's new draconian security law. They
were released on bail.
ZAWYA (Arab business and finance)

Libya supplies 70 percent of Zimbabwe's fuel imports



HARARE, April 9 (AFP) - Libya now supplies some 70 percent of Zimbabwe's
fuel, making it the largest supplier of petroleum-based fuels to the
southern African country, the state-run Herald daily said Tuesday.
A deal signed between Harare and Tripoli in July last year and valued at 360
million US dollars (400 million euros) has allowed for regular flows of
desperately needed fuel to Zimbabwe, which suffered acute shortages for
nearly two years.

The fuel shortages have been blamed on the country's foreign exchange
crisis, and on corruption at the parastatal National Oil Compnay of Zimbabwe
(NOCZIM).

But the southern African country is now paying for its purchases through
exports to Libya under an agreement between banks in the two countries.

President Robert Mugabe is currently touring Libya -- his second trip abroad
since his controvesial re-election in last month's polls.

During his visit there, a beef export deal was clinched in which meat worth
about 16.5 million dollars (19 million euros) will be exported to Libya,
while another for tobacco valued at two million dollars (2.2 million euros)
was also reached.

Zimbabwe saw its European beef markets disappear after an outbreak of foot
and mouth disease in August last year.

Harare's relations with Europe have soured recently, with the EU imposing
targetted sanctions against Mugabe and his close associates in February over
the government's conduct leading up to the March 9-11 elections.

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From the NAACP (US), 22 March

Mfume says Mugabe's treatment of opposition is anti-democratic

Kweisi Mfume, President & CEO, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), today criticized Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe for his government's decision to charge opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai with treason following his recent presidential election. Mfume sent a letter of protest to the Zimbabwe Ambassador to the United States. Mfume said: "The election is over. This sort of heavy handedness to kill off all opposition voices is too much for anyone to be silent about. These actions indicate that Mugabe does not want to live by the basic tenets of a democratic election. You cannot run a democracy by jailing the opposition and everyone who disagrees with you." Tsvangirai, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, led the opposition to Mugabe in last week's presidential election. Yesterday, Tsvangirai was charged with treason for an alleged plot to assassinate Mugabe. Mfume said actions like these "can have a chilling effect on democracy in Zimbabwe and work against the precepts of the democratic process."

In a letter to Simbi Veke Mubako, Zimbabwe Ambassador to the United States, Mfume said: "The NAACP believes that democracy is a necessary precondition for social, political and economic transformation and crucial to attracting assistance for the development of the developing world. It is in this spirit that I write to you concerning the treatment of Morgan Tsvangirai and other opposition leaders." Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its half-million adult and youth members throughout the United States and the world are premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.

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MBENDI

Zimbabwe excluded from Canadian trade talks
An IOL report has stated that Canada has excluded Zimbabwe from trade talks
with Southern African leaders recently. The Canadian Prime Minister Jean
Chretien has stated that there will be greater opportunities for trade
between African countries and Canada. The PM also announced the drafting of
a proposal for the next G8 summit with regards to the opening of markets to
African products. He praised the NEPAD initiative and agreed with President
Mbeki when he stated that those African countries that did not join the
NEPAD initiative would miss out on a lot of trade opportunities

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08 April 2002 19:31
Matabeleland trio granted bail
News Update
(On behalf of the Commercial Farmers' Union)

An Inyathi farmer, RICHARD Pascall (51) and two friends, Timothy Lamprecht
(40) and Jonathan Johnson (60) appeared briefly in court on Monday facing
charges of attempted murder following an incident on Gourlays Farm on
Saturday morning when farmers and war veterans exchanged gunfire resulting
in one settler being injured in the skirmish by a bullet which is said to
have glanced off the back of his head.

The three, who appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr. Anza Dube, were
granted zd$2 000 bail each, and Pascal was ordered not to return to his farm
for the next two weeks.

Calderwood, Bryce, Hendrie & Partners represented the trio.

ends

8th April 2002

For more information, please contact Jenni Williams
Mobile +263 11 213 885 or +263 91 300 456
Email jennipr@mweb.co.zw or prnews@telconet.co.zw
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Drawing Clear Lines On What Nepad Stands for

Business Day (Johannesburg)

April 9, 2002
Posted to the web April 9, 2002

Francis Kornegay
Johannesburg

ONE of the unfortunate consequences of the flawed election in Zimbabwe is
that it has muddied the waters on the New Partnership for Africa's
Development (Nepad). It is crucial that a serious discourse be opened up on
what Nepad is and is not.

Inevitably, Nepad's prospective western partners were going to turn a beady
eye to Zimbabwe as a test for Nepad, and how its main drivers SA and Nigeria
dealt with the election outcome.

However, based on what Africa's Nepad architects want it to accomplish,
there is a misunderstanding between Africa and the west that needs to be
cleared up.

For starters, Nepad is not intended as a punitive instrument to whip
politically deviant African governments into line. To be sure, there are
indirectly punitive consequences for such governments if they do not adhere
to Nepad's preconditions for development especially its "peace, security and
political governance" preconditions.

But it is politically naïve and unrealistic to expect that Nepad is going to
be sold to African member states as a good governance enforcer for the west.

The intent behind Nepad appears to entail a departure from African political
business as usual in two ways.

First, by offering an incentive framework to African states which will
generate for them more aid, trade and investment from the developed world.
In short, such members of the forthcoming African Union (AU) will no longer
be left high and dry if they "do the right thing".

The western side of the Nepad partnership would, presumably, bring an end to
this travesty via positive reinforcement resulting in increased flows of
aid, trade, investment and meaningful debt relief to governments that are
Nepad adherents while marginalising bad governance.

This brings us to the second departure: no more automatic member state
inclusion in an Organisation of African Unity (OAU)/AU-sanctioned initiative
without a state meeting a specified set of criteria for inclusion.

This latter dimension of Nepad is what could generate its own set of
intra-African controversies for the Pretoria/Abuja-led Nepad coalition an
exclusivity versus nonexclusivity debate within the AU about why all members
of the AU should not benefit from an AU initiative.

This debate, in turn, could worsen tensions between Nigeria and SA and
lesser powers sensitive about the emergence of a new order that would
diminish their "sovereign equality".

Of course, we don't live in a perfect world of pristine politics. And
African politics will dictate the future of Nepad as much as western buy-in.

Nepad has to have the panAfrican imprimatur of the AU and cannot be seen to
be a purely South African project which the west can use as a stick against
other African governments. This is why Africans have reacted so angrily to
the blackmail implications of western governments linking support for Nepad
to the manner in which African governments Nigeria and SA in particular
relate to Zimbabwe's post-election Mugabe regime.

What many in the west seem not to grasp is that Zimbabwe's government has
automatically excluded itself from Nepad, based on how Nepad has been
conceived by its architects.

There is no need, therefore, for any African state to "take action on
Mugabe", and this is what the Nepad's prospective G-8 partners are expected
to understand.

By the same token, it seems a logical expectation that African governments
will not continue straining credulity by closing ranks in support of
patently fascist dictatorships of dubious electoral legitimacy.

Nepad has to be accepted by the rest of Africa on its own terms as an OAU/AU
initiative with a difference one based on its potential inclusiveness
pending implementation of a managed exclusivity that demands that AU members
honour Nepad's good governance criteria.

Meanwhile, if Mugabe & Co do not watch out and get their good governance act
together, they could find themselves increasingly marginalised not just from
Nepad but within the Southern African Development Community as well.

Angola looks as though it is serious about becoming a Nepad wannabe and it
is possible that the interCongolese dialogue might produce sufficient
results to place Congo on that trajectory.

The bottom line is that Nepad is intended as an incentive to be a positive,
not a negative. G-8 governments, therefore, need to rethink their conception
of Nepad as a punitive instrument. Otherwise, the partnership could be over
before it begins.

Kornegay is the programme coordinator of the Centre for Africa's
International Relations, University of the Witwatersrand.

The bottom line is that the New Partnership for Africa's Development is
intended as an incentive as a positive, not a negative


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Zimbabwe needs R1.43bn this year to feed the starving
Bloomberg
April 10 2002 at 12:02AM
Harare - Zimbabwe needed a staggering Z$16.5 billion (about R1.43 billion)
this year alone to feed 7.8 million starving people, bankers have said.

This comes amid Zimbabwe's worst foreign currency crisis and reports that
the government has decided to introduce an ambitious new economic programme
focusing on increased agricultural production.

Under the proposed economic recovery programme, the government says about
100 000ha of land will be put under irrigation for maize production.

This land is expected to yield about 400 000 tons of maize, which will be
harvested in August this year to meet the maize deficit caused by the
drought.

The programme boasts it will create over 1 million jobs.

However, bankers said all these statistics were very "optimistic but highly
unreliable" because the country was facing a very serious drought.

Besides, they said, Zimbabwe's huge domestic debt of more than Z$227 billion
and foreign debt of US$700 million made it extremely difficult for the
government to pay for various schemes, including food imports.

In its monthly economic pointer released last week, Stanbic Zimbabwe said
radical policy changes were needed to arrest the economic meltdown, and
prospects of recovery over the remainder of 2002 remained bleak, aggravated
by a plethora of challenges.

It said: "It is inescapable that Zimbabwe will, over the next 12 months,
face an acute cereal deficit, closure of which requires at least US$300
million."

The bank said other factors that needed tight monitoring and solutions
included the foreign exchange shortage, burgeoning inflation and the country
risk factor, as well as the "curse of past fiscal slippages".

In his ambitious land scheme, Joseph Made, the minister of lands,
agriculture and rural resettlement, said the government had revised upwards
the programme and agrarian reform budget from US$1.9 billion to US$3
billion, with the bulk of the money expected to go towards infrastructure
and farmer credit support over a five-year period.

Last week, however, the minister of finance and economic development, Simba
Makoni, said the government would be able to deal with the food crisis only
if a supplementary budget was passed by the parliament because the coffers
had run dry.

The government later said it was finalising a Z$95 billion programme for
maize imports, food aid, child feeding schemes and winter crop inputs to
"fight the drought".

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From The Daily Telegraph (UK), 9 April


Mugabe's rivals 'face threat' in coalition


Harare/London - Direct talks between Zimbabwe's government and opposition
opened yesterday amid fears that President Mugabe's political rivals were in
danger of neutralisation. Negotiating teams from the ruling Zanu PF party
and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change met in Harare, but the
talks - mediated by South Africa and Nigeria - ended in deadlock after three
hours. They will resume tomorrow. Diplomats in Harare are forecasting that
the MDC will come under immense pressure from South Africa to join a
government of national unity, but that this could divide and destroy the
opposition. Zanu PF's team included the hard-line justice minister, Patrick
Chinamasa. He said after yesterday's talks that the two sides' positions
were "diametrically opposed". The MDC wants to secure a re-run under
international supervision of last month's bitterly disputed election, which
returned Mr Mugabe to power. Mr Chinamasa repeated the government line
yesterday that the poll result was "non-reversible". The mediators at the
talks have an unenviable task. President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa has
urged Mr Mugabe to invite the MDC into a national unity coalition. Although
the MDC has ruled this out, diplomats believe that South Africa will place
maximum pressure on it to accept the option. Mr Mugabe may then buy off his
opponents with high office and destroy the opposition - the method he used
to neutralise Joshua Nkomo and the Zapu party in the 1980s. One diplomat
said: "The danger is that [the opposition] will simply be gobbled up in a
unity government and the South Africans will help them along the way." On
the eve of the talks, Zimbabwe's army and police mounted a major operation
to halt opposition demonstrations. The weekend protests were banned under a
tough security law, and 64 people were arrested for trying to participate.

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The Age

Zimbabwe likley to be able to go to the Games
WELLINGTON, April 10 NZPA|Published: Wednesday April 10, 7:34 AM



Zimbabwe is likely to be allowed to go to the Commonwealth Games despite
calls by New Zealand to ban it, Prime Minister Helen Clark said today.

Clark has been in London for the Queen Mother's funeral and has discussed
Zimbabwe in meetings, including with Commonwealth Secretary-General Don
McKinnon and Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

New Zealand will next week impose sanctions on Zimbabwe in response to last
month's controversial election.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff had written to all Commonwealth foreign
ministers outlining New Zealand's view it would be inappropriate for
Zimbabwe to be at the Commonwealth Games, Clark told National Radio today.

"It's fair to say that we haven't had a particularly overwhelming response
to that and we seem to be in a bit of limbo land here, where of course
Zimbabwe hasn't been expelled from the Commonwealth and the suspension it
was given is not a full suspension.

"It's been suspended from the council for the Commonwealth and that's now
being interpreted as not requiring a suspension from the Commonwealth Games.

"So unless something quite dramatic happens, I think Zimbabwe is going to
end up with its right to attend the Games preserved."

Zimbabwe was suspended for one year late last month after Commonwealth
election observers roundly criticised the presidential election, won by
incumbent Robert Mugabe.

A Commonwealth troika of Howard, South African President Thabo Mbeki and
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo agreed with the observers' report that
included details of violence and intimidation by the supporters of Mugabe's
Zanu-PF party and restrictions on observers.

New Zealand's sanctions include banning Mugabe and his close associates from
travelling or visiting New Zealand, and using the Customs and Excise Act to
prohibit any arms shipments between Zimbabwe and New Zealand.

"If there is the slightest evidence that there are financial assets in New
Zealand, then we will act to freeze them," Clark said previously.

Events in Zimbabwe needed to be watched carefully as the situation appeared
to be deteriorating, she said today.

"If there can be sufficient evidence that it is getting much, much worse
then you can't rule out the troika might reconvene to see whether harsher
measures against Zimbabwe should be taken."

Howard felt he had got the most he could from the troika and it would be
hard to get more, she added.

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Harare Allocates R28,8m to International Marketing Campaign


African Eye News Service (Nelspruit)

April 9, 2002
Posted to the web April 9, 2002

Rodrick Mukumbira
Harare

Zimbabwe's government has injected R28,8 million into its tourism authority
for an emergency international marketing campaign to "rescue" the country's
ailing tourism industry.

ZTA chief executive Amos Midzi told local media that the money would be used
primarily to appoint professional tourism attaches to Zimbabwean embassies,
and to design and print new updated tourism brochures.

"Tourism has always been one of Zimbabwe's top foreign currency generators,
but visitors numbers have plummeted due to political violence and the
continuing bad press the country is getting," said Midzi.

"The government agrees that tourism is probably still one of the major
factors for spearheading an economy recovery, and has therefore allocated
both funds and other resources to help us remarket Zimbabwe's image."

The new tourism attaches will be appointed to embassies in London,
Frankfurt, New York, Johannesburg and Kuala Lumpur.

"We are also designing and printing thousands of new brochures. The
embassies ran out of tourism brochures mid-2001 when the Zimbabwe Tourism
Authority ran out of funding. This crippled our promotional activities,"
said Midzi.

The new funding will also be used to establish tourism marketing boards in
major markets, with members from the local tourist industry to encourage
support of Zimbabwe. The first board has already been established in
California, in the United States.

Other new strategies for luring tourists back include a new emphasis on
hosting international sporting events, such as golf tournaments, and special
event tour packages for solar eclipses and regional festivals.

"But, the most important new strategy is probably our realisation that we
need to penetrate new markets in eastern Europe, Asia, and Russia.

Travellers from our established markets in the rest of Europe and the
Americas are staying away because of politics, sanctions, and fear of
flying," said Midzi.

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03 April, 2002

MDC Polling agent succumbs to death after torture

Fanuel White, an MDC polling agent who was assaulted and tortured by Zanu PF
militia in Mushumbi Pools after the presidential elections, succumbed to
death at a Harare clinic on Thursday 29 March as a result of the injuries he
sustained.

White, who was an employee of the Agricultural Rural Development Authority
(ARDA) in Mushumbi Pools, was handcuffed by William Nhete, a security guard
at the premises, upon reporting for duty on 15 March.

He was taken to a nearby Zanu PF base, where he was tortured by Zanu PF
militia led by a war veteran called Emmanuel Kamukiyana.

White was released on the same day and taken to Mushumbi Clinic, following a
report to the police. He was referred to Guruve Hospital, where he was
further referred to Harare on 23 March. He was admitted at Nightingale
Clinic where he died on 28 March.

MDC activist receives severe burns in Muzarabani

Rosina Tazarurwa of Machingura Village in Muzarabani, received severe burns
all over her body when the hut she was in was set on fire by a group of Zanu
PF militia on 24 March.

Another of her huts was burnt down at her homestead.

The militia group was led by headman Machingura and included Innocent
Mukandabvuta, Lovemore Chigariro and Phibion Hlamba.

MDC youth abducted in Musana

Samuel Chitanda, an MDC youth, was abducted by Zanu PF militia at Chiveso
Village in Musana Communal Area on Friday 30 March while waiting for a bus
to Harare.

Chitanda was in the company of a friend. Both of them were forcibly taken
although the friend was later released and made a report to Musana police.

Chitanda had been living in Chitungwiza following threats on his life by
Zanu PF militia after the Bindura by-election in July 2001. Assuming that
calm had returned following the presidential elections, Chitanda returned to
Musana to where he was subsequently kidnapped.

Chitanda's whereabouts are still unknown.

Abducted MDC activist released

Wellington Kapfumba, an MDC activist who was abducted by Zanu PF militia on
24 March, has been released.

Kapfumba had been taken from his home in Musana communal area by a group of
Zanu PF militia led by Clever Masawi who led him to a nearby field and
severely assaulted him. They then bundled him into a car and took him to
Tendai Hall in Bindura, where they further assaulted and tortured him.

They later handed him over to the Bindura police and gave a false report to
the police that he had led an attack on Zanu PF youths in Musana, resulting
in his arrest. The police later took Kapfumba to Bindura Hospital, where he
was admitted and kept under police guard.

He was finally discharged on 29 March, and was released by police without
being charged.

War veterans take over MDC activist's business

War veterans in Muzarabani last week forcibly took over businessman, Mathew
Nyabuna's general dealership and an unharvested 25 acre cotton field.

Earlier in the month, war veterans and Zanu PF militia burnt down Nyabuna's
car and looted his general dealer shop, prompting Nyabuna to report the
matter to Muzarabani Police Station. The police then called in the war
veterans and militia for questioning, but later released them without
charge.

Upon their release the war veterans threatened to kill Nyabuna, and gave him
three days to vacate the area while they took over his business concerns.
Nyabuna has since fled to Harare.

War veterans and Zanu PF militia in Muzarabani have reportedly vowed to
expel all MDC supporters from the constituency for allegedly trying to sell
out Zimbabwe to the British.

The violent campaigns being waged against MDC supporters are intensifying.
We wish to stress the point that Zanu PF will never gain legitimacy by
harassing, torturing and killing our supporters. The people of Zimbabwe need
maize, they need better health facilities for their families, they need jobs
and above all they need peace. The sooner the illegitimate regime of Robert
Mugabe provides solutions to these outstanding issues the better.

The MDC remains committed to a better life for all Zimbabweans and no amount
of torture and intimidation will make us deviate from our goal.


02 April, 2002

MDC MP's home attacked

Yesterday evening at around 11:30pm about 10 riot police and soldiers
attacked the home of MDC Member of Parliament for Budiriro, Gilbert Shoko.

They forcibly entered his yard after beating up his two security guards.
They then started throwing bricks and stones at his house while at the same
time trying to break down his door.

Property worth $50 000 was destroyed and Shoko sustained minor injuries. The
security personnel eventually drove away, but not before puncturing
Honourable Shoko's car.

This case has been reported to Glen View Police Station (case number:{OB
3093/02}), amd we hope that for once the police will do what is expected of
them - maintaining law and order.

The MDC condemns these continuing acts of intimidation and brutality against
its members and supporters. We are particularly concerned that those who
should protect us are the ones attacking us.

We reiterate the point that every Zimbabwean has the right to belong to a
political party of their choice. Most importantly, noone should be above the
law. Justice must not only be done, but it must be seen to be done.

We condemn naked attempts by the state to make the country's security organs
operate like hit squads.

Learnmore Jongwe
Secretary for Information and Publicity
MDC

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The Times

April 09, 2002

Mugabe party is forced into talks with opposition
From Jan Raath in Harare



THE combined political weight of the presidents of Nigeria and South Africa
finally succeeded yesterday in forcing President Mugabe’s ruling Zanu (PF)
party and Zimbabwe’s pro-democracy opposition party to negotiate.
Seven-strong delegations from Zanu (PF) and Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for
Democratic Change spent three hours delivering formal opening statements in
the oak-panelled chamber of the long-dissolved Senate in Harare’s parliament
building.

They agreed to meet again tomorrow to discuss an agenda and rules of
procedure. However, despite the apparently smooth start, the gulf separating
the two is formidable.

“It’s clear we are not speaking the same language,” Patrick Chinamasa, the
Justice Minister and the head of Zanu (PF) delegation, said afterwards. “It’
s like the North and South Poles meeting. But what is important is that we
have started a dialogue.”

It was the two parties’ first face-to-face encounter since the MDC’s
foundation 30 months ago, when its surge in popularity suddenly undercut Mr
Mugabe’s unquestioned 20-year rule.

It took the two mediators — Adebayo Adedeji, a Nigerian diplomat, and
Kgalema Motlanthe, secretary-general of South Africa’s ruling African
National Congress, six days to persuade the two parties to sit in the same
room.

The MDC believes that Mr Mugabe is in power only because of bloody
intimidation and vote-rigging in last month’s presidential elections. It
says that it will engage in negotiations only on the condition that they end
in a rerun of the elections under international supervision.

“There is no other way,” Welshman Ncube, the MDC secretary-general and
leader of the opposition delegation, said in his opening statement
yesterday. “Legitimacy flows from the free and sovereign will of the
 people.”

Mr Mugabe has been dismissive of the talks, telling his ruling party central
committee at the weekend that the election result was “the people’s mandate
that we, Zanu (PF) alone, have the right to rule”. Mr Chinamasa told the
meeting that the result of the elections was “non-reversible and
non-negotiable”.

Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai agreed to bring about talks after President
Obasanjo of Nigeria and President Mbeki of South Africa flew to Harare last
month.

Mr Obasanjo is seen as the crucial figure in the Commonwealth troika that
had Zimbabwe suspended from the organisation. Behind the Nigerian leader’s
forcefulness with Mr Mugabe is the New Partnership for Africa’s Development,
an African “Marshall Plan” drawn up by Mr Mbeki to bring $64 billion (£44
billion) annually of Western investment and trade into Africa. However, the
key to the deal, known as NEPAD, is its assurance that African governments
will enforce human rights, democracy and good governance.

Zanu-PF, MDC Are Worlds Apart


The Herald (Zim govt paper) (Harare)

DOCUMENT
April 9, 2002
Posted to the web April 9, 2002


Opening remarks by Cde Patrick Chinamasa, head of the Zanu-PF team to the
Zanu-PF and MDC dialogue, at Parliament Building, Harare, yesterday

Dialogue Conveners and facilitators: Professor Adebayo Adedeji of Nigeria
and Cde Kgalema Motlanthe, secretary-general of the African National
Congress (ANC), colleagues from the ruling Zanu-PF, representatives of the
opposition MDC, members of the media, ladies and gentlemen, comrades and
friends:-

I address you on behalf of my party, the Zimbabwe African Nation Union-
Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF), whose delegation to this dialogue I head. I come
to this dialogue supported by my colleagues who are Dr Witness Mangwende,
Zanu-PF's Deputy Secretary for Administration, Professor Jonathan Moyo, the
ruling party's deputy secretary for Information and Publicity and Dr
Frederick Shava, the party's principal administrator. I bring you greetings
and goodwill from the Presidency of my party, its Politiburo, central
committee and its general membership structured around its various organs.
My party recognises you our two dialogue facilitators as African comrades
from two foremost African countries with which Zanu-PF has had deep
fraternal relations in the struggle against colonialism and apartheid and
since our independence in 1980.

Nigeria played a pivotal role in Zimbabwe's liberation struggle which as you
know was waged solely by Zanu and Zapu, the two revolutionary parties which
united in December 1987 to form the political formation Zanu-PF which today
sends me here for this dialogue. Zimbabweans recall with deep respect and
reverence the dramatic show of solidarity by Nigeria in 1979 when it
nationalised colonial Britain's oil interests to force London to discharge
its residual responsibilities as the former colonial authority. They
remember that the man at the helm then was General Obasanjo, the same
Nigerian leader who today sends you, Professor Adedeji, as his emissary here
to help with this dialogue. Then he was quite clear, as indeed he is today,
that like all peoples of the world, the desire to throw off the colonial
yoke and get rid of foreign domination was, as it always has been and will
forever remain the deepest sentiment and aspiration of the Zimbabwean
people.

Today, 22 years after that struggle which yielded our independence, I tell
you that the same desire burns incandescent and undiminished, largely
shaping our people's world outlook and general approach to the national and
larger African question in world affairs.

Apart from the arms Nigeria gave to our freedom fighters as they battled the
colonial face of imperialism, Nigeria gave us our first crop of officers who
commanded our Defence Force to secure the fragile but coveted sovereign
independence we wrestled under very delicate circumstances in 1980. Nigeria
also gave us the wherewithal to break the corporatised colonial stranglehold
on our media, in the shape and form of the then apartheid South Africa's
Argus and Sapa, which dominated print media and news agency business in this
country.

That we defeated the colonial army and secured our independence in 1980;
that we have today a solid National Defence Force; that we have a peaceful
and united Zimbabwe served by a dominant national and Africanist media here,
clearly mean that Nigeria's efforts have not been in vain.

In recent time, President Obasanjo has been heavily involved in efforts to
find a solution to the national land question which has arisen from colonial
Britain's refusal to recognise her colonial obligations here in order to
settle that question once and for all. Today, the Abuja Agreement drops
easily and repeatedly from the lips of Zimbabweans both to reflect their
personal indebtness to President Obasanjo, as well as to underline their
attachment to the national land question and all efforts deployed to resolve
it. Professor, I greet and welcome you in the spirit of that historical past
that tie your country to my party and country.

In greeting Cde Motlanthe, I extend my hand to a personification of a
country and people who are at once a geographical neighbour, as well as
long-standing ally in the African anti-imperial and anti-apartheid struggle.
I say this not to prepossess you, but to place in context your present
efforts. The revolutionary roads walked by Zanu-PF and the ANC have
intersected repeatedly in history. We shared tragic moments together as we
fought Rhodesian and Afrikaner dominance in our two respective countries and
the blood of our peoples watered and nourished the same freedom tree.

Our goals were the same then and, I daresay, remain fundamentally similar
and unaltered by the years that have gone by. Together we rejected
colonialism and apartheid, in fact rejected and still reject any and all
systems that belittle the African people and that seek to marginalise them
in national and world affairs. That urge continues to express itself in us,
in our people, strong as ever and nurtured by the knowledge that for all
that has been achieved on the liberation front, much more remains undone,
and therefore to be done, if the call by President Thabo Mbeki for an
African Renaissance is to become an existential experience for our people in
our time. I greet you in that spirit, and as one representing the ANC, the
oldest and therefore most senior liberation movement in our region, if not
on the continent.

Let me hasten to point out that we come to these talks with clear and open
minds. We bring no inordinate expectations, of any kind. We come with a
clear view of the legitimate and expected role of political formations in
our body politic, whether ruling or in opposition. Which ever way one looks
at it, political parties of and in any polity, are expected and indeed must
be patriotic and loyal. This is an ABC of national politics and thus cannot
be a matter for negotiation, whether here or anywhere else in the world.
This consideration is both a backdrop and a requirement, more so for a
people like us whose origins are steeped in a bloody history of immense
sacrifice.

Comrades facilitators I address you against the background of four
fundamental developments or realities conditioning the politics of our
country Zimbabwe.

Foremost is the fact of our indepndence attained in 1980 after a protracted
liberation struggle, which claimed many, many lives of our people.

That independence was predicated on the principles of majority rule and
complete transfer of power to the majority indigenous people of this
country, that is, black Zimbabweans, who then on, became a sovereign people
with a sovereign constitution and a sovereign Government they installed
through their will as expressed by way of a historic election of 1980.

This was the first ever non-racial general election conducted in this
country and made possible by pressures arising from the liberation struggle
prosecuted by none but ourselves.

We brought independence; we brought sovereignty; we brought democracy and
the ballot here, much against the undemocratic will and interests of Britain
and its kith and kin.

Today we not only claim authorship of the independence, sovereignty and
democracy in Zimbabwe, but we also declare ourselves guarantors of those
non-negotiable elements of our statehood.

The huge sacrifices which accompanied our rise to statehood makes the
sovereignty of this country sacred and sacrosanct, a non-negotiable issue we
are duty-bound to uphold, defend and augment for all times as Zimbabweans.

No one party, around or to come, can ever arrogate to itself the right to
negotiate our sovereignty.

Indeed, no one party can ask for permission to diminish our sovereignty
through associations, whether national or international, which may theraten
it.

Secondly, we have consolidated electoral democracy from 1980, without any
interruption of any form or kind. Our first genuine, non-racial election was
held in 1980 understandably under international supervision because this was
an election meant to solve the national question of political independence
and our sovereign rise to full statehood. We were not yet an independent
people and Britain had just reasserted its residual authority as the
colonial power here, having lost that authority to its rebellious kith and
kin who declared UDI here in November 1965. The circumstances of reassertion
of colonial authority here and the need for democratic majority rule and
untrammelled power transfer to the black majority, called for transitional
arrangements to bridge the disreputable era of UDI and the long-awaited
glorious dispensation of self-rule and sovereign independence.

Thereafter, we took full charge of our affairs and held elections on our
terms as a sovereign people. We had elections in 1985; elections in 1990;
elections in 1995; elections in 1996; elections in 2000 and elections in
2002. Apart from parliamentary and presidential elections, we have deepened
the electoral culture in our body politic by extending it to local
government and mayoral spheres. We have always run these elections on our
own, and have always ensured the highest integrity there can ever be to a
human ballot to ensure that the outcome is an honest one, unsoiled by
chicanery or some such malpractices that have characterised elections
elsewhere in the world. Where there is doubt, the courts have always been
available to re-examine outcomes and pass appropriate verdicts. We have
always abided by those verdicts. That we have had very few cases coming
before the courts since independence clearly shows not just the integrity of
our electoral processes which even our enemies have acknowledged, albeit
grudgingly, as foolproof, but also the efficacy of the institutional checks
and balances in the running our electoral affairs which make the outcome
inspire well-founded confidence in the integrity and secrecy of our ballot.
Outcomes have been determined by voters, which is why all parties including
my own party, have had to taste defeat at one stage or another, of one form
or another.

Comrades facilitators, in this respect, you are aware that in June 2000 we
had our Parliamentary election at which the opposition MDC made a good
showing but which, overall, was won by my Zanu-PF. That result gave us the
mandate to form a government and represent our people in the numbers we have
in Parliament for the next five years.

In March this year we held our Presidential election and for Harare and
Chitungwiza, mayoral and council elections as well. Whereas my Party
trounced the MDC in the Presidential election, it lost dismally to the MDC
in respect of mayoral and council elections. That mixed electoral outcome
gave my party Zanu-PF the right and mandate to fill the position of
Presidency of this country for the next six years, while giving the
opposition charge of some municipalities. We do not begrudge MDC for their
good showing in the municipal elections and we do not expect them to
begrudge us for our good showing in the Presidential election. I stress
again that this was a free and fair election and that our people; those of
Sadc as represented by their Governments; those of Africa as represented
both by their Governments and other sub regional forums and the continental
Africa Union; those of other Third World countries and forums, and other
Third World countries and forums, and others including China, all variously
pronounced the presidential election to be free and fair and a legitimate
expression and reflection of the will of the Zimbabwean people. Even the
Commonwealth, for all its criticism and self-fulfilling verdict, conceded
that the verification and counting processes were meticulously done, and
that the secrecy of the ballot was assured. Indeed this was also the verdict
of the European Union Observer Team in the June 2000 Parliamentary election.

Against this background Sirs, we start from the premise that the sovereign
people of Zimbabwe have spoken quite openly, clearly and emphatically.
Democracy bids that we all listen and abide by their wish.

This takes me to my third point which is that both de facto and de jure,
Zimbabwe has a lawful and legitimate Government whose mandate flows from the
general will and preference of the majority Zimbabweans as expressed through
the poll results of June 2000 and March 2002. That Government which is a
Zanu-PF Government has a clean, clear and unqualified mandate to rule, a
mandate deriving solely from the results of the two elections. Indeed, that
mandate cannot come from any other body or process, as that would amount to
undermining and usurping the will of the Zimbabwean people. And just as it
can not come from any other body or process, it cannot be withdrawn,
qualified or negotiated by any other body or process, other than the people
who confer it on us as competing political players. As in any other
democratic system, the legitimacy and mandate to rule comes from the people,
the Constitution and the Laws of our country, and from no other source or
authority. This third factor has to be appreciated in relation to the first
one regarding our sovereign independence. Our people, our sovereignty and
the Constitution and the laws which underpin that sovereignty are the prime
co-ordinates guiding national processes and outcomes. We fashion those
processes on that basis and understanding, defend them on the same basis and
judge them by those magnitudes. This is what motivates us to reject
completely any attempt to undermine, override or side-step our people, laws
and institutions, our people's verdict in preference for demands by outside
persons, views, institutions, laws or standards.

When we hold elections which are always a serious national matter of
exercising our sovereign right, our people do so to elect their leaders who
shall govern them. They do not participate in elections to please or
ingratiate themselves with Mr Blair, Mr Bush or some such Western leader,
let alone to vindicate some so-called universal polling standard which on
slightest inspection turns out to be either British, European or American,
and a standard not even practised in these countries as amply demonstrated
by the controversial election of Mr George Bush Jnr. Again it is significant
that the Commonwealth report admits that there are no universal poll
standards, noting Zimbabwe must be measured by its own standards. To us this
means measuring the result against the expectations of our people;
expectations of our laws and of course the demands of our sovereignty. We
value that principle and we defend the recent electoral outcomes by the same
principle. No one, I repeat, no one outside the people themselves has the
right to attenuate, let alone revise, the will of the people. Indeed, how do
mere parties who seek and compete to govern re-negotiate an electoral
outcome without undermining the will of the people as expressed through that
result? Or even to demand a re-run of such a poll whose outcome the people
have not rejected? As interested parties, surely we cannot claim to reject
the outcome on behalf of the people! The only legitimate way of questioning
a given outcome is by going to the courts as indeed the MDC did and
continues to do in respect of the June 2000 election. Of course just as we
do not begrudge their recourse to the courts, they should expect my party to
respond in similar ways. Not to seek an overthrow of a democratic ballot
result through stay-aways or some such unlawful challenges, including
treacherous international pressure.

As Zanu-PF we thus treat the result of the Presidential poll as
non-reversible and non-negotiable. My party has no time for some in our
midst who think we must go back in history to pre-independence days when we
needed "transitional arrangements" or "transitional mechanisms",
"international supervision", "confidence building measures", or some such
talk reflecting minds caught in a time warp and badly needing a reality
check. We have been independent for the past 22 years and those hungering
after colonialism can go back in spirit. As Zanu-PF, it's not our business
to accompany them. We therefore decline the sinister invitation to go back
in time in search of recolonisation. Zimbabwe will never be a colony again.

Fourth and last, but not least, we fought imperialism to ensure complete
sovereignty and transfer of power. Not just political sovereignty. Not just
political power! We sought and still seek complete and full sovereign power
over political, economic, social and cultural processes of our country.
These, naturally, are the ramifications of the sovereignty which we fought
for and which we insist on as a complete package. Twenty-two years after
Independence, we have not yet achieved complete transfer of power, with one
core component of that power, namely sovereign control over our natural
resources, principally land, still outstanding. This is the unfinished
business of our revolution and one that establishes the principal
contradiction facing our Nation as that between the colonial land-owning
remnant white European class backed by imperial Britain, Europe and America
on the one hand, and the struggling landless black people of Zimbabwe on the
other. This is a principal contradiction against which all else pales; one
which subordinates all other contradictions, requiring all patriotic
Zimbabweans to form a broad front to overcome it.

Comrades facilitators, we are gathered here to dialogue as two political
formations, Zanu-PF and MDC. Many, including our friends, have suggested
that these discussions should yield unity of the two political parties as if
they are unaware that this would undermine multi-partyism to which my party
is committed.

I shall be quite candid in my examination of this matter, hoping that my
candour will not be mistaken for combativeness. Lest we forget, Zimbabweans
and Zanu-PF are no strangers to the search for unity.

A cursory look at the history of our struggle and our present structures
will show that this is one value that has always motivated and animated our
efforts throughout our troubled life as a struggling people.

We go as far back as the First Chimurenga of 1893 and 1896-7 when unity was
struck between the two dominant tribes, the Shonas and Ndebeles, in
resisting colonial rule.

The early years of nationalist politics upheld the same principle. The
search for unity took a palpably compulsive form during the armed phase of
our struggle for independence; in December 1974 when the Lusaka Declaration
of Unity was signed to unite political formations in the then Rhodesia; in
1975 when the Zimbabwe People's Army (Zipa) was formed to unite the two
liberation armies of Zanla and Zipra; in 1976 when the Patriotic Front of
Zanu and Zapu was formed to harmonise operations of the liberation struggle
in order to forge a united front against British and Rhodesian imperial
manoeuvres at the treacherous Geneva Conference and Malta Talks; the
Government of National Unity formed in 1980 to unite all patriotic forces
and races for a new independent Zimbabwe; the landmark December 1987 Unity
Accord that ended conflict in our country and united Zanu-PF and PF-Zapu,
thereby consolidating our independence by uniting the people of Zimbabwe.

As we speak right now, we are a strong and united country enjoying
unparalleled peace and stability.

Allow me Comrades Facilitators to refer to a few lessons from this vast
chapter of experience.

May I refer to some experiences of unity during the years 1974 and 1975,
which yielded the ANC and Zipa.

The 1974 Lusaka Declaration of Unity brought together on the one hand
genuine nationalists and patriots who believed in "the inevitability of the
armed struggle" as the only instrument of bringing about genuine
independence and, on the other hand, quislings who were working with the
illegal Smith regime and had been deployed strategically to use the façade
of unity to neutralise the struggle by sowing contradictions within those
persecuting it.

Bishop Muzorewa and his ANC, then expected to be the overarching framework
for that unity, were soon to show their true colours by entering an internal
agreement with the Rhodesian Government, which led to the neo-colonial bogus
elections of 1979.

Far from being an instrument of struggle and of defending the interests of
the Zimbabwean people, the notion of unity had been prostituted for
neo-colonial ends.

It was bound to fail as indeed it did. We also had another attempt to
destabilise liberation movements through yet another organisation, which
sought to unite the fighting armies of the two liberation movements,
yielding Zipa.

Precisely because this amalgam sought to overthrow the political leadership,
it also failed, but not without inflicting needless costs to the revolution.

Our parties individually read well the pitfalls of unity, which is not
predicated on overarching nationalist patriotic goals and sound principles.

The gallant comrades then based at Mgagao in Tanzania in October 1975 were
to point out unambiguously that:

"We strongly register our support for national unity, but to us unity is not
an end in itself but a means to an end.

Unity is not a magic formula to liberation but is one of the weapons in the
struggle for liberation.

For unity to be meaningful in the Zimbabwean revolution, it should be based
on an arduous and relentless armed struggle because any other course of
action would make this same unity inimical to the liberation of Zimbabwe."

Again in 1977 at Chimoio when Zanu, itself a component of the Patriotic
Front, held its Congress in exile, our first Secretary and President, Cde R.
G. Mugabe noted that: "Unity is in fact more than mere harmony. It is an
active bond of aspirants who share in common given political beliefs. Unity
is integrative of constructive or progressive or revolutionary forces in the
direction of set goals."

Those experiences today inform our approach to unity, helping us draw a
distinction between revolutionary unity, counter-revolutionary unity and
reactionary unity. As was noted by the comrades at Mgagao, "Revolutionary
Unity is for the purpose of promoting and accelerating the revolution. In
this unity lies the strength of revolutionaries and we, as revolutionaries,
stand for such unity. Counter Revolutionary Unity is for the purpose of
arresting and setting brakes to the revolution. It is a weapon in the
service of reactionaries in their struggle to sabotage the revolutionary
struggle and is aimed at stamping out the flames of the people's struggles
Such counter-revolutionary unity can be brought about by puppets and stooges
of the reactionaries as a means of containing the revolution. Reactionary
Unity is the unity of the reactionaries themselves in the struggle for the
perpetuation of their existence, their evil rule and the suppression of the
broad masses of the people "

Needless to say, we seek revolutionary unity which is predicated on the
credo that Zimbabwe will never be a colony again. That is why we have set
the following parameters for ourselves:

· The inviolability of the Sovereignty of Zimbabwe.

· The sacredness and irreversibility of the Zimbabwean People's democratic
will as expressed through the recent presidential poll, as well as the need
to be guided by their strategic goals for the attainment of full
sovereignty.

· A complete end to political violence and complicity with imperial forces.
No party should instigate violence and lawlessness in order to use them as
pillars of a dishonest political manifesto.

As we start this dialogue, let us all understand and appreciate that there
are some issues which we should legitimately discuss and debate here and
other issues that are the responsibility of our constitutional and
democratically-elected Government. My prayer is that we will all have the
wisdom to distinguish between these issues.

Let me conclude by stressing that honesty is vital and should guide all our
discussions. Zanu-PF is committed to co-operating with nationalists and
patriotic Zimbabweans from all shades of opinion who accept our sovereignty
and are committed to defending it at all times.

We also stand ready to co-operate with all those who are committed to the
attainment of our economic independence and the empowerment of our people
through ownership of our natural resources. Needless to say we are naturally
opposed to co-operating with reactionary forces, whether local or
international, which are fronts of foreign interests that are hostile to
Zimbabwe.

I thank you.
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