The ZIMBABWE Situation Our thoughts and prayers are with Zimbabwe
- may peace, truth and justice prevail.
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News24

Compensate white Zim farmers
11/11/2002 14:25  - (SA)

Pretoria - The United Kingdom should honour its commitments and compensate
white Zimbabwe farmers who had lost land during the Zimbabwean land
distribution programme, Zimbabwean Foreign Minister Stan Mudenge said on
Monday.

He said issues of human rights and democracy should not be mixed up with the
right of white farmers in Zimbabwe to compensation, he said after a meeting
between South African and Zimbabwean ministers in Pretoria.

"Let's take the route of reason and try and persuade the British government
to honour its agreement so white farmers in Zimbabwe do not suffer the
trauma they are going through," Mudenge said.

"They should not be made to suffer."

He said the matter of compensation should not be confused the issues of
democracy and human rights.

"Nobody is saying drop the issues of human rights and democracy. But let's
not mix that with the rights of white farmers to be compensated."

Unlike the British government's "megaphone" approach, South Africa's quiet
diplomacy towards Zimbabwe has worked, Mudenge said.

"When your neighbour is down, you don't drive a lorry over him, you give him
a hand so he can get up,"
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IOL

Zim moves to restore land to white farmers

      April 11 2003 at 10:10PM

      By Peter Fabricius

The Zimbabwe government is moving to restore some confiscated farms to white
farmers, to compensate evicted farmers for improvements to their farms and
to amend draconian security and media laws, the South African government
said on Friday.

Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said there had also been "movement"
by the Zimbabwe government on fulfilling two other key undertakings it had
given to the South African government recently.

The Zimbabwe government had reported its progress on meeting these
undertakings at a meeting of SADC foreign ministers which Dlamini-Zuma
attended in Harare last week.

It is understood that the SADC ministers severely reprimanded Zimbabwe for a
recent spate of reported human rights abuses in response to an
opposition-led stayaway. The ministers reportedly told their Zimbabwean
counterpart that though SADC members had defended its land reforms, human
rights abuses were "indefensible".

Dlamini-Zuma would not comment on these reports but did confirm that human
rights had been discussed.

On the six undertakings, she said the Zimbabwe government told SADC it had
set aside about R450-million so far to compensate evicted farmers for
improvements they had made to their farms.

"Work was still going on" to do that, she said and South Africa's High
Commission in Harare was helping the South African farmers in Zimbabwe who
had been left with nowhere to farm.

And the Zimbabwe government had submitted legislation to parliament to amend
the draconian Smith-era Public Order and Security Act and the
recently-enacted media law which imposed heavy restrictions on journalists.

Harare had also moved to address the plight of the many foreign-born
farmworkers who had been evicted from farms seized from white farmers for
re-distribution. They had nowhere to go and no rights in Zimbabwe.

Now the government had introduced legislation to say that all those resident
in Zimbabwe at the time of independence in 1980 could become Zimbabwe
citizens.

And on the sixth undertaking, to address the economic crisis, she said the
Zimbabwe government had told them that government, labour and business had
agreed on "some kind of plan" to tackle the economic problems.
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Business Report

      Iraqi conflict a perfect example of the hypocrisy that governs global politics
        April 12, 2003

      Everyone you speak to looks to the war on Iraq to make a point on
their behalf.

      A lot of the anti-war lobby are, in truth, just anti-US activists
using a heaven-sent opportunity to make the point that the world's biggest
economy is out of control and needs to be curbed.

      Many of them are opposed to the entire western economic system, as
typified by the US, and seem to think that by protesting against the
invasion of Iraq they are making a stand against global capitalism.

      Personally, I see the Iraqi war as a perfect example of the hypocrisy
that governs global politics.

      Saddam Hussein is a bad, bad man who must be removed, whatever the
cost.

      Robert Mugabe is deemed equally bad but less capable of hurting the
wealthy West, so he must be chastised via "smart sanctions" but otherwise
let be.

      I don't advocate a military invasion of Zimbabwe (as I was against
them going into Iraq), but if even a fraction of the estimated $100 billion
that is being spent on toppling Saddam was ploughed into supporting
democracy around the world, tyrants would find they got away with a lot
less, and excess could be nipped early on.

      This would save everybody time, trouble, pain and hardship.

      Even the most cursory analysis of the facts points to the Iraq war
being about what the US sees (wrongly in my view) as its internal security
interests.

      The numbers just don't add up to it being about oil.

      The most ardent anti-war activists cannot claim that Saddam's regime
was a legitimate government that needed protection from a rapacious West.

      In his more than 30-year reign of terror, Saddam killed hundreds of
thousands of his own people and there is no reason to believe he would have
stopped had he been left in place. And when the time came, he would have
handed power over to one of his sons, who are, by all reports, as brutal as
their father.

      Sure, innocent Iraqis died at the hands of the coalition forces, but
many more would have died had Saddam not been toppled.

      It is clear that the US and UK should not have gone about things the
way they did - without UN sanction - as this has made whatever they do open
to question.

      But after resolution 1441 was ignored and its threats of "serious
consequences" rendered toothless by diplomatic shilly-shallying, it is
understandable why they chose the course of action they did.

      But it's done now - Saddam is out, the Yanks are in and victory has
been won for western-style democracy
      . Or so the talking heads would have us believe.

      But anybody who thinks the tough job is over and that Iraq will
magically transmogrify into a tame country inhabited by pathetically
grateful people ready to repay their debt of gratitude through acquiesence
is clearly off their head.

      The main problem the coalition will face is that there do not seem to
be any Iraqi groupings capable of taking up the cudgels and ensuring an
effective and complete transfer of power to a legitimate, democratically
elected civilian leadership.

      This means that after the US and UK have moved out, which they have
promised to do, there will be a power vacuum.

      And going on past experience, the coalition's choice of government
will probably not accurately reflect the people's choice.

      Puppets seldom do.

      Apart from anything else, if there are insufficient checks and
balances they have a nasty habit of turning on their handlers and becoming
replicas of the tyrants they replaced.

      This raises the point that if these checks and balances are those
cheques written out by the coalition to boost those balances being built by
the new rulers, the whole exercise will have been for nought.

      Pockets of anti-West resistance will inevitably remain, and settling
the country down so it can fulfil its vast potential and properly exploit
its enormous oil wealth will require an ongoing military presence.

      This means that although the war is effectively over, its effect on
the global economy - including us on the southern tip of the world's poorest
continent - could continue long into the future.

      Delays in bringing a semblance of normality to Iraq and the broader
Middle East (lest we forget abou


      t Israel in the melee) will extend the time those all-important
consumers in the world's wealthy nations continue keeping their wallets in
their pockets and their money in the bank.

      Should this transpire, the levels of uncertainty dogging global
markets will remain, standing in the way of investors in the US, Europe and
Japan putting cash into buying capital equipment, property and stocks.

      Delays or limited US successes will weaken President George W Bush's
standing ahead of the elections - probably the only good thing to come out
of the whole debacle.

      If things do not go according to plan, Bush could join Saddam as a
victim of regime change.
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Business Report

      Angloplat moves into Zimbabwe's treasure chest of reserves
      April 12, 2003

      By Bloomberg

      Johannesburg - Anglo American Platinum (Angloplat), the world's top
platinum mining company, will dig its first platinum mine in Zimbabwe at a
cost of $90 million as it competes with rivals to exploit the world's
second-biggest reserves of the metal.

      Angloplat, 70 percent-owned by Anglo American, would develop a mine on
the Unki deposit in central Zimbabwe to produce 58 000 ounces of platinum a
year and start production in 2007, the company said. Anglo's Zimbabwean unit
will partner Angloplat in the investment.

      The project pits Angloplat against its main rival, Impala Platinum, in
the race to exploit Zimbabwe's platinum reserves, which only lag those of
South Africa. Impala holds stakes in the two Zimbabwean mines producing
platinum, which is used to make jewellery and used in cars for devices to
reduce pollution.

      "Not to be left behind Anglo is doing the same thing, albeit on a
smaller scale," said Fidelis Madavo at Investec Securities.

      Zimbabwe Platinum Mines, controlled by Impala, opened its first
Zimbabwean platinum mine last year and the company holds a stake in the only
other platinum mine in the country, Mimosa. Zimbabwe Platinum plans to boost
output five-fold within a decade to a million ounces of platinum group
metals.

      The planned investment comes as Zimbabwe slides deeper into a
five-year recession and its worst-ever political crisis.

      "The world is short of platinum," said Dirk Kotze, a fund manager at
Coronation Asset Management.

      Platinum mining companies produced 5.88 million ounces of platinum
last year compared with demand of 6.37 million ounces, according to
estimates by Johnson Matthey, the world's largest marketer of precious
metals.

      Angloplat, which will control the Unki mine, said a share in the mine
would be sold to Zimbabwean investors. It will create 1 300 jobs. The ore
will be refined by Angloplat in South Africa.

      The planned investment would reverse a trend by Anglo of cutting
investment in Zimbabwe. Over the past three years it had cut its production
of ferrochrome from that country and sold businesses including cement makers
and sawmills. - Bloomberg
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ABC Australia

Lawyers descend on Melbourne

Legal professionals from 44 countries have descended on Melbourne for the
Commonwealth Law Conference.

Cherie Blair, wife of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is one of the
keynote speakers at the conference and is due to address delegates tomorrow
morning.

More than 1,300 lawyers, 150 international judges and 30 chief magistrates
are attending the conference.

Ron Heinrichs from the Law Council of Australia says there will also be a
delegation from Zimbabwe who had been imprisoned for defending people
opposed to the Zimbabwean government.

"One of the great things is to have them here and be seen to be supporting
them," he said.

"Human rights and rule of law will be right at the forefront of many of the
debates that take place."
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Zimbabwe Blames Foreign Powers for Civil Uprising

Sunday Times (Johannesburg)

April 13, 2003
Posted to the web April 12, 2003

Ranjeni Munusamy and Sunday Times Foreign Desk
Johannesburg

THE Zimbabwean government says it has "authentic information" that some
Western governments are working with the opposition Movement for Democratic
Change to "render the country ungovernable".

Zimbabwean officials told a meeting of Southern African Development

Community foreign ministers in Harare that they have "concrete information"
that Western powers, Britain in particular, are funding efforts to "unseat
the government". Diplomatic officials said part of the plan was to "stretch"
Harare's security forces to the limit through protest action, and to provoke
the government to "do things that should not be done".

A SADC task force on Zimbabwe, expected in Harare this week, will be under
pressure to respond to a damning Commonwealth report on Zimbabwe, which
warns of further deterioration in the political and economic situation.

The report, compiled by Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon, says
repression and human rights abuses have worsened since President Robert
Mugabe's disputed re-election last year, and that there has been no positive
response by the Zimbabwe government to Commonwealth initiatives to reform.

Zimbabwe was asked to promote political dialogue and national
reconciliation; implement steps to normalise the political situation;
promote transparent, equitable, and sustainable measures for land reform;
and engage the Commonwealth to achieve these outcomes.

McKinnon's report says Harare failed to fulfil these demands.

"The constitutional, legislative and electoral framework . . . remains
unchanged."

Zimbabwe's land reform has been "chaotic" and "the cause of much political,
economic and social instability". The report notes Zimbabwe's food crisis is
linked to land seizures and cites "conclusive evidence of the politicisation
of food assistance".

"Government and law and order institutions in Zimbabwe, including
parliament, the police, and the judiciary are functioning but are under
considerable pressure and constraints, with selective enforcement in many
cases and widespread allegations of abuses of power," it says.

"The MDC continues to function as an opposition, but faces considerable
harassment, pressure and politically motivated violence and intimidation,"
it says.

Mugabe is under pressure to release reports of the alleged massacre of
thousands of Ndebeles by government security forces during the 1980s.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Resources Foundation are
agitating for the reports to be published to initiate a national
reconciliation process. The attorneys are seeking a Supreme Court order
compelling Mugabe to release the findings of two government-appointed
commissions of inquiry into the alleged purges between 1982 and 1987 .
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This email came from a Belgian lady who has just visited Zimbabwe.

"My  friends in Zimbabwe asked me to send you this story. They can not do it themselves, because the landlines are tapped and emails are hacked and read by ZANU PF government; Also letters by post mail are not safe;
 
This is another story from Zimbabwe. After telling you about the children, the starvation, the difficulties to maintain a reasonable life, to feed orphans...... After telling you about what a beautiful country Zim is despite the political & economical situation...... After telling you about little baby's who are bound to die because of HIV/AIDS, lack of medicine, neglect...... After telling you about good people who give their lives for the children, youngsters who still care for their country and kin and are prepared to engage themselves for those who suffer ...... it is now time to tell you about what happens with people who happen to be in the wrong place at a wrong time. During my two week stay I met a man who was taken prisoner on the 18th of March, during the country wide stay away. He was accused to be an MDC-member, he was accused to burn a bus. This young man had nothing to do with these accusations. He is not politically engaged. He is just a man who happened to be on the road were a crowd was gathering. He was on his way to the shops. The only thing he wanted to do was to buy a loaf of bread for tea time, and then come back to his work. He did not participate in the stay away.  I knew him as a man with a big smile, a tall strong man, always full of cheers and jokes.
 
He was taken into jail on the 18 of March. He was unlawfully kept there till April 4, for three weeks;
When we saw him he was a broken man.
They put shackles on his ankles, then poured water over him and made him hold a wire; Then electricity was switched on. This happened repeatedly.
He was beaten and kicked;
they used a piece of wood with nails to beat the soles of his feet;
he was denied food;
he was left in dirt and cold and humidity;
 
When he came out, the veins in his legs and arms were black after torture with electric shocks; he was coughing black clots of blood; his left side was badly bruised and he had bruises all over his body; he had black marks in the palms of his hands where he was holding the wire; his feet were wounded from the nails that had gone into the soles;
He hardly could look up; he hardly could say a word; the only thing he said was :"Ma, Ma..."
He was a broken man, filled with hate against the people and the regime who did this to him;
He witnessed a 19 year old being killed in jail.
During his stay, at least 6 people died, he says.
1600 were put in  jail after that stay away;
 
I saw this man and spoke with him;
This information is first hand information;
 
A befriended doctor in medicine was asked to come and see him. He was examined and given strong antibiotics, ointments for the bruising and the veins. We took him to a diagnostic centre for a full chest X-ray, full blood count and urine test;
The symptoms were probably consistent with pneumonia. Blood and urine test I don't know.
 
Physically he seems to recover, also because of his excellent health condition beforehand;
Emotionally and psychologically he is a wreck.
 
Counselling is being organised for him, as well as a lawyer, since he got out on bail and has to go back for trial.
 
On television we saw other victims of torture : women rifle-raped in front of their husbands and children;
skins cut with glass;
burn marks
broken bones and bruises
humiliations all over.....
 
This is another story from Zimbabwe;
While the worlds' eyes are on Iraq, it turns it's head from countries like Zimbabwe;
 
Attached you find an interview with the victim;  I don't understand all the words he says. At the end there is a lot of blanks because we didn't have the time to write is out before I left and often didn't understand what he said;
It was not me who interviewed, I only helped a bit to write down what was taped; somebody else had started to fill in the blanks were I couldn't understand what was said but could not finish before I left."
 
Heidi
 
 

Interview with tortured Zimbabwean

 

·        But first of all if you can you tell me what happened from the time that you left here? when did you leave here to go out of the yard and why did you go?

·        I left at a quarter to six and I go to the tuck shop to buy some bread for tea time. Then I see the riot cars two Defendenders and two armored cars.  Then they start to shoot a gun for three times they say to stop then I stop then they take me away, putting me in the armored car.

·        where you by yourself?

·        Sorry ?

·        where you walking on your own?

·        Yeah – I went quarter to seven -  I want to buy a bread…

·        Yes but were you walking by yourself to the tuck shop ?

·        Yeah

·        What road were you on?

·        near  Alexandra Road -  they start to shoot the gun  3 times.

·        What kind of gun? A rifle ? A pistol or what?

·        no - a big one…

·        A big one?

·        Yeah and then one of them had a pistol and three of them had a big gun. I don’t know the size of or the name of the gun

·        Ok

·        They  shooting for three times. They said stop and I stopped – took me and put me in the armored car -  start to hit me with a simbi and I said : what’s the problem? He said : you know where the bus burned (?). And I said : I don’t know where the bus is burned. I want to buy a bread, then I come back to my work.  I live down there at St. Marcellin’s. There’s  no even a one understand me – took me to the armored car --- police Hatfield --- and he said bend down and I bend down. He start to hit me on the back here with a batten sticke and with a gun, back of the gun. I was maybe if I am not mistaken 10 or 12 soldiers at times then they start to hit me take me then there is another people they are taking me I think the ???? I don’t know where he is taking me he put – uh - in Shona in stocks

·        OK, stocks ja.

·        Uh, then he put me onto the ???  (electricity ?) and water. Then I know they are coming and take us. They are seventeen, uh , sixteen  Then he take us to Central. Then he hit us with the ??

The foot then at the back . After that after thirty minutes then he take us to another room it said DRC then he put us with a, put me with  the electricity on the foot and the hands. Put on for ten minutes then after that he said leave it, he start to hit me then after that he take us to the Central with the stocks there for four days. For four days he take us again to the electricity. I said stop, I don’t know where the bus is burning. I want to buy bread and then come back to my work.

·        They take us to the court on Saturday maybe the 30 ….

·        Was it last Saturday ?

·        No –they take us  - umm- 18 – 19 – 20 - the 21 – 22 to court – then go to the Remand,  then us go to the Remand. By the Remand they take us by the ?? ahh they struggle there. No food no what. You MDC but us not MDC. There us are struggle for 3 days – no food…

·        They gave you nothing?

·        Nothing.

·        Water ?

·        Water is there. Then my sister is coming after 3 days. She give me bread and potatoes and orange. I eat maybe 3 – 4 potatoes. They taking all the potatoes. They say “enough enough. Go back to the rooms”. Then us go back. Then after that they take us in the midnight : Us don’t know where you put your football. In fact us calling the law and order.

From that time you came and burned the bus…I said I don’t know from where the bus is burning. Then after that come in the court on Monday. On Monday he said OK come on the 4 April. Us go for the 4 April and me myself I said

I say to the magistrate : can you tell me the person who see me burning the bus. He said nothing. For the law and order? Can you tell  that … can you show me the person who burned the bus.  And he set bail at 10.000  and my sister can you give 10.000 bail and that why I am coming out.

·        Because you asked that question, that the magistrate say you can get bail?

·        Yeah, at 10.000

·        Did anyone else get out?

·        Ya… all of…all of us …

·        All of you - for 10.000 ?

·        10.000 each. 10.000 each. Now Mr. ………….,  here in Zimbabwe --- problem Zanu PF---when you want to fix  the  people, because they don’t like Mugabe  but now he fix the people. Some of the people there damaging some has died because of ZANU PF. His soldiers come kill the people for nothing

·        This, where hitting other people did you see anybody else being hit ?

·        See … ya, yeah…

·        Did you see….. did you see many people?

·        Many people, yeah … many-many yeah… one thousand six hundred ------------- some of those they are damaging all the legs. One – ah – came  that day, they  hitting with a batten stick hit a young guy for school. GONE.

·        And did you see that?

·        Yes, I seen it.

·        Did you see him fall down?

·        Yeah, near the gate near the gate of the Remand. Is it in Newland? Newlands ?

·        Newlands!

·        Enterprise Road there. And some of them they hit him today , after three days he coughing and then the cough disappears.- Where is it? No, us don’t know where it is. Some of the people is talking he is dead.

·        Do you know the name of the one that died near the gate?

·        Aaah, I don’t know but they say he’s come from Glenviews. And that when he was doing that in Mavukuo he is shooting him a guy : DEAD ! same spot !

Yeah sure! Shoot the guy and he’s dead. You are the one who is burning the bus and he is shooting him and he died where he stays near.

·        And when they shot at you, did they shoot in the air or shoot they towards you or….?

·        Near my head here. Some of it say : “Phew”  (imitates the sound of the bullet). He means to kill!

·        Sure?

·        Sure, not to say to stop, but he mean to kill. --- a soldier, one soldier wearing a red beret----He got a gun , he said he ???????????? coming. ????????? then shoot  ( again imitation of bullet sound) said again (twice imitation of bullet)stop, then I stop. Then I stop. I want to preserve my life , I  don’t know where the bus burned, I don’t know the time when the bus burned. I want to buy my bread and come back to work.

·        Yeah.

·        Mmm, at quarter to seven exact .

There were also, mmm……….

I forgotten he was also using a plank with some nails.( at this time he shows his foot).----- with some nails. That one who is using that planka, that one is  Chimomona … Chimomona , because one of that guy say  Chimomona. That’s how I know the name.

In  the Central there

·        …., is there anything else you can remember that you want to talk about?

·        Aaah ------ not -----

·        Like for example how many times they hit you, like they hit your feet. Did they do it one day or did they do it several times, or what?

·        No, is not one day, not one day. ‘cause you s  three days   first day   (day I taken  ??? )  --- second day and the third day------------------ (departmental ? another CID ?) --------

·        ---------------------- law and order and ------------------ hit me same day. Another day   CID -----  another day  law and order CIO.

·        Yeah…

·        Three times.

·        And now ………., how do you feel? Are you feeling afraid about the court case?  Are you afraid now about going to court?

·        Aaa – No…

·        Not worried ?

·        Not worried about the court.  I’ worried about my brother is coming today he said he is looking a lawyer.  I don’t know if its Chitungwisa, I don’t know?

Someone is  coming today  … in the evening - -------------------------- come in the afternoon at quarter past two   ----  OK ----- he’s coming on Tuesday ------------------ I don’t know-------------------- I don’t know --------- he take me , aaah,…………… -------------

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From The Sunday Times (SA), 13 April

Call for justice in Ndebele killings

Sunday Times Foreign Desk

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe is under pressure to release reports of
the alleged massacre of thousands of Ndebeles by government security forces
during the 1980s. After his ducking the issue for years, the Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Resources Foundation is needling Mugabe
to publish the reports and initiate a national reconciliation process. The
attorneys are seeking a Supreme Court order compelling Mugabe to release the
findings of two government-appointed commissions of inquiry into the alleged
purges between 1982 and 1987, when Zimbabwe was in embroiled in civil
strife. The reports on the conflict in the Matabeleland and Midlands
provinces were compiled by the Dumbutshena and Chihambakwe commissions.
Mugabe initially refused to release the reports, citing state security
concerns. Now, he's opposing their release because they would "open old
wounds". But lawyers say their publication would "assist Zimbabweans to know
the causes as well as the consequences of the disturbances, identifying the
victims and drawing lessons from the tragic events". Human-rights groups say
at least 20 000 Ndebeles were killed by forces deployed by Mugabe to crush
the now-defunct opposition PF-Zapu under the pretext of suppressing an armed
insurgency. Rights group Imbovane Yamahlabezulu say the events constitute
genocide and is calling for Mugabe's prosecution. In recent years, mass
graves have been discovered across Matabeleland. In 1999, during late
vice-president Joshua Nkomo's burial, Mugabe virtually admitted wrongdoing,
describing the massacres as an "act of madness" which would not be repeated
again.
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From ZWNEWS, 13 April

Star-studded Concert for Zimbabwe in London - 30 April

A star-studded concert will be held at St.John's, Smith Square, London SW1
on Wednesday April 13 at 7.30 p.m. to raise funds for a trust to help fly
international musicians to Zimbabwe, where cultural bodies are struggling to
keep the arts alive and available across the cultural and racial divide. For
people in and around London, attending the Concert for Zimbabwe is an
enjoyable way to show support for Zimbabwe - and it's not even political.
There will be a special guest appearance by Simon Callow. Others taking part
include the Maggini Quartet; Seta Tanyel and Piers Lane; Nokuthula Ngwenyama
and Margaret Fingerhut; Leslie Howard, Benjamin Nabarro and Jonathan Cohen;
Colin Carr and Hamish Milne.

There is a strong bond in music between Harare and Bulawayo. Performing Arts
Bulawayo has battled to bring classical music to Zimbabweans, has given
concert series and prestigious festivals on a shoestring budget, encouraging
indigenous artists and bringing in international performers who receive
nominal fees and marvellous hospitality. PAB is also the impresario for
Celebrity Subcription Concerts of Harare. Tours are coordinated so that
wherever possible musicians can play with both Harare City and the Bulawayo
Philharmonic orchestras. But it has become impossible to continue without
help from outside. For example, a return economy class airfare from London
now costs more than the annual salary of most professional Zimbabweans.

Tickets range in price from £35, which includes attending a reception to
meet the artists in the St. John's Crypt after the concert, through £25, to
£10 unreserved from the Box Office, St. John's (Phone 020 7222 1061, major
credit cards accepted.) Tickets can also be bought from Lisa Peacock
(lisapeacock@aol.com or phone: 020 7602 1416). Proceeds from the reception
will go towards the PAB fund, which also provides scholarships to the
Zimbabwe Academy of Music.
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THE PRESIDENT’S INDEPENDENCE AND EASTER MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE
 
This year’s Independence Holiday coincides with the festive period of Easter. Both of these occasions are supposed to signify hope and the renewal of life. It is a time we must remember our freedom from colonial bondage. A time to remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for people’s eternal freedom.
 
From both these epochal events we learn one lesson: if you want change expect pain. There is gain at the end of pain. Meaningful life is littered with periods of suffering. We have been through times so hard and perilous that even our neighbours in the region cannot even begin to imagine them. We have been confronted by death everyday but we shall never lose hope or surrender.
 
Through state sponsored violence, the gift of life has become meaningless for the majority of us and the cherished freedom and liberty associated with our independence have been destroyed. The nation has been robbed of hope and the country has been reduced to wasteland.
 
The young people of this country have nothing to look forward to under this regime except violence and death. Babies are not even allowed a chance to start in life because they are being slowly starved to death due to shortages of baby food. A nation without babies is a dead nation. Even baby clothing, a basic right, has become a source of agony for many parents because of costs. Women are without basic hygienic sanitary ware, including cotton wool.
 
The old and infirm look forward to only one option: certain death. There are no medicines, doctors and nurses in the country. Hospitals have been turned into vast mortuaries where people go to await their final moments in untold agony. We now have more than a million Aids orphans and thousands of child-headed households whose vulnerability in a scarcity economy has been totally ignored by the Mugabe regime.
 
Unemployment has deprived people of the dignity of providing for their families. The majority of us have been forced to accept a new culture of poverty. Each employed person is supporting at least 15 other people, thus placing an enormous burden on the few still in formal work.
 
Zimbabwe needs at least one million tonnes of maize to offset an expected shortfall by the end of the year. The Mugabe regime has made no attempt to alert the international community of this impending requirement.
 
The democratic space has been effectively abolished and peaceful protest is answered with bullets, teargas and bayonets. However, it is precisely this suffering, with its inherent cleansing value, that will give birth to a country and a nation that we all yearn for. A peaceful, compassionate, caring and prosperous country.
 
Such a country is no longer a nightmarish dream. It is fast becoming a reality. The bond between the MDC and the nation has been strengthened in the face of adversity. With our programmes of peaceful protests through mass action, we shall prevail and we shall overcome.
 
The Public Order and Security Act and other repressive laws will never stop the people’s determination to create changed circumstances in their lives. There is no force in Zimbabwe, which is stronger than the people’s peaceful resolve for change.
 
Throughout our history unjust laws had to be defied in order achieve our freedom. Stand ready for the final call to reclaim our dignity and freedom. You are the agents of change. We have now realised that change demands action.
 
Morgan Tsvangirai
PRESIDENT, MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE
Harare, Zimbabwe
 
 
Additional note: Zimbabwe celebrates 23 years of independence from Britain on 17 April. The National Executive of the MDC met in Harare today, Sunday, for five hours  and examined a number of issues and challenges facing the party. Serious decisions and resolutions were made at that meeting.
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Cahora Bassa Reduces Supplies to South Africa, Zimbabwe

Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)

April 11, 2003
Posted to the web April 13, 2003

Maputo

The supply of power from the Cahora Bassa dam in the western Mozambican
province of Tete has been reduced to the dam's two main customers, the South
African and Zimbabwean electricity companies, ESKOM and ZESA - but for
technical, not financial, reasons.

A spokesperson for Hidroelectrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB), the dam operating
company, told AIM on Friday that work began in March on rehabilitating the
Cahora Bassa power station.

Inevitably, this means a reduction in the amount of power generated. The
spokesperson said that the rehabilitation is scheduled to last for 15
months.

Currently two of Cahora Bassa's five giant turbines have been taken out of
service. Since each can generate 415 megawatts, this means that the
generating capacity of the power station has been reduced by 830 megawatts.

The electricity distribution plan had to be reorganised, which meant cutting
supplies to South Africa and Zimbabwe. The HCB source said that the dam's
third and smallest customer, the Mozambican electricity company, EDM, has
not been affected.

An article published in thursday's issue of the Zimbabwean "Financial
Gazette" claimed that HCB had reduced supplies to ZESA in March "because of
debt repayment arrears".

The HCB source denied this. He said that it was true that ZESA has been
classified as an "interruptible customer" because of its delays in making
payments - but that did not mean that HCB was cutting supplies on financial
grounds.

"ZESA could be cut off for non-payment - but it hasn't been", he said.

ZESA is certainly in deep financial trouble. The "Financial Gazette" article
said the company needs at least 165 million US dollars to pay arrears not
only to suppliers (HCB and ESKOM), but also to the World Bank, the European
Investment Bank and the African Development Bank.

The article alleged that ZESA "has been invited to take up a 25 percent
stake" in Cahora Bassa. But, since ZESA cannot pay its existing debts, let
alone find the money to purchase 25 per cent of HCB, the article claims that
Zimbabwe's Energy and Power Development Ministry recommends in a document of
26 March that HCB "should be given the opportunity to take up equity in the
Zimbabwean parastatal".

But the HCB spokesperson told AIM that this is entirely false: there is no
offer of shares to ZESA, nor does HCB at the moment have any intention of
buying into ZESA. "There is no proposal for either company to take shares in
the other", he said.

The matter had, however, been looked at three years ago, but no concrete
proposals were made. The idea was floated before the Zimbabwean economy
collapsed, and HCB did not intend reviving it in the current climate.

The major shareholder in HCB is the Portuguese state, which owns 82 per cent
of the company. The Mozambican state owns the other 18 per cent.

Changing the shareholding structure is among the contentious subjects that
must be discussed at tripartite meetings between the Mozambican, Portuguese
and South African authorities.
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SABC

AU still mum on Zimbabwe: Mbeki
 April 13, 2003, 16:45

            President Thabo Mbeki said today he could not express himself as
African Union (AU) president on the situation in Zimbabwe because the AU had
not taken a position on that yet.

            "You may well ask why it hasn't happened, but it hasn't," he
told a conference of editors from Africa, held in Midrand.

            Mbeki was responding to a question by a representative from the
privately-owned Zimbabwean paper Daily News, on why he could not as AU
president express himself more forcefully towards his Zimbabwean
counterpart, "put your foot down", to tell him that what was happening there
was wrong. If he did this, other leaders would follow suit, the journalist
said.

            Mbeki said the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was
dealing with the situation, including the issue of press freedom and various
pieces of legislation related to press, general and political freedoms. SADC
representatives recently received copies of proposed amendments to
Zimbabwean laws tabled in parliament.

            "I am quite sure the region will look at the amendments to see
if they address the concerns," the president said. "I am quite sure SADC
will continue its engagement with Zimbabwe to ensure the various matters are
addressed."

            Those included the reported assaults of people during and after
the recent general strike, he said. However, the solution of Zimbabwe's
problems lay fundamentally with its people, Mbeki added. He hoped the
negotiations started between the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union
(Patriotic Front) and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) -
which stopped due to the MDC's court challenge of the presidential
elections - would resume so the people of Zimbabwe could take charge of
their own future.

            Post war Iraq
            Mbeki said it was unclear what would happen to the world and the
United Nations after the war on Iraq.

            "As little countries we have got to say we must have a strong
multi-national system of government respected by all countries big and
small. We can't take a position where powerful countries can do as they
wish."

            The situation should end where people from outside the continent
determined what was wrong in African countries, and then dictated to them
how to deal with that and how to vote in the UN, on the basis of the money
they supplied to them, the president said.

            Governments should assert Africa's place in the global system,
he added. The implication of that was that they needed to position
themselves so they at least had moral authority. "You can't chop off
people's hands and expect to be respected by the rest of the world."

            It would also be good if there was a united voice emanating from
the continent. "The marginalisation must come to an end."

            Mbeki called on the media to familiarise themselves with what
was happening in Africa so they did not report incorrectly, and would not
require interpretation of events by outsiders. Perhaps they should look at
their capacity to share their information rather than to rely on foreign
news agencies. Qatari television network Al Jazeera had received compliments
for its ability to present the Arab world to the rest of the globe in a more
sensitive way, the president said.

            Maybe Africa should follow its example to portray itself to the
rest of the world, he said. "There is no reason why an African Al Jazeera
can't exist." - Sapa
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SABC

 Zimbabweans challenge Bush
 April 13, 2003, 15:45


            Disgruntled Zimbabweans in Johannesburg say the United State's
next target should be President Robert Mugabe. The "Concerned Zimbabweans
Abroad" group has taken to the streets to vent their anger about ongoing
human rights abuses in their country.

            "If George W. Bush is really earnest about democracy
internationally he should prove it to us. We've got a big dictator in Africa
and in Zimbabwe who is raping, killing and persecuting people...we also need
your aid," said Jay Jay Sibanda, of the group.

            "Our women in Zimbabwe are getting raped and the children are
being raped by the Mugabe militia when they are not supporting the Zanu (the
Zimbabwean ruling party) militia, " said Precious Mguni, also of the group.

            The protesters wore black armbands representing "the death of
democracy in Zimbabwe". The demonstration came five days before Independence
Day in Zimbabwe on April 18.
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MSNBC

Zimbabwe's attorney general retires early - paper

HARARE, April 13 - Zimbabwe's attorney-general, accused by the government of
failing to represent it effectively in several legal cases, has taken early
retirement, the state-owned Sunday Mail reported.
       The paper quoted Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa as saying Andrew
Chigovera, 50, would leave immediately. His early retirement is officially
effective from May 1.
       Chigovera was appointed attorney-general in August 2000 when
President Robert Mugabe reshuffled the cabinet following his ruling ZANU-PF
party's narrow victory over the opposition Movement for Democratic Change in
parliamentary elections.
       Late last year, officials from Mugabe's government accused the
attorney-general's office of failing to effectively represent Chinamasa and
Information Secretary George Charamba when they faced separate contempt of
court charges.
       The government has also accused several judicial officials of
deliberately bungling hearings to protect opposition members hauled before
the courts.
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The Times of India

Oppn's ad on torture list illegal: Zimbabwe

AP[ SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2003 09:37:48 PM ]

      HARARE: The government threatened to retaliate Sunday against an
opposition advertisement that names police officers allegedly identified by
victims of assaults and torture.



      Declaring the newspaper advertisement illegal, the government said it
intended to incite hatred and undermine the rights and integrity of
individuals in the security forces and were "a serious breach of the law,"
the state Sunday Mail reported.



      Information Minister Jonathan Moyo said the privately-owned Weekend
Tribune newspaper, usually a pro-ruling party weekly, gave the Movement for
Democratic Change assistance that was "unfortunate and totally unacceptable"
by publishing the advertisement in its latest edition, the Sunday Mail said.



      He described the Weekly Tribune as "an accessory" in a crime.



      "The publication by a newspaper that should know better of such a
blatantly inflammatory, malicious and clearly unlawful advert is intended to
incite and therefore constitutes a serious breach of the law," Moyo said.



      There were no immediate reports of arrests of Tribune managers or
opposition officials in connection with the Tribune advertisement.



      The full page advertisement lists the names of members of the police
and the Central Intelligence Organization, the secret police, the opposition
says were repeatedly mentioned by hundreds of opposition activists who have
been either assaulted, unlawfully arrested or tortured in custody.



      "We appeal to the families, relatives and friends of these officers to
discuss with them the implications of such alleged actions," it said.



      Moyo did not respond when the same advertisement first appeared in the
independent Standard newspaper on March 30.



      This month, the opposition has stepped up an anti-government publicity
campaign ahead of more protests it has promised against the rule of
President Robert Mugabe.



      Despite a crackdown on government opponents and the arrests of several
opposition leaders since a nationwide strike last month, the opposition
warned of public anger and retribution against officials, troops and police
seen to be "sustaining and oiling the dictatorship" of Mugabe.



      In the independent Daily News, the opposition named several ousted
African and foreign dictators who escaped their people's wrath by going into
exile, leaving behind their functionaries, supporters and beneficiaries.



      "If you are supporting the dictatorship in Zimbabwe today, it is
important to know you will be left alone to look after yourself and your
family," it said.



      Other bold color advertisements have shown photographs of victims of
alleged beatings and torture by state agents and troops.



      The opposition has vowed to hold more anti-government protests after
Mugabe's government ignored a March 31 deadline to begin democratic reforms.



      Police have arrested more than 500 opposition officials and activists
since the March 18-19 strike that shut down the economy.



      Independent human rights monitors said at least 250 people were
treated for injuries from assaults and beatings in the initial days of the
crackdown - which was strongly condemned by the U.S. State Department for
what it called unprecedented violence sponsored by the Zimbabwe government
against domestic opponents.
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ZBC

Politburo to decide on Chakaipa's hero status

The Zanu-PF Mashonaland West province committee has proposed that the late
Archbishop Patrick Chakaipa be declared a national hero.

In a letter to the Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration, Cde Emmerson
Mnangagwa, the Mashonaland West Provincial chairman and Member of the
central commitee,Cde Phillip Chiyangwa said archbishop Chakaipa was an
illustrious son of Zimbabwe who supported the liberation struggle.

He said Archbishop Chakaipa was instrumental in the arrangement of and
headed a delegation of the Roman Catholic clergy that met exiled nationalist
leaders in Zambia in an effort to bring peace to the war torn Rhodesia.

Cde Chiyangwa also noted Archbishop Chakaipa's unambiguous support for the
land reform programme in Zimbabwe.

The Zanu-PF's supreme decision-making body, the politburo is expected to
meet on Monday to deliberate on the hero status of the Archbishop.

Meanwhile the second requim mass in honour of the late Archbishop Chakaipa
was held in Harare on Sunday.

Vice President Cde Simon Muzenda was among thousands of Catholics and
protestants who thronged the Catholic Cathedral to view the body of the late
Archbishop and bid him farewell.
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The Australian

Zim police release Opposition MPs
From correspondents in Harare
April 13, 2003

ZIMBABWE police have released two opposition parliamentarians arrested
earlier in the week, charging one of them under the country's security laws,
their lawyer said today.

Jealous Sansole and David Mpala, both deputies for the opposition Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC) in the western Matabeleland province, were
released yesterday after three nights in jail.
Two of Sansole's relatives, who were arrested when they took the pair food,
were also released, lawyer Lucas Nkomo told AFP.
Sansole was charged with possessing a "false" document deemed prejudicial to
the state, he added. The legislator was granted bail of 50,000 Zimbabwean
dollars ($99).
The two men were arrested on Wednesday outside the country's second city of
Bulawayo, amid claims by the opposition of a state-sponsored crackdown
against its followers.

Their arrests brought to six the number of opposition MPs picked up by
police since a widely followed strike in March. Hundreds of MDC supporters
were also arrested.
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