The ZIMBABWE Situation
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Zimbabwe could evict more black, white farmers

Reuters

      Sat Jan 6, 2007 6:48 PM GMT

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's government said on Saturday it would issue
eviction orders and prosecute former white commercial farmers and new black
farmers occupying land illegally.

Security Minister Didymus Mutasa, who is also in charge of land reform, said
a law passed last month gave white farmers and illegal land occupiers 45
days to vacate gazetted land.

Mutasa did not say how many people or farms would be affected, but said the
government would issue offer letters to "those former farm owners who are
genuine farmers who desire to continue farming in this country".

In 2005, President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party used its majority in
parliament to amend the constitution, nationalising all agricultural land
and barring white farmers from challenging farm seizures in court.

The farmers or occupiers would be allowed to stay in farm houses for up to
90 days, according to the Gazetted Land Act, which was signed into law by
Mugabe on December 20.

"We are aware that there are around the country, former farm owners and land
occupiers who are in occupation of gazetted land without authority of the
acquiring authority", Mutasa said in the statement.

"My ministry will issue notices to vacate these and expect compliance in
terms of the law, failure of which will result in prosecution", he said,
adding that those found guilty would pay a fine or face a two-year jail term
or both.

Thousands of former white commercial farmers have lost their land under
reforms to redistribute land to blacks. Critics say the reforms have damaged
commercial agriculture and worsened a deep economic recession.

Only 500 white commercial farmers still own their land out of an original
4,500 in the year 2000.


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White Farmers Given Leases In Zimbabwe

Washington Post

19 Grants Signal Modification Of Divisive Land Reform Policy

By Craig Timberg
Washington Post Foreign Service
Saturday, January 6, 2007; Page A09

JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 5 -- Zimbabwe has granted long-term leases to 19 white
farmers in a step toward allowing as many as 1,000 white-owned commercial
farms to resume operating legally after years of land seizures, a top
government adviser said.

The issuing of the leases is the latest indication that Zimbabwe is pulling
back from the harshest elements of a seven-year-old land reform program that
has devastated its once-thriving agricultural sector and helped push the
annual inflation rate over 1,000 percent, the highest in the world.

The adviser, Sam Moyo of the African Institute for Agrarian Studies in
Harare, the capital, said the government is not abandoning an effort that
has given farms to tens of thousands of landless black peasants. But he said
it is now clear that Zimbabwe has sufficient fertile land to also allocate
modest plots to most of the white farmers who remain.

"There's enough land to accommodate a thousand white farmers," Moyo said
from Harare. He outlined the plan in Thursday's editions of Britain's
Guardian newspaper.

Many white farmers have rejected the move as a desperate bid to revive the
country's economy without restoring their property rights. The new leases
are for 99 years but include conditions that would allow government
officials to easily revoke them, and the leases can be bought and sold only
with the approval of the government.

Farmers say that few banks will lend the capital necessary to restart major
commercial operations without legally recognized, transferable deeds.

"They don't seem to be serious," said Trevor Gifford, vice president of
Zimbabwe's Commercial Farmers Union, speaking from the eastern border city
of Mutare. "Those 99-year leases they've issued are not worth the paper
they're printed on."

Gifford was once a prominent promoter of the government's on-again,
off-again effort to allow some white farmers to legally return to their
land. But his public optimism about the government's intentions dimmed in
May after his 600-acre farm was taken over. Ten families now inhabit the
farm, and commercial cultivation has halted there, he said.

"It's very obvious the government is not interested in production, or even
protecting the existing businesses," Gifford said Friday.

Land has long been an emotional, politically explosive issue in Zimbabwe, a
southern African country of 12.2 million people that was once the region's
breadbasket, producing lucrative surpluses of corn and tobacco.

Before the land invasions began in 2000, an estimated 4,500 white families
owned most of the fertile land in a country whose citizens were
overwhelmingly landless blacks. The average size of commercial farms in that
era, Moyo said, was nearly 5,000 acres.

President Robert Mugabe, in power since the end of white-minority rule in
1980, backed the land invasions, which were spearheaded by self-proclaimed
veterans of the guerrilla movement he once led.

Land redistribution, however chaotic and violent, was popular in some areas,
but many of the new owners -- including some members of Zimbabwe's business
and political elite -- lacked the expertise to run large-scale farms.
Agricultural output collapsed, as did a national economy long dependent on
farm exports. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, became a chronic recipient of massive
international food aid.

Most of the white farmers have fled -- in some cases starting new
agricultural ventures in Zambia, Mozambique or Nigeria -- or left the
business.

Moyo estimated that 600 white farmers continue working in Zimbabwe, though
often on plots one-tenth their previous size, and said that 300 or 400
former farmers would like to return to work. The Commercial Farmers Union
gives similar estimates, saying that nearly 1,000 current and former white
farmers have applied for long-term leases from the government.

Among the contentious issues remaining is whether white farmers must
surrender the deeds to their land to qualify for new leases. Many have
locked them away in safes or in bank deposit boxes in other countries, with
the intention of waging legal battles to reclaim the property when Mugabe is
no longer president.

Moyo said that he did not expect that white farmers would have to relinquish
their deeds but that they have been made void by a 2005 constitutional
change nationalizing all property in Zimbabwe.

Government officials have for the past year made contradictory statements
about the nature and extent of their plans to issue long-term leases to
white farmers.

Moyo said the debate has often been confused by semantic distinctions, with
the government seeing the new leases as an extension of the land reform
program rather than a reversal of policy.

"What they are against is having oversized white farms, or too many white
farms," he said.


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Zimbabwe probed on "blood diamond" worries

Reuters

      Sat Jan 6, 2007 1:52 PM GMT

By Eric Onstad

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Industry body The World Diamond Council is worried
that gems from Zimbabwe might be finding their way on to the black market, a
violation of rules on curbing so-called "conflict diamonds" that fuel civil
wars.

The diamond sector is making extra efforts to police itself amid fears
jewellery sales will be hit by the release of the Hollywood film "Blood
Diamond" that shows atrocities in civil wars financed by illicit gems during
the 1990s.

The New York-based council received reports that diamonds in Zimbabwe were
being smuggled into neighbouring South Africa, where they were being
certified as legimate and exported, WDC Chairman Eli Izhakoff told Reuters
late on Friday in an e-mail.

Izhakoff, who was replying to written questions, said he sent a letter last
month to the incoming chairman of the Kimberley Process, a watchdog body set
up to stamp out trade in conflict diamonds.

"Such illegal exportation presents a clear threat to the integrity of the
legitimate export process as a whole," Izhakoff said in the letter dated
December 15.

The Council said it had reports that rough diamonds from Zimbabwe's River
Ranch mine and from the Marange district were being smuggled out of the
country.

MINE DENIES SMUGGLING

A legal consultant for River Ranch, which restarted mining in June 2006
under new ownership after going into voluntary liquidation in 1999, told
Reuters on Saturday the firm denied its diamonds were being smuggled.

"I am a bit distressed at the World Diamond Council," retired judge George
Smith said. "We have not sold any diamonds yet and Ministry of Mines
officials are in the process of checking our security systems."

Illegal mining is rising in Zimbabwe as people grapple with an economic
crisis that has seen inflation rise to over 1,000 percent, the highest in
the world, and poverty levels soar.

Zimbabwe is a small diamond producer with official figures only available
from Murowa, 78 percent owned by mining group Rio Tinto Plc and 22 percent
by RioZim Ltd, listed on the Zimbabwe stock exchange.

Rio Tinto said that its share of output at Murowa was 148,000 carats during
the first nine months of 2006.

The diamond industry worries that consumers will shun its luxury products
after seeing "Blood Diamond", starring Leonardo DiCaprio and set during
Sierra Leone's civil war, notorious for drug-crazed rebels who hacked limbs
off women and children.

The Kimberley Process, under which governments issue certificates to
legitimate diamond exports, has helped reduce illicit diamonds to less than
one percent of the total, the diamond industry and activists say.

The European Commission official Karel Kovanda, which took over the chair of
the Kimberley Process on January 1, said in a letter dated December 22 in
reply to Izhakoff that the matter would be investigated. Izhakoff provided
his letter and the reply to Reuters.


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Zesa Workers End Strike



The Herald (Harare)

January 6, 2007
Posted to the web January 6, 2007

Harare

ZESA HOLDINGS workers ended their strike yesterday to await the outcome of
an arbitration over their deadlock with management over salary increases.

The workers went on strike on Thursday demanding a 1 150 percent salary
increase, well above the 144 percent offered by the power utility.

Zimbabwe Electricity and Energy Workers' Union spokesperson Mrs Stembinkosi
Dube said the three unions collectively representing workers were preparing
their heads of argument for the arbitration.

"We are currently preparing our heads of argument and the position of all
the unions is that the workers' strike was spontaneous as a result of a
circular issued by management," Mrs Dube said.

She, however, refuted claims by Zesa management that the striking workers
had deliberately disconnected power supplies and blamed the power
disruptions that brought some businesses to a halt in central Harare on
faults.

The situation at Zesa headquarters in Harare yesterday was normal with
people paying their bills.

Zesa spokesperson Mr James Maridadi confirmed that workers had returned to
work and business was back to normal.

However, Mr Maridadi said the workers representatives were misrepresenting
facts by claiming that the lowest paid worker was earning $23 000.

"The $23 000 is the basic salary for casual workers but together with other
allowances including housing and transport it adds up to about $65 000.

"This is factually incorrect. The gross and net salary for the lowest paid
worker is $64 748,75 and $61 902,71 respectively," Mr Maridadi said in a
statement.

He said the staggered 144 percent increase management was offering would
translate to a net salary of $106 271,15 in January, $116 796,99 in February
and $128 199,98 in March.

Zesa workers went on strike on Thursday after a deadlock with management
over the salary increase.

The workers were demanding a 1 150 percent salary increment citing rising
inflation and cost of living with the food basket of a family of six now
pegged at $245 000 per month. But management offered them 144 percent.

Mr Maridadi said despite the deadlock management was going to award the
workers the 144 percent for the first quarter of the year while awaiting the
outcome of the arbitration.


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Shearwater - Elephants - A response

Kenya News Network

 Special Feature  Last Updated: Jan 6th, 2007 - 01:18:32

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

           
            By topi lyambila
            Jan 6, 2007, 00:48

      Last week we carried a report from the National Council of SPCAs
saying wild elephants in Zimbabwe are being captured and exploited for
commercial purposes.

      NSPCA spokesperson Marcelle Meredith said then that 10 juvenile
elephants, aged between 5 and 10 years, were confined in enclosed bomas in
more than a metre of their own dung. "One elephant has already died," she
said.

      The juvenile elephants were forcibly removed from their natural herds
by Shearwater Adventures last month. The remaining elephants were confined
in bomas measuring about 25sq m.

      Shearwater Adventures have denied the allegations and here appended is
their response;

      1. The ZNSPCA position, and apparently that of the NSPCA in South
Africa, is that they are "opposed to the domestication of any wild animal".
It is understandable therefore that they would object to elephants being
used in the tourism industry.
      2. Unfortunately the NSPCA view chooses to ignore the fact that in
Zimbabwe we have a policy, which embraces the sustainable use of our
wildlife resource. In addition they ignore that many much needed jobs are
created as a result, that much need foreign currency is generated, that a
large portion of the proceeds generated through the elephants commercial use
goes directly back into the welfare of the elephants being used, and that a
portion of the profits generated are channeled back into wildlife
conservation, community and research projects. It also ignores the fact that
many people relish the opportunity to ride and interact with an elephant, to
learn more about the elephant and as a result take a greater interest in the
conservation issues surrounding them.
      3. The NSPCA press release, and subsequent press articles, have been
published containing the following untruths;
      3.1 That the elephants are standing in huge piles of dung. NOT TRUE.
The bomas are cleaned, and fresh sand laid down, on a daily basis
      3.2 That the condition of the elephants is deteriorating. NOT TRUE.
Their condition is generally improving. Veterinary reports confirm this.
      3.3 That a number of the elephants have developed dermatitis, a skin
condition. NOT TRUE. Only one elephant has a small patch of dermatitis, a
condition it has had since capture. This is being treated according to
veterinary instruction, is being monitored closely and is responding well to
treatment.
      Veterinary reports produced do not support the allegations NSPCA and
others are making.
      4. The NSPCA press release neglected to mention that three veterinary
inspections have been carried out by Government Vets and that these are
continuing at regular intervals. The most recent veterinary report shows
that;
      - Most of the elephants are in good bodily condition.
      - Only 2 are still displaying any signs of stress (however both have
made great progress in the last week and since the last Vets report).
      - There is no evidence of disease.
      - That the elephant with the dermatitis is responding to treatment.
      - There is no evidence of cruelty.
      Veterinary inspections are ongoing. We are also taking advice from a
number of experts and acting according to that advice.

      5. The suggestion by NSPCA that these elephants might be returned to
their herds is as ill informed as it is impractical. The animals were
captured from eight different herds, not one as NSPCA suggests, and these
will have migrated far away from the area with the onset of the rainy
season. This is not an option.
      6. The suggestion that the release of these animals into the
surrounding game reserve would be in the elephants best interests is new and
ill informed. In fact we were surprised when ZNSPCA made this suggestion as
their Chief Inspector, Ms. Glynis Vaughan, had initially stated to us that
"release is not an option" and that her only concern was the elephants
welfare. Were such a release to take place ZNSPCA have suggested that
Shearwater should be responsible for monitoring the situation. This is not
consistent with the false allegations of irresponsibility and brutality that
they have made against us.
      It is the overwhelming opinion of experts on this issue that such a
release would end in tragedy and in fact, some have stated that it would be
better to destroy the elephants rather than release them. Yes, we have
resisted calls to release the elephants, into a reserve which does not have
the carrying capacity to sustain them, where they will come into contact
with wild breeding herds, bachelor bull herds, our existing domesticated
herd, other reserve wildlife, and where they will have no herd structure or
leadership themselves. It is also possible that the released elephants would
pose a threat to tourists visiting the reserve. Such a release could only
end in tragedy.
      7. On the 20th December 2006, having failed to secure the release of
the elephants, ZNSPCA filed a complaint with the police resulting in a
charge of contravening the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act against us.
Effectively we have been charged with cruelty despite the fact that on the
very next day a Government Vet issued a report stating that his inspection
"did not reveal any evidence of cruelty to the elephants". A subsequent
veterinary inspection has confirmed this. It is the opinion of our legal
advisors that there is no prospect of bringing a successful prosecution. We
consider this further evidence of their malicious intent and heavy-handed
approach.
      At this point we would like to state that we had previously agreed,
without hesitation, to cooperate with ZNSPCA Chief Inspector Ms. Glynis
Vaughan. We granted Ms. Vaughan unrestricted access to our elephants on the
understanding that we would work together to ensure the elephants welfare.
It is regrettable that somewhere along the way the ZNSPCA agenda changed and
that they chose to work against us rather than working with us. This despite
numerous assurances from Ms. Vaughan that their only interest was the
welfare of the elephants.
      We understand that the NSPCA is currently soliciting for donations for
the ZNSPCA for the release of the elephants despite the advice of numerous
experts to the contrary. To demand a release also goes against the initial
statement made by ZNSPCA Chief Inspector Glynis Vaughan that "releasing the
elephants is not an option".
      8. That the NSPCA should choose to use this story to raise funds by
publishing false, damaging, misleading and malicious information is
extremely dishonest. Our legal advisors have written to the ZNSPCA and are
seeking an audience with them to review the situation. The possibility that
we will seek legal recourse against ZNSPCA cannot be ruled out at this
stage.
      9. With regard to the current status of the elephants, they have
generally settled down well and are acclimatizing to their new home where
training has begun. It is important to note that all training is done
according to the highest standards prescribed in R.B Martins, Guidelines for
Management and Training of Domestic Elephant, as well as other accepted
norms and standards for the industry. These methods include an approach that
encourages, "... the elephants to live a life similar to that of wild
elephants - with the added feature of a close relationship with humans".
This model of domestication allows the elephant to be an African elephant.
The domesticated elephant will be allowed to wander freely and feed normally
as in wild habitats and as the other ten Shearwater elephant do on a daily
basis.
      The relationship being built between elephants and their trainers and
handlers is a willing relationship based on mutual trust and respect rather
than one based on dominance. It contrasts sharply with those systems which
rely on breaking the elephant's spirit as used elsewhere in the world. This
atmosphere of trust results in greater safety for all those in contact with
the elephants. The suggestion that we are likely to rush the training
process due to commercial pressures is unfounded. We already have a
domesticated herd of 11 elephants which is more than sufficient to meet our
commercial needs as we go into what is traditionally our low season. Our
trainers are under no pressure whatsoever and have been assured that
whatever resources they require to look after the welfare of the elephants
will be made available to them.
      The result is that these elephants will enjoy many free hours foraging
in the wild just as the other Shearwater elephants do. This is the way the
majority of elephants have been trained and cared for in Zimbabwe for the
past 20 years. It is a tried and tested model and one recognized by a wide
number of experts including Daphne Sheldrick. Essentially it allows plenty
of time for the elephants to be elephants.
      10. Finally we would point out that Shearwater is a highly reputable
tourism operator with 25 years of experience in the business. We subscribe
to the highest of standards and at all times place the safety of tourists
first together with the welfare of their elephants. We have, and will
continue to contribute to a broad range of conservation organizations and we
are strongly committed to working with, and educating, local communities
through our "Wisdom 4 Wildlife" programme. We are currently in the process
of establishing a "Shearwater Conservations Trust" which will manage the
portion of the revenues generated by the elephants which goes back into
conservation and research programmes. An "Elephant Welfare and Retirement
Fund" is also being established to ensure that funds are available so that
we can care for the elephants once they reach retirement age or should they
become unable to continue working in the tourism industry.
      In conclusion we are of the opinion that the ZNSPCA and NSPCA have
conducted themselves very poorly in this matter and has failed to publish,
or even consider, the true facts. Veterinary reports confirm that the
elephants are being well cared for and the training process is proceeding
well and to accepted high standards. The welfare of the elephants remains
our priority and it is simply not in our interests that these elephants
should be mistreated in anyway.
      Should further information be required please contact either Mr. Greg
Vogt of the Elephant Tourism Association or Mr. Allen Roberts of Shearwater
Adventures on the following contact details:

      Greg Vogt
      Elephant Tourism Association
      Email: greg@dsa.co.za or gvogt@mweb.co.za
      Telephone: + 27 44 382 7078

      Allen Roberts
      Shearwater Adventures
      Email: allen@shearwater.co.zw
      Telephone: +263 (0)13 42172/3, 40058. 40056


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Shaukat Aziz approves revised draft of pact for troop deployment to Zimbabwe

pakistanlink.com

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has approved the revised draft of an
agreement for deputation of Pakistan's armed forces personnel to Zimbabwe to
improve military and defence cooperation between the two countries, sources
in the Defence Ministry told Daily Times on Friday.

The sources said that according to the revised agreement, the armed forces
personnel selected for deputation to Zimbabwe would get enhanced monthly
packages. The draft agreement contains 26 articles that define terms and
conditions of the deputation, which have been mutually agreed by the
governments of Pakistan and Zimbabwe, the sources added.

They said that officers from the rank of captain to brigadier and those of
equivalent ranks in the Air Force and Navy on their deputation to Zimbabwe
would get monthly salary in the range of $1,500 to $3,300 and other
allowances and privileges such as free accommodation and medical cover. The
sources said that the monthly salary of troops in lower ranks would be from
$615 to $712 besides other allowances and privileges.

"The duration of appointment on deputation in Zimbabwe will be of two years,
extendable for another year. The officers will be entitled to $30,000 and
other ranks $15,000 comprehensive insurance to be offered by the government
of Zimbabwe," the sources said, adding that the previous agreement was
revised on Pakistan's request after the Zimbabwe government asked Islamabad
for provision of six flight instructors.

The sources said that Pakistan agreed to provide technical assistance and
training facilities to Zimbabwean armed force and signed an agreement in
this regard on April 29, 1983. "The revised agreement would ensure better
conditions to our troops on deputation because the terms and conditions
under the 22-year-old agreement were not feasible keeping in view the
increased cost of living," the sources said. "The new agreement will be
renewable after every five years and will extend automatically until one of
the two parties requests for changes or termination of the agreement," the
sources added.
Courtesy DailyTimes.com.pk


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Panners Destroy 54 Graves in Search of Gold



The Herald (Harare)

January 6, 2007
Posted to the web January 6, 2007

Brenna Chigonga
Harare

GOLD panners in Shamva have desecrated and destroyed 54 graves after
discovering a gold belt that cuts through a cemetery.

The cemetery is located in Moyo Village under Chief Negomo, some six
kilometres from the Shamva-Bindura Road.

The shocking revelation was made last weekend when some villagers who had
come to bury their relatives discovered mineshafts within the cemetery.

The matter was reported to both the chief and police, who have since set up
mobile police stations within the village to investigate the issue.

Assistant Inspector Frank Manyika, who is leading the team of police
officers manning the village, confirmed the incident.

"About 54 graves were tampered with and destroyed at a cemetery in Moyo
Village. We have since set up mobile police stations in this village. No
arrests have been made so far since the police moved in.

"Although the setting up of the mobile stations is also in line with the
current anti-gold panning campaign, we are aiming to curb further
destruction of the graves," he said.

Village headman Mr Wengion Kanengoni, who confessed to be a gold panner,
condemned the action by his fellow panners saying the graves would have to
be rebuilt.

"It is surprising to learn that 54 graves have already been dug up by the
same villagers whose relatives are laid at this cemetery.

"Some of the graves have been totally opened up exposing human remains that
we have since reburied.

"I reported the matter to Chief Negomo and we are planning to rebuild all
the graves that were badly destroyed," said Mr Kanengoni.

Mr Svinurai Maseta, who lives in the same village, said some human remains
were left exposed and villagers had to fill the shaft to cover them.

"Human skulls were also seen when these shafts were discovered and villagers
had to fill up the shafts in order to rebury the remains," he said.

Some villagers also condemned the destruction of the cemetery saying it was
clear testimony some people were losing their morals and cultural values for
the love of money.

Since November 21 last year, over 19 000 people have been arrested in
various police crackdowns on illegal gold panning.

However, despite the current nationwide blitz on gold panning and smuggling
of precious metals codenamed "Chikorokoza Chapera/Isitsheketsha Sesiphelile"
that is being conducted by the police in conjunction with the Ministry of
Mines and Mining Development, illegal mining activities continue in areas
like Shamva, Chiweshe and along the Mazowe River.


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Illegal Gold Panners Turn to Robbery -- Police



The Herald (Harare)

January 6, 2007
Posted to the web January 6, 2007

Midlands Bureau
Harare

GOLD panners flushed out by Operation Chikorokoza Chapera in Kwekwe have
turned to robbery and mugging to survive.

Police in the Midlands confirmed that since the launch of the blitz, there
had been a dramatic rise in robbery cases in the city.

Kwekwe, with its vast gold resources had one of the highest high number of
gold panners in the country.

Midlands provincial police spokesman Inspector Patrick Chademana said police
in Kwekwe were receiving reports of about five robberies every week.

"It looks like the people who were involved in illegal panning activities
are the same ones who are now robbing people because they are desperate.

"However, that is not acceptable to us and we will make sure that we deal
with that promptly," he said.

Residents said robberies and muggings, some perpetrated in broad daylight
were now the order of the day.

They said the crimes were concentrated in the high-density suburbs of Mbizo
and Amaveni.

"Those people were used to living a carefree life as they handled huge sums
of cash, now they are desperate and are resorting to robbing us. Almost
everyday you hear of people being robbed or mugged and we are living in
constant fear of these unruly people," said one Mbizo resident who declined
to be identified.

Insp Chademana said police in Kwekwe had launched an operation code-named
Operation Mabhinya/ Izigebenga/Armed Robbers meant to deal with robbers.

"The operation was launched on December 26 and it involves all members of
the police force including the dog section, Criminal Investigations
Department and regular duty (uniformed) as well as the cycle patrol unit and
neighbourhood watch committee.

"We have increased our patrols day and night with a concentration in Mbizo,
Amaveni and the central business district," he said.

"There is no turning back on this exercise until we are satisfied that there
are no more robberies in the city and that all culprits are brought to
book," Insp Chademana said.


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WOZA`s Jenni Williams to address London Meeting Monday

Dear All,

WOZASolidarity is pleased to announce that WOZA
co-ordinator Jenni Williams will be in London on
Monday 8th January and will be speaking at the
upstairs function room of the Theadore Bullfrog pub in
central London.

Jenni will be updating us on WOZA`s latest activities
including the nation wide consultations on social
justice which WOZA have been holding throughout
Zimbabwe and the resulting Peoples Charter recently
launched in Bulawayo and Harari.

DATE: Monday 8th January
TIME: 7.30 for 8pm
VENUE: Theodore Bullfrog Pub, 28 John Adam Street,
London WC2N (nearest tubes Charring X and Embankment).

for more information ring Lois on 07811452030


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China-Africa Cooperation to Break "Products-for-resources" Doctrine

People's Daily

In his office in Harare, Frank Wu oversees a team of local administrative
staff that run his company, Shomet Industry Development -- one of the
largest Chinese companies in Zimbabwe.

Wu was sent to Zimbabwe in 1999 as an employee of a state-owned Chinese
enterprise. Two years later, he left the company to start up his own
business in the country.

At that time, when some farmers that had benefited from the Zimbabwean land
reforms wanted to increase production, Wu found that agricultural machines
were badly needed. He bought up some used machines and materials, and
managed to re-equip and design them all by himself. Orders started to flood
in and along with it, loans from local banks, helping to grow his business.

After its initial success, Wu's company then entered into the local
construction, engineering, transportation and furniture sectors. Now all of
Wu's businesses have been thriving. Every month he pays wages to nearly 400
local employees, each from 100 to 500 U.S. dollars, compared with the
country's annual GDP of no more than 300 U.S. dollars per capita.

Wu lives with his family in Zimbabwe, so he has only been back to China once
since they moved. "When I had just started up my business, I could not
afford the air tickets, but now I do not have time to go back", said Wu.

However, Frank Wu is not alone -- over 5,300 Chinese-born citizens currently
reside in Zimbabwe, helping him to find an outlet with which to disperse his
nostalgic mood.

Looking at the bigger picture, Chinese businessmen are now spreading across
the African continent - from Somalia on the banks of the Red Sea, to Morocco
bordering on the Atlantic Ocean. There is barely an African nation that has
been ignored by them.

They build up huge manufacturing plants, providing products ranging from
daily necessities and home appliances to motorcycles. They also set up
Chinese markets to sell their cheap goods labeling them as 'Made in China'.

The Chinese entrepreneurs have constructed huge infrastructure networks to
service the areas surrounding their factories -- ranging from railway
networks and houses to hospitals and schools.

In some oil-producing countries like Sudan and Angola, Chinese companies
have helped to establish oil refining facilities.

Along with the industrialists, Chinese leaders are not far behind. Chinese
President Hu Jintao visited Nigeria, Morocco and Kenya in April this year,
and Premier Wen Jiabao swept through seven African countries in June.

In November 2006, Beijing hosted the inaugural Sino-African summit, giving a
lavish welcome to leaders of 48 African countries in the hope of forging
'new strategic partnerships'. This paid dividends for both sides, resulting
in bigger contracts for Chinese businesses, more aid for Africa and
cancellation of debts for the most underdeveloped African nations.

High-level exchanges help to promote international economic relations.
Chinese companies, albeit mostly sate-owned, are heading for Africa with
more and more employees, technology and investment -- an aggregate 6.3
billion U.S. dollars at present. On top of this, the trade volume between
China and Africa has quadrupled since 2000, and is expected to exceed 100
billion U.S. dollars by 2010.

However, the present nature of Sino-African trade -- largely products in
return for resources -- has raised concerns that relations between China and
Africa has the potential to become akin to that of the old European colonial
empires.

Wang Yingying, a researcher with a leading think-tank -- the China Institute
of International Studies -- disagrees with this notion, "China's approach to
Africa is totally different from that of the old European colonists," she
said.

Wang added that, "Controls in politics and sovereignty of a country always
accompany colonialism, however, China never intervenes with African
countries' domestic affairs, and does not have the intention to do it
either."

History has witnessed the violence that European colonists committed in
Africa -- as some experts have said, they came for trade at first, and came
later with army flags, or, more accurately, the army flags went first, and
trade followed. Resources were plundered and people were slaughtered, whilst
poverty remained.

Nowadays, some African nations, such as Sudan and Zimbabwe, are undergoing
sanctions from the United States and EU Economies declined, people lost
jobs, and hyperinflation arose -- inflation in Zimbabwe is expected to
exceed 4,000 percent in 2007.

"China's aid to us comes with empressement and without political
preconditions", said Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau Aristides Gomes, "we
have no worries in cooperating with China".

Political terms do not exist, let alone interventions. This is in spite of
vociferous opposition from the United States and EU, particularly when it
comes to Sudan and Zimbabwe.

"Sanctions cannot solve problems, it impoverishes local people. China's
approach supports Africa's industrialization, and benefits the people too",
said Wang Yingying.

In the face of U.S. and EU pressure, Chinese firms have helped Sudan to
establish its own oil industry, resulting in an 8 percent growth in Sudan's
economy last year.

Along with the whole Chinese business community, Frank Wu is helping to
implement sanction-torn Zimbabwe's economic revival program. He is expected
to hire as many as 800 local employees in 2007 when his new real estate
project is launched.

Professor Yang Guang, director-general of the Institute of West Asia and
Africa Studies, said he believes that, "We cannot mix colonialism with
exploiting resources, if we view exploiting resources as colonial behaviour,
we will find that the whole world is now conducting colonial actions."

According to Yang, the reason behind the warming of Sino-African relations
lies in the different benefits and comparative advantages to their
economies. While China has a vast wealth of capital, more advanced
technology and administrative experience, Africa has an abundance of
unexploited natural resources.

Yang believes that China is on the same road of development as Africa -- 
albeit a few miles ahead. Compared to economically more developed countries,
China only has a cheap labour force and a huge domestic market to offer to
potential investors. As China's commerce minister pointed out -- in order to
buy an Airbus, Chinese workers have to produce 800 million shirts.

Foreign investment in China has intensified ever since reforms were
introduced to open up its domestic market to the outside world. Foreign
businesses gained a foothold in China's domestic market and recorded healthy
profits, assisted by China's cheap labour costs. However, the benefits of
this investment are undoubted. As a result of the swathes of foreign
investment in China, the speed of industrialization has accelerated, whilst
raising the standard of living.

At the same time, China's exports have been upgraded. Manufactured goods
such as machinery, electronic products and textiles have replaced primary
products such as grain, minerals and timber.

"Not only should African countries learn from developed countries like
Japan, but also some developing countries such as China and India",
Namibia's President Pohamba said, "At present, we should peg our eyes to
China, for its experience is more valuable for our reference."

Despite the fanfare made by increased Sino-African relations, Wang Yingying
admitted that imbalances did exist within the relationship. China's foreign
direct investment in Africa, which is more important to development than
trade, still cannot match the scale of the bilateral trade.

These problems are being addressed. At the recent Sino-African summit, China
set aside a development fund of 5 billion U.S. dollars, which will be
primarily used to encourage Chinese companies to invest in Africa.

Some development-oriented methods have also been adopted, such as sending
agricultural experts to Africa, and widening the practice of training
African staff.

A Chinese idiom says that it's better to teach someone how to fish for
themselves rather than to constantly supply them with fish -- where would
they be if you could no longer supply it for them!

When Chinese construction companies went to Somalia after its civil war,
they could hardly find a brick mason.

Nowadays, various training centers have been set up -- ZTE Corporation, a
Chinese telecommunication equipment producer, has now established 15
training centers across the continent, training over 4,500 local employees
each year.

ZTE's Vice President Zhang Weimin said that, "Chinese businesses in Africa
are not just selling and buying, but helping the local area to enhance its
capacity for development."

However, obstacles still exist. Professor Yang pointed out that, "Low
investment in Africa is not only a problem for China, but also for the whole
world."

Situation became worse as some African nations have a comparatively poorer
environment from which to encourage investment -- ranging from unsteady
political regimes, corruption, violence and flawed legal systems.

Yang added that, "As China sticks to a non-interference policy with regards
to Africa, African countries have to try and solve these problems by
themselves."

Encouragingly, the situation across the African continent is gradually
improving. As many wars and violence have ended, Africa is now on the way to
development -- the continent's economy grew by 5.5 percent in 2005 and is
expected to be higher this year.

Referring to the new era of Sino-African relations, Chinese foreign ministry
spokesman Qin Gang proclaimed that, "Times have changed, and so has the
direction of development in Africa."

This new era in Sino-African relations is heralding a new style of bilateral
relations that goes beyond the age-old doctrine of products in return for
resources.

Along with many state-owned and private businesses, more and more Chinese
entrepreneurs like Frank Wu will head for Africa in search of their fortune
while also bringing prosperity to the locals.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This feature story is provided by China Features, the sole
news service on the Chinese mainland offering by-lined feature stories, news
analyses and opinion pieces in English, along with photos, about latest
major events in China.

Media organizations which want to commission China Features writers to do
reports on China can send e-mails to chinafeatures@gmail.com or fax your
requests to 86-10-63073673.)

Source: Xinhua


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One in 4 Zimbabwe children are AIDS orphans-UNICEF

Reuters

Tue 5 Dec 2006 13:00:35 GMT
HARARE, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe now has the world's highest percentage of
children orphaned by AIDS, with almost one in every four children having
lost at least one parent to the disease, the United Nations Children's Fund
said on Tuesday.

Zimbabwe is among the countries worst hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which
kills more than 3,000 people every week and accounts for 70 percent of
hospital admissions.

But the crisis-hit southern African nation has also become one of the
continent's few AIDS bright spots after its HIV prevalence rate declined to
18.1 percent this year from 25 percent five years ago.

Despite this, UNICEF said the number of children orphaned by AIDS continued
to rise.

"Almost one in four children in Zimbabwe, 1.6 million, are now orphaned,
having lost at least one parent, and this number is growing," UNICEF
Zimbabwe representative Festo Kavishe said in a statement sent to Reuters on
Tuesday.

"HIV and AIDS have dramatically increased children's vulnerability in recent
years to the point where Zimbabwe now has the highest percentage of children
who are orphans in the world," Kavishe added.

Last week President Robert Mugabe said Zimbabwe's declining HIV/AIDS
prevalence rate showed it was showing the way for Africa in the fight
against the scourge.

Health experts attribute the drop to more condom use and the success of
programmes encouraging people to have fewer sexual partners.

UNICEF said it had received $6 million from Sweden, which would be used to
increase school enrolment of orphans and vulnerable children, boost school
nutrition programmes and reduce the number of children living outside
families.

Zimbabwe continued to lead in the care of the orphans and vulnerable
children despite a severe economic crisis, with 90 percent of the country's
orphans having been absorbed by the extended family, UNICEF said.


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Torrential rains kill nine in Mozambique

Irish Examiner

06/01/2007 - 18:13:24

Storms and torrential rains in the past 10 days in southern and central
Mozambique have killed nine people and made about 7,000 homeless, the
National Disasters Management Institute said today.

It said that the crops of about 240 households had been destroyed.

In the port city of Beira, many areas have been flooded, and people have
been trying to reach safer areas. Roads are under water, causing traffic
problems. The authorities are mobilising emergency aid for the affected
individuals, it said.

It said that moderate to heavy rainfall in central Mozambiqu and in
neighbouring countries is continuing to raise the level of the Zambezi
river, from the Zimbabwean border all the way to the Indian Ocean.

At Caia, in Sofala province, the Zambezi is rising rapidly and approaching
flood alert level. But in other parts of the country the threat of floods
has receded slightly, the institute said.


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Chingoka stonewalls over major issues



Cricinfo staff

January 6, 2007

A week after being re-elected as chairman of the new board of Zimbabwe
Cricket, Peter Chingoka gave an exclusive interview with Lawrence Moyo in
the Herald newspaper.

Although there were some direct questions put to Chingoka, seeking answers
to many of the criticisms and accusations levelled at him, he offered up
little in the way of explanation or defence, often answering in very general
or non committal terms.

He was most open about the advantages of the newly-elected board, referring
to the "continuity and stable financial control" the four-year term will
give. "With the issue of governance sorted out, focus will now be on the
field of play where, in fact, it should always be because the playing of the
game is the core business of Zimbabwe Cricket."

But critics of Chingoka, and there are many within Zimbabwe even if not
inside ZC any longer, would be depressed by his response to the question
whether this would be his last term in office: "My tenure is at the behest
of the ZC electorate so it is that electorate which can best answer your
question. My being at the helm has not been an issue of longevity but
service to the game." Asked why he remained when he had said he wanted to
leave in 2005, he replied: "Since then calls have been made on me to avail
myself to the game."

Perhaps his most remarkable answer came when Moyo asked about disgruntled
stakeholders who opposed him and who had been removed from positions of
authority. "Stakeholders cannot be kept away from the game because the
stakeholders, as the name says, are those people with a stake in the game,"
he claimed. "If they are away from it, then they cannot be stakeholders.
Moyo also asked about accusations levelled against him. "Investigations are
carried out by professionals who are not affected by my presence or absence
from office," he replied, neatly sidestepping the fact that nobody has any
idea when or if those reports will ever materialise.

Chingoka repeatedly referred to the "electorate" and "democracy", even
though his critics maintain he has run roughshod over both during his purge
of all opposition. Asked whether the gang of three - himself, Tavengwa
Mukuhlani and Cyprian Mandenge - would effectively run the game, he insisted
that was not the case. "It is unfair to the other 10 members of the board to
infer that they will sit and clap while the three of us run the show.
Running cricket involves much more than just what happens in the rope. Let
it be noted that, among the 13 of us, none has less passion for the game of
cricket than the others, and so we are all, to the number, cricket people."

He also dismissed suggestions the board was in financial trouble. "Like all
other Test-playing nations, we work on a four-year cycle based on income
from the ICC World Cup which is our main source of revenue."

And what about reports that cheques had bounced? "The ZC board was
disappointed to hear of the bouncing cheques as it does not condone such
practice. Management has been reprimanded and remedial work is underway to
tighten the financial controls.

Moyo also asked whether, given recent poor results, the side would be ready
to resume Test cricket in November, as is the intention. "Yes, the results
after that have not been good but there is no argument that the talent
abounds and that what is needed now is continued exposure.

"We are determined to turn around the fortunes of the team. We intend, in
the short term, to regain ninth position in the ODI rankings and,
medium-long term, to move up the ladder. In preparation for the resumption
of Test

participation, we have a programme that will see us play about 12
longer-version games against the A sides of Test-playing nations. That
programme started with us playing a three-day match followed by a four-dayer
against Bangladesh A last month. One could see signs of improvement in the
second match, resulting in the game ending as a draw."

© Cricinfo


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Bindura, Chinhoyi to Get Train Services



The Herald (Harare)

January 6, 2007
Posted to the web January 6, 2007

Harare

THE National Railways of Zimbabwe will introduce trial runs for passenger
trains on the Harare-Chinhoyi and Harare-Bindura railway lines with effect
from Monday, an official has said.

NRZ spokesman Mr Fanuel Masikati said in addition to this, plans were
underway to run a similar train service along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge line
as soon as negotiations were complete.

"A feasibility study carried established that there was need for a train
service between Harare-Chinhoyi and Harare-Bindura as there were few buses
plying the routes hence the need for an alternative and affordable mode of
transport," said Mr Masikati.

The train from Harare to Chinhoyi will depart from Harare station on
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7am and arrive in Chinhoyi at 11:30am.

The train will be departing from Chinhoyi at 7am hours on Tuesdays,
Thursdays and Saturdays arriving in Harare at 11:55am.

"The Harare to Bindura passenger train will also depart on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays arriving in Bindura at 1130hours the same day. It
will also depart from Bindura for Harare at 1330hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays arriving in Harare at 1720hours the same day."

The two services, which will be operated as mixed trains, would have four
economy class coaches and one upper class passenger coach, as well as a
baggage van for the Chinhoyi service and two economy class coaches, one
upper class and a baggage van for the Bindura service. After the trial runs,
the service was earmarked to be officially launched on a date to be advised.

In a related matter, Mr Masikati said the NRZ had embarked on a programme to
refurbish passenger train coaches to boost both inter-city and commuter
train's carrying capacity.

Lighting systems are also being installed, following the acquisition of
lighting batteries.


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Council, Hotels in Partnership


The Herald (Harare)

January 6, 2007
Posted to the web January 6, 2007

Harare

HARARE City Council and two leading hotels have entered into partnership
programmes that will see the hotels taking over the maintenance of some
parks in the city centre.

Monomotapa Crown Plaza general manager Mr Prince Chasakara said on Thursday
his hotel had taken over Harare Gardens and would maintain it on behalf of
council.

Work the hotel will undertake in the park includes lighting the park,
landscaping, fence replacement, trimming trees, attending to lawns and
movement and control of people in the park.

The park has of late become an eyesore and a security threat to hotel
occupants as well as pedestrians passing through.

In essence, the hotels want to reduce security risks around their hotels in
addition to adding beauty to the capital.

Clients booked at the hotel are also complaining that the standards in the
hotel do not match the poor outlook in the Harare Gardens. Muggings and
robberies are a daily occurrence while to some extent the park is being used
as a love nest.

Street kids and vagrants also find solace in the park.

Mr Chasakara said his hotel would ensure that the area has maximum security
with police manning entry and exit points. He said the hotel group would
also take over the stretch of Park Lane Street from Julius Nyerere Way up to
Leopold Takawira Street and also the Harare City Council Park Lane parking
lot.

He said the idea to take over Park Lane Street was meant to rid the hotel of
illegal foreign currency and fuel dealers and ladies of the night who harass
hotel customers.

"The cars that park here target our customers and in a way they are chasing
away our customers. We propose to manage Park Lane and the parking lot," he
said.

Holiday Inn general manager Ms Liz Makwezwa said her hotel had also taken
the same approach and was putting up a mini park around its hotel to
discourage heavy lorries, buses and taxis from parking around the hotel.

She said the hotel was incensed with the increase in muggings and illegal
foreign currency dealings on its frontage.

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