From The London Evening Standard 15th June 2000
http://www.thisislondon.com/dynamic/news/story.html?in_review_id=290902&in_r
eview_text_id=235663
Mugabe
threat to grab UK firms
by David Shaw and Sue Masterman
Ministers and the City were today shocked by new threats
from Zimbabwe
president Robert Mugabe to grab British
and other foreign-owned business
interests after he has
finished throwing white farmers off their
land.
It was accompanied by the kind
of worrying rhetoric
which
threatens to place him in the
same league as Ugandan
dictator Idi Amin who hounded
out the Asian population in the
Seventies through similar racial
and economic unrest.
President Mugabe, 76,
embroiled in an election
campaign which
culminates in voting in less than a
fortnight, upped the stakes by
threatening to seize
foreign-owned mining interests, and to follow that
with the
"indigenisation" of the rest of the business
interests.
It threatens total British investment totalling around
£125
million but also the livelihoods of thousands of British
workers employed there by around 400 companies.
In a rare interview
with the Independent, he accused the
former colonial power and other
foreign interests of
milking his country and denying its African
inhabitants their
birthright.
Rio Tinto, Anglo-American and
Lonmin are among the
British-American concerns which could see their
assets
confiscated. They mine for copper, gold, asbestos and
iron.
From The Times [UK]
http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/2000/06/15/timfgnafr03002.html
Candidate
tells tale of terror
BY MICHAEL DYNES
TANA DE
ZULUETA sat
expressionless as she listened to the
tale of terror unfold
from the lips of
Derick Muzira.
It was the first time that the
election
observer from Italy had come face to
face with firsthand
accounts of the
beatings, torture, gang rapes, and
all-night
re-education camps to which
thousands of black farmworkers have
been
subjected in the run-up to
Zimbabwe's elections this month.
Sitting
on the patio of the run-down Marondera hotel 50
miles southeast of Harare,
the softly spoken mother of two
took notes as Mr Muzira, a candidate for the
Movement for
Democratic Change in the province of Mashonaland
East,
described the task he and his colleagues face.
"The so-called
war veterans and their Zanu (PF) supporters,
have set up bases all over the
area," Mr Muzira said. "They
are targeting us, attacking our rallies and
doing whatever they
can to prevent us campaigning. We were supposed to have
a
rally this afternoon, but it's been cancelled because they've
got 200
guys waiting for us." Mr Muzira has been forced to
do most of his
campaigning under cover of darkness.
Signora de Zulueta, 48, an Italian
senator and the deputy
head of the European Union's monitoring mission, is
no
stranger to political turmoil: she has served on EU observer
missions
in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bosnia. Earlier, she
had visited David
Karimanzira, Zanu (PF) governor of the
province. He dismissed the MDC
allegations as little more
than fiction.
Tuesday, 6 June, 2000, 17:28 GMT 18:28 UK - BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_780000/780172.stm
Zimbabwe fear spreads
The "war veterans" have now turned
their attention to
teachers
Schoolteachers and
judges in Zimbabwe fear
they are becoming the latest targets
of
President Robert Mugabe's government and
party.
In the last fortnight, supporters of the
ruling
Zanu-PF party have attacked schools, after
a
cabinet minister accused teachers of
"polluting
the minds" of young people.
And the government
has told white
judges
that they are not
qualified to preside
over
Zimbabwean courts - a
comment which
has
prompted fears of
interference in
judicial
independence.
The Zimbabwe
Teachers Association says at
least 200 schools have been
disrupted by
intimidation and attacks.
In
the Eastern Highlands town of Chimanimani,
the self-styled war
veterans who support
President Mugabe moved into secondary
and
primary schools, dragging the teachers
from
their classrooms.
Several teachers
were beaten, some to the
point of unconsciousness, and needed
hospital
treatment.
Other teachers,
accused of being opposition
MDC supporters were stripped naked
in front of
their students.
In previous
Zimbabwe elections, schools have
been used as polling stations
and teachers
employed as polling officers.
Some commentators believe that teachers
are
perceived to be capable of influencing the
outcome of the election - which is why
Zanu-PF supporters are
targeting them at a
time when a crucial election is
approaching.
'Barbaric' attacks
A
teacher at a Midlands school which was the
target of an attack
said the only way to
remain safe was to feign support for the
ruling
party.
"Our school head advised us
to cover
ourselves, so we all bought Zanu-PF
membership cards," he said.
The Progressive Teachers Union
of Zimbabwe
blames the government for what the
union
calls "unwarranted, barbaric and
nefarious"
attacks.
Recently
Justice
Minister Emmerson
Mnangagwa
accused
teachers of "polluting
the minds" of
young
people.
Staff at health
clinics
have also been
targeted,
with
opposition supporters
who have been
injured
in political violence
being prevented
from entering clinics.
Judges under fire
The government used the state-owned media
at the weekend to attack the white judges
who comprise a
substantial proportion of
Zimbabwe's still independent
judiciary.
The government's relationship with the
courts
has deteriorated over the past year, to
the
point where it disregarded two court orders
to
act against the illegal occupation of
farmland
by Zanu-PF supporters.
Government spokesman Jonathan Moyo said
white judges who held
foreign citizenship were
not qualified to preside over
Zimbabwean
courts.
"No sane Zimbabwean
should expect the
judiciary to be headed by a foreigner
-
especially a British - 20 years after our
independence, just like it would be insane to
have a foreign or
British president or speaker
of parliament," he said in the
state-owned
Sunday Mail newspaper
Two of
Zimbabwe's five supreme court judges
are white, including Chief
Justice Anthony
Gubbay. Four of the 20 high court judges
are
white.
Mr Moyo's remarks have
prompted speculation
that the government might move to
remove
the white judges from their posts - an
action
which would destroy the principle of an
independent judiciary.
Thursday, 15 June, 2000, 16:36 GMT 17:36 UK -BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_790000/790840.stm
Mugabe's
mine plans
condemned
Mugabe: "We want the
struggle to continue"
Zimbabwe's main opposition party has
accused
President Robert Mugabe of scaring
foreign
investors away in an attempt to win
elections
in nine days time.
Movement for
Democratic Change spokesman
Eddie Cross said that Mr Mugabe's
threat to
hand over control of foreign-owned mines
to
skilled Africans was a disaster for the
economy.
He told the BBC that
the
president was
trying to buy the votes
of
Zimbabwe's black
elite, in the
parliamentary
elections
on 24-25 June.
In an interview
with the
UK's Independent
newspaper,
Zimbabwe's
President Robert Mugabe said that
after
redistributing farmland confiscated from
whites, his next goal was what he called the
"Africanisation"
of the rest of the economy.
And he said that Zimbabwe's mines
faced
aggressive "indigenisation".
"There must be
Africans in there, as
owners,
not just as
workers," he said.
"We are
gold, copper,
asbestos and iron
producers. But
most of
the benefits are
enjoyed by the
former
colonialists," he said.
"At the end
of the day,
black people must be
able to say,
the
resources are ours - our people own the
mines,
our people own the industry."
Foreign concern
The former colonial power Britain, which
has
been critical of Mr Mugabe's rule described
his
comments as "pre-election
posturing".
Foreign Office Minister
Peter Hain said "This
cannot help
Zimbabwean
jobs,
wealth and
opportunities.
Zimbabwe is currently
suffering
from a
crippling shortage of
foreign exchange,
and a weak Zimbabwe
dollar".
There are an
estimated 400 British companies
in Zimbabwe, and Mr Mugabe said
there were
too many Britons in Zimbabwe.
Total UK investment in Zimbabwe is estimated
at over £100m
($150m).
International mining giant Anglo
American,
which has significant interests in
Zimbabwe,
said on Thursday it had not discussed any
of
its operations with the Zimbabwe Government
but said that free and fair elections and
respect for the rule
of law is of "prime concern
to us and other
investors".
Zimbabwe is facing its
worst economic crisis
since Mugabe led the
nation to independence
in 1980. Hard currency
shortages have led to
acute fuel shortages
and
curtailed vital
imports, leading to a
40%
decline in gold
production in April.
The
president has
blamed the country's
severe
economic
problems on market
reforms carried
out
under pressure from the International
Monetary
Fund.
Election
campaign
On Thursday the Electoral
Supervisory
Commission, ESC, which responsible
for
supervisong the electoral process went to
the
High Court seeking to try to prevent the
government from undermining its powers.
Last week the
government extended the power
of the registrar general, a
member of ZANU-PF,
to give him full control of the election
process,
including the accreditation of observers
and
polling agents.
The ESC complains that
it was not consulted,
and also that it has not been allowed
to
oversee the registration of voters.
Earlier this week the leader of the MDC said he
was forced to
abandon election rallies after
thousands of government
supporters hijacked
the rally
grounds.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_792000/792443.stm
Analysis:
Mugabe targets
the mines
Land comes first
- but gold and copper could be next
President Robert Mugabe's
promise africanise
to Zimbabwe's mining interests comes in
the
bitter campaign leading up to
elections.
The aggressive seizure of white-owned
farms
by Mr Mugabe's supporters has already
divided
the country.
But even critics
of the
squatters' violent
methods
generally
agree the issue of black
landowners
disinherited
under colonial rule is an
urgent
one which has
to be addressed.
But
imposing changes on the mining sector is
likely to prove far
more controversial.
It is not entirely clear what Mr Mugabe
has in
mind by the africanisation of the mines
-
nationalisation, or transfer to favoured
black
owners.
Either way, the suggestion
of state
interference in mine ownership is likely
to
evoke memories of Mr Mugabe's previous
commitment during the 1980s to a
state-controlled socialist
economy.
As such, international jitters about
Zimbabwe's
economy in the wake of land occupations
can
be expected to turn to full-blown panic at
Mr
Mugabe's latest position.
New
direction
Until now Mr Mugabe's militant programme
to
empower black Zimbabweans economically has
explicitly drawn the line at the seizure of
white-owned
farmland.
This is the first time he
has said he would
africanise the mining
sector, and his tone
suggests there may be
other targets such as
banking or the
commercial sector.
The opposition
Movement
for
Democratic Change
(MDC) accuses
Mr
Mugabe of trying to
the buy votes
of
Zimbabwe's elite with a plan that could lead
to
economic disaster.
Critical observers
describe it as characteristic
of the irrationality of a
desperate government
that will do anything to stay in
power.
Mineral wealth
Mining accounts
for about 8% of Zimbabwe's
GDP, generating about 40% of annual
export
earnings.
A record 28 tonnes of
gold was exported in
1999, raising nearly $450m or 30% of the
value
of exports. Other mines extract coal,
copper,
nickel, chromite, asbestos and iron
ore.
Some marginal mines
already face
the
prospect of closure
under the
dire
economic and energy
situation in
Zimbabwe.
The likelihood of
closures would
increase
under nationalisation,
commercial
mining
being a complex and
expensive
operation
usually carried out by
specialist
companies.
Socialist throwback
By
setting his sights beyond land reform, Mr
Mugabe appears to be
following the
well-trodden - but largely discredited - path
of
africanisers such as Uganda's Idi Amin and
Mobuto Sese Seko of Zaire.
Mr Amin's deportation of about
50,000 UK
passport-holding South Asians in 1972 failed
to
bring promised prosperity, and saw the
collapse of the commercial sector.
Meanwhile,
the
economic outcome of
Mobutism was
the
wholesale plunder of
Congo's resources
by
the ruling elite.
In the modern
age,
even governments
ideologically
predisposed to
nationalisation
of
white-owned mineral
resources
have
eschewed such
tendencies.
In South Africa, redistribution of mineral
wealth
is the last thing on President Thabo
Mbeki's
mind, although it occasionally appears in
the
rhetoric of the left wing of the governing
ANC.
And Mr Mugabe's opponents hope his
comments about Zimbabwe's mines prove to be
no more than
rhetoric.
HARARE, June 15 (AFP) - Hundreds of independence war veterans
and members
of Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF Party have seized identity
cards belonging to
opposition supporters, the independent Daily News
reported Thursday.
Violent raids, in which 25 people were injured, took place in
several
villages in southeastern Zimbabwe on Tuesday night,
according to the
newspaper.
Zimbabweans without identity cards do not have the right to
vote
in upcoming legislative elections due June 24 and 25, the Daily News
said.
"Most of the ... victims had their identity cards taken and it
is doubtful that the documents will be returned," Gildon Gwenzi, a
resident of Tsumele, one of the villages targeted, told the paper.
The veterans and Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front
(ZANU-PF)
members came off nearby occupied farms wielding clubs,
knives and stones,
attacking villagers indiscriminately, the paper
said.
Amongst those
hurt in the raids, five were seriously injured.
The Daily News published
photographs of two victims -- a black
woman, Tabeth Zvihwati, whose clothes
were covered in blood, and a
white man, John Melrose, whose bare back was
lacerated.
The police told the paper that they were not authorised to
enter
the occupied farms and arrest the veterans, while police spokesman
Wayne Bvudzijena told AFP that he had not been informed of the
incidents.
Last month, dozens of people were injured in the same
villages
during clashes between backers of the opposition Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) and ZANU-PF supporters.
The clashes took
place just before an MDC meeting called for a
speech by the movement's
leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION
FARM INVASIONS UPDATE
WEDNESDAY 14
JUNE 2000
Those farmers affected by the
Preliminary Notice to Acquire Land (804 properties) are asked to contact their
Regional Office for guidelines.
REGIONAL
REPORTS
MASHONALAND
CENTRAL
Victory Block -
Msitwe River Ranch had a demand for $600 which was turned down. The war vet
leader at Mount Fatigue is appearing in court today on assault charges. There
were 4 cases of assault at Farfield, including a female health worker, by war
vets from Nrowe Farm and 2 farm workers were taken back to Nrowe and assaulted.
War vets at Nrowe have been supplied with 2 impalas and $2650 worth of food over
the last 6 days.
Mvurwi - The owner of Msonneddi Farm is still off the
farm and negotiations to resolve the issue are underway. A femaly worker and
her son were assaulted on Chipanza Farm yesterday.
Mtepatepa -
Mchena Farm was reinvaded yesterday and
war vets at Cowley were told to move away from where they were based as there
will be a voting booth on the farm.
Shamva - irrigation of wheat was
stopped at Lions Den Farm because some of the war vets' pegs had been moved and
a pungwe was held last night, at which 6 workers were assaulted. ZRP visited
Glencairn yesterday and were informed by the war vets that they want no whites
on the farm. There is no work being undertaken on the farm. On Sunday night 2
passers-by on Woodlands Farm were seriously assaulted for no apparent reason.
The Officer in Charge of Shamva did not seem concerned.
MASVINGO
Mwenezi - numbers have increased
on Reinette Ranch and Solomondale Ranch.
The rest of the region is quiet or
has nothing to report.
MIDLANDS
Gweru South - Occupiers moved
off Highlands Farm and onto Wildebeest, where they asked for food from the farm
workers. They asked the Wildebeest owner to mill some maize for them and he
refused as he suspected that maize was stolen on Highlands Farm. The owner of Highlands returned to the farm under police
escort. He has removed all his chickens and is planning to move his maize. He
went to his house which was locked. A Mrs Majere was called to bring the keys.
She stated the farm house was now hers. She ordered people living in the
chicken houses to move onto the pegged land to allow space for more people
arriving from Hillside Farm.
Kwekwe - Yesterday war vet Edith
Ndlovu accompanied by Danda and Mudzingwa went to Borrowdale Farm. They demanded
that all the cattle be removed from Mvurachena and that the farmer shoot and
supply two kudu. He refused and requested their demands in writing, in
triplicate. They stated that if he did not co-operate they would take his
paprika land. They have started pegging the paprika lands and have moved into
two rooms of the homestead at Mvurachena. Attempts are underway to resolve the
situation.
All other areas quiet or no report.
MASHONALAND WEST
NORTH
Raffingora - A safe
house was needed for a farm labourer. On Sunday 11 the war vets demanded the
garage closed because they could not put up their posters on the glass front. As
a result Raffingora had no fuel.
Chinhoyi - On Kuti Estate houses are being built, trees
cut and fences stolen. There are 11 poachers,
with dogs, who outnumber the guards. Poaching continues and is extensive on Dora
and Rococo.
Karoi - There have been demands to move cattle off Furzen and Fiddlers Green. On Nassau cattle
were moved into the garden, and the farmer was made to provide a tractor and
trailer for a meeting on Sunday 11. On Sunday a tractor and trailer were commandeered from
Muchbinding. War vets became aggressive because this was reported to the ZRP,
and threatened to peg the remainder of the farm.
Kiplingcotes labour were told they have to buy
land from Zanu PF, and that Zanu PF is not interested in the designated list as
after the elections all white farmers will be sent off their farms.
Torananga and Karuru report the digging of graves
100 m from the proposed polling stations. Local residents marched to the
symbolic burial of MDC at the graves. There are high levels of intimidation in
this area.
On Furzen, Rumimede and Gremlin Heights a list of
people not registered was shown to the labour forces. The owner and workers of
Oribi Park were warned they would be
intimidated until elections.
War vet John has cleared the grading shed
on Jenya and declared war on the farmer. There was a new occupation on Fourwinds, occupiers on
Nyamambidzi Farm have moved into the ostrich pens and there are 8 resident occupiers on La Rochelle. Tractor work has been
prevented on Renroc and the manager has left due
to ongoing intimidation; his rural house has been destroyed and his farm house
damaged.
There have been thefts on Good Hope but no police
reaction.
On Sunday 11 a man from Harare buying honey in the
area had his vehicle hijacked by Zanu PF youths had to pay $2000 to get it back.
ZRP did not react.
MASHONALAND WEST SOUTH
Nothing to report.
MASHONALAND EAST
Marondera - a
factory worker who is a staunch MDC supporter was badly assaulted in Dombotombo
last night. Zanu PF supporters dragged him to the Cemetary and beat him with
sticks that had a ZESA cable on the end. They would not admit him to hospital
last night as there were no doctors available but he went in this
morning.
Enterprise - Zanu PF youths who
do seasonal work on Hightop are refusing to leave the farm village and are
causing problems. The police are very reluctant to get involved.
Bromley/Ruwa - There has been a
new occupation on Belview of about 10 war vets, believed to be from
Harare.
Macheke/Virginia
- The farmer of Glen Somerset was released from hospital and returned to the
farm this morning to find a barrier across the road. This was removed without
problem, but on arrival at the farm it was learned that the foreman was
assaulted yesterday - his present whereabouts are unknown.
Beatrice - A meeting was with
some war vets who had pegged on the seed bed site of one farm. The war vets agreed to remove the pegs and the land is
being ploughed courtesy of the vets.
War vet Mavenga has been insisting that a farmer
moves his stockfeed out of the showground hall that he leases from the FA. They
threatened the dairy foreman, drawing a knife on him, but he is not pressing
charges. The Taskforce went there this morning but the war vet was not
around.
Wedza - Farm labour from Plimtree
and Chakadenga beat up the farm labour on Poltimore where three had to be
admitted to hospital. Labour from Chakadenga did this under duress. The gates
that lead onto the main road of Poltimore have all been removed or damaged and
his cattle are out as a result of this.
Marondera North - Teams of voter
educaters are going around teaching the people how to vote. The groups include a
monitor, war vet and some youths.
MATABELELAND
A Zanu PF rally was reported to have taken place
at 8 this morning in Filabusi. A few farmers in the area who were invited to
attend attended.
Quiet.
OTHER
STRESS MANAGEMENT SEMINAR
21st JUNE
2000
FOR
C.F.U. MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
How to cope with personal stress, family
stress and the immense problems of employees.
NON-POLITICAL AND
HUMANITARIAN
Top medics, psychologists, counsellors
NO
FEE
Phone Jan Wentworth or Nicky Petersen on 309800 for
further details
Registration and Tea
8.30am
Commencement of Seminar
9.00am
Closure 3.30pm.
A light snack lunch
will be served.
THURSDAY 15 JUNE 2000
REGIONAL
REPORTS
MASHONALAND
CENTRAL
Quiet - nothing to
report.
MASVINGO
Mwenezi -
There has been no police reaction to the extensive theft of wire on Klipdrift Ranch.
A new occupation onto Umbono Ranch took place
yesterday.
Masvingo
East and Central -
Within Masvingo
the area is generally quiet. After a meeting held with the ZRP on 2 June, it was
clearly understood that all incidents would be reported to the Police. It now
appears that Police are not taking down any reports but are informing farmers
to contact CFU Masvingo because the Regional
Executive Officer and war vets are solving all the problems. This is absolutely
not the case.
Save
Conservancy - "No go" areas are being established. Game scouts are not being permitted
to carry out their normal duties. There is extensive wire theft, suspected
poaching and the 4 gemsbuck on Fair Range Estates have not yet been found. 5 km
of wire has been stolen from Mukwasi Ranch. A hut which was erected by the
manager adjacent to the wire to monitor solar panels and energisers has been
burnt down. Occupiers on Angus have removed their boundary further east and are
now close to the homestead.
Gutu/Chatsworth - There has been a new occupation on Thornhill
Farm and an increase in numbers on certain farms.
MIDLANDS
Gweru East -
Problems emanating from Highlands Farm are affecting Hillside Farm and
Wildebeeste 49. These appear to be splinter groups. The provincial war vets were
contacted by the owner of Wildebeeste 49, and they referred him to a Major Gota
who has said he will investigate.
MASHONALAND WEST
NORTH
Kariba - There is extensive
intimidation and political activity in Kariba and Karoi from the two main
political parties.
War vets met with the owner of Dixie Farm
Lilford yesterday requesting ammunition for their weapons, which the
owner has not
seen.
Tengwe -
At a Zanu PF rally held on 11 June,people were told that if Zanu PF did not win
"the foremen of all farms would be killed by 11 pm and all whites would have
their heads cut of and sent to America." Farmers now report extremely nervous
people who will not vote because
they are so afraid.
MASHONALAND WEST SOUTH
Chakari - War vets are still trying to sell land on
Lismore.
Chegutu - War vets have begun trying to sell land on
Tiverton Estates.
Suri-Suri - San Fernando saw a
large influx on war vets yesterday afternoon.
Norton - Tractors have been
prevented from working, and workers sent home on Cressidale Farm.
Selous - A pungwe was held on
Mandalay and Drumwhim Farms, ending at 3:30 a.m. Workers were assaulted and much
politicising went on.
MASHONALAND EAST
Marondera
South - There was some confusion today because 3 rallies were held and
no one was quite sure of who should be where and when. 3 war vets
visited a number of farms in the Wenimbe Valley this morning, demanding that all
labour be transported to Piccadilly Store for re-education. The manager of
Arcadia was threatened with reprisals when he refused. This has been reported to
the Police and EU observers in Marondera. This pressure may be a ploy to reduce
attendance at an MDC rally which takes place in Marondera today. The owner and
labour of Pressmennan received an invitation to
attend a meeting in the Svosve communal land this morning.
War vet Marimo
demanded transport from Gresham and told the owner to vacate the farm as
a number of people would be coming to take over the
farm today. Apparently they expected Agritex, the Provincial Administrator and
the ZBC there to organise the allocation of land. About 30 people had gathered
by the farm gate, peacefully awaiting Agritex.
There are continued demands for
transport on Ruzawi Ranch and Mtokwe, which were tuned down with the diesel
shortage. The farm labour left the grading shed when they were threatened and
were too frightened to carry on working. They were sitting outside the fence and
a lorry arrived from Zana to collect them for a meeting. War vet Hardlife,
Marimo's second in command, is demanding all this transport. He is from Zana.
Mtokwe, Ruzawi Ranch and Dendende were offered to Government about a week ago
but were advised that they are not buying farms at the
moment.
Enterprise -
There is a general tendancy
to become involved in labour issues. Seasonal workers are being laid off as it
is the end of the season and the war vets are saying that they must be left on
payrolls. Demands continue.
Bromley/Ruwa - War vet Shumba Shava visited Exelsior and harassed the farmer. The taskforce intervened and
Shumba was taken to supervisors in Chitungwiza who disciplined him. Mason Farm
was revisited by 10 war vets who demanded that the labour told them for whom
they and the farmer are going to vote.
Mackeke/Virginia -
War vet Garwe
visited two farms yesterday, demanding the owners vacate their houses. Police
were informed and Garwe himself visited the police who hauled him over the
coals. The clerk from Glen Somerset who was assaulted yesterday has been located
and is in hospital. The foreman on one property who is an MDC supporter, was
pressurised by war vets yesterday and has run away as a
result.
Harare South - War
vet Felix has caused chaos on Zengeya and Bharabhara. He kept the labour up all night singing and
dancing, and they are now claiming they now want the land that they were promised. They are being charged
$10 per plot. The taskforce and police reacted, and the EU observers were there.
It appears that Chiota and the CIO are also involved. This morning the situation
seems to have calmed down.
Beatrice -
School teachers on
Kareeboom have been threatened for no apparent reason. The farm is a polling
station and is on the gazetted list. After three weeks of continual negotiation
on Denote, the occupiers yesterday removed their pegs and the farmer can now
continue with seed bed and land preparation.
Wedza - Occupiers
on Fells threatened the
foreman if transport was not provided for them and the farm labour to attend the
rally at Goto. The war vets from Markwe demanded a lorry from the farmer on
Msasa in order to transport
them back to Markwe. The farmer refused so they stopped and mounted a lorry that
was transporting school children to a soccer game nearby. They demanded to be
taken to Markwe and for the
lorry to stay there and take them to the rally at Goto in the morning. The lorry
dropped them at Markwe and left. The owner of Markwe sent the lorries off the
farm so that they could not be commandeered.
MATABELELAND
No
report.
No
report.
OTHER
Information
Service
A new independent
information service has been established to collect and disseminate information
over the period of the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
The service will be
manned 24hrs a day and will pass on any information it receives from members of
the public or organizations to the relevant authorities, NGOs, observers, human
rights organizations, the media or political parties.
In addition members of
the public can utilise this information service to get up to date reports on the
situation in the country, or in your area, and to have rumours confirmed or
denied.
Please make a note of
the following numbers and feel free to call anytime:
The Link:
091 337
694
091 358
212
091 245
440
091 245
436
091 245
438.
A new independent
information service has been established to collect and disseminate information
over the period of the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
The service will be
manned 24hrs a day and will pass on any information it receives from members of
the public or organizations to the relevant authorities, NGOs, observers, human
rights organizations, the media or political parties.
In addition members of
the public can utilise this information service to get up to date reports on the
situation in the country, or in your area, and to have rumours confirmed or
denied.
Please make a note of
the following numbers and feel free to call anytime:
The Link:
091 337
694
091 358
212
091 245
440
091 245
436
091 245
438.
MEDIA REPORTED ELECTION RELATED VIOLENCE
(excluding violence in the process of farm invasions)
DATE EVENT
22.1.2000 Glen View, Harare: MDC-Zanu clash reported, alleged that one Zanu member (Tsindi) killed, one injured. Later (30.1) refuted by police and indicated that person was killed in hit and run. MDC allege that Zanu is framing them for violence (1.2.2000)
2?.l .2000 Harare: 3 MDC supporters arrested over over death of suspected Zanu member Tsindi on 30.1.2000 (note later refuted).
30.1.2000 Chivi: Violence in Chivi in Zanu central committee elections, two people seriously injured; internal factionalism and bussing in of youths blamed
30.1 .2000 Harare: Police report that alleged Zanu supporter Tsindi not a member of the Zanu branch and hit by a car not assaulted.
Highfield, Harare: MDC-Zanu clash, Zanu supporter property damaged, MDC supporter injured.
National: Home Affairs minister declares intention to use Law and Order Maintainance act to deal with political violence.
10.2.2000 Harare: 13 MDC supporters in court over Highfield violence, remanded to 14.2
22.2.2000 Kwekwe: 11 Zanu youths arrested after Zanu-MDC clashes. Reported that 6 people injured, 4 houses damaged. Police accused by MDC of not stopping the violence
20.2.2000 Chiweshe: Mm Info and Governer Mash Central alleged in media report to be inciting violence between MDC and Zanu, paying youths $7000 to incite violence. Zanu youths with iron bars and chain whips attacked MDC supporters after meeting. Alleged to be aimed at preventing anyone from contesting. 7 Zanu supporters arrested on charges of public violemce and released on $800 bail.
3.3.2000 Rusape: Zanu’s Mutasa reported in media to urge party supporters in Rusape to ‘use violence if provoked’ in stopping MDC. “You must beat up anyone wearing MDC T Shirts”.
6.3.2000 Masvingo: ZANU supporters reported to harass MDC supporters and abduct MDC female supporter to farm belonging to Minister Zvogbo for five hours.
6.3.2000 Hatcliffe Extension: ‘nearly a dozen’ log cabins of MDC supporters destroyed by Zanu supporters. 1 9 people arrested by police
Masvingo: Police arrest 1 6 Zanu youths for suspected kidnapping of MDC supporter
Hatcliffe: 7 people in court on charges of public violence related to burning of MDC log cabins, remanded to March 20 on bail.
Hatcliffe: Susopected MDC youth stone Zanu offices in holding camp, injure two. 19 youth arrested by police.
Chegutu: Youths (unspecified) block workers from registering as voters
Bulawayo: Media report of Dep. Minister S. Ndhlovu allegedly leading armed Zanu supporters to attack MDC members in Mpopoma. One seriously injured.
National: War vets declare at press conference intention to resume war if Zanu loses elections and warn of civil war.
1 6.3.2000 National: Africa rights, a human rights group, challge President Mugabe to condemn political violence, note zeal of police in arresting opposition groups, reluctance to bring charges against Zanu perpetrators and urge political leadership to avoid use of inciting language.
19.3.2000 Gweru: 10 people injured, one seriously, 6 MDC injuries, in
20.3.2000 Gweru, Kwekwe: 3 incidents of violence, no arrests, 8 MDC youths, 1 war vet, 1 security guard injured, Zanu-MDC clash in Kwekwe. 9 injured in clash in Gweru
21.3.2000 Hatcliffe: 7 Zanu members charged for burning MDC houses further remanded to 7 May
21.3.2000 Masvingo: 9 Zanu supporters barred by court order from poliical rallies or meetings of +4 people after Zanu factionalist clash
28.3.2000 Kwekwe: Clash between ZANU and MDC, war vets office attacked and electrical goods store burned; 1 6 people injured, 1 seriously, property destroyed. 26 ZANU supporters arrested
28.3.2000 Bindura: MDC supporter (E Gomo) of Harare died after being struck by a stone while being transported from a rally. Trucks used to ferry MDC supporters petrol bombed and destroyed.
30.3.2000 Kwekwe: 20 MDC members arrested for public violence.
Muzarabani: ZANU supporters set alight Tauya bus worth $2.5 million carrying MDC posters.
Gweru: Police put out attempted arson on Tauya bus in Gweru by ‘unidentified assailants’.
1 .4.2000 Mbare, Harare: Two MDC supporters assaulted by ZANU supporters who tore off their MDC T shirts and stole T Shirts
1 .4.2000 Harare: NCA march of about 4000 people (with High court order to proceed) assaulted by 1 50 ZANU supporters with sticks, stones and sjamboks; white people reported to be especially targetted; blind person robbed; 5 (other reports say 1 5) people injured. Police tear gas crowd and ZANU supporters returned to headquarters. 4 MDC supporters and 1 NCA member arrested for disobeying lawful order to disburse. No arrest of armed ZANU supporters as reported by police to be “too many”.
1 .4.2000 Marondera, Chinhoyi, Masvingo, Mutare, Gweru: Police block NCA marches. In Hwange, Bulawayo NCA marches proceed peacefully.
Gweru: Tauya bus set on fire at Mkoba. No arrests made
Masvingo: Overturning a local magistrate denial of bail on ground of likelihood of committing similar offence again, High court granted $500 bail to 16 ZANU supporters for kidnapping an MDC supporter on 6.3.2000.
Harare: 5 NCA people arrested by police released; unclear status of charges.
3.4.2000 Marondera: Farmer lain Kay severely beaten by ZANU supporters/war vets on his farm, burnt motorbike, stole radio and cellphone, allegedly for being an MDC organiser
3.4.2000 National: CFU lodge application with High Court on land invasions
4.4.2000 National: Herald reports 120 arrests, 100 injured; millions of dollars of property destroyed in 40 cases of political violence to date.
4.4.2000 Marondera: Police constable shot dead at skirmishes at Chipesa farm in Marondera. 3 people arrested
5.4.2000 National: Swedish Govt voices anger at death threats made by President Mugabe to opposition parties at Pungwe project commissioning.
5.4.2000 National: British citizen reported to say he will sue Mm Home Affairs Dabengwa and ZRP for not carrying out duty at NCA marches
5.4. 2000 Kwekwe: 16 MDC supporters arrested on 31.3 released by courts for lack of evidence, 4 charged and remanded in custody to 12 April. 26 ZANU supporters charged and remanded in custody to 12 April, 2000.
5.4.2000 Harare: 3 ZANU supporters remanded on $200 bail for destroying property and stealing $33000 from MDC supporters at Hatcliffe camp.
5.4.2000 Harare: G Kwinjeh, M Tsvangirai reported to be threatened with death in anonymous calls by ZANU supporters
National: MDC list undated episodes of violence against members as below (excluding those already listed)
Murewa: MDC supporters attacked by Zanu supporters and sleep in Maize field for fear of attack
Mahusekwa, Marondera: MDC supporters beaten up Chuta, Guruve 2.4.2000 Zanu supporters. war vets attack
MDC supporters coming from rally in Mvurwi on 2.4.2000. Pregnant woman dies at Guruve hospital
Centenary: One MDC supporter shot and killed in scuffle with war vets
Glen Norah, Harare: Zanu supporters attacked, damaged houses of MDC
supporters,
Gweru: White farmer shot, suspected by war vets, for carrying MDC literature, dies in South Africa
Mash Central, Wadzanyi: Zimbabwe National Army truck order
MDC supporters to remove and destroy caps
?.?.2000 National: ZRP court affidavit stating police unable to halt the deteriorating situation and unable to enforce a High Court Order to enforce public order in land invasions
7.4.2000 Harare: Daily news crew held hostage on farm for 2 hours
Marondera: Retired army major reported to appear in court over shooting of policeman on 4.4 remanded in custody to 20.4.
7.4.2000 Gweru: Tauya bus set on fire. Put out by neighbours
7.4.2000 National: LRF and Law Faculty blame conduct of attackers, slow reaction of riot police, selective use of powers of arrest in NCA march I ZANU attack violence. Declare ‘gravest constitutional crisis since independence’ due to failure of govt to abide by rule of law.
7.4.2000 Harare Mbare: MDC member reported to be kidnapped and assaulted by Zanu supporters. Reported to ZRP but no arrests made.
Dzivaresekwa, Harare: Zanu-MDC clash. MDC supporters reported to capture and beat schoolboy trying to get son of Zanu candidate in the area. 2 Vehicles burnt. MDC candidate’s house damaged. MDC supporter injured. Riot police come in to restore order. 63 people arrested.
10.4.2000 National: ZRP announce 3 lives, 100 injuries in 186 cases of political violence to date. ZRP report patrols in most areas to deal with violence outbreaks, pumas reintroduced, roadblocks to search for weapons that might be used in political violence. Role declared by ZRP to be reactive.
10.4.2000 National: Manager Tauya report staff reciving death threats for MDC association
11 .4.2000 National: Members of Parliament reported in media to condemn political violence
13.4.2000 Musengezi: MDC supporters and villagers reported to exchange stones I missiles
15.4.2000 Macheke: Farmer (D Stevens) reported killed by farm invaders at point blank range after trying to negotiate a truce between invaders and workers on the farm. 5 neighbours assaulted by ZRP reported to have taken 4 hours to arrive.
18.4.2000 Bulawayo: Attackers with assault rifles reported to break up MDC rally of 300 people
18.4.2000 Harare: MDC member (K Tinker) reported assaulted and released after being taken to Zanu office
19.4.2000 National: Information minister Chimutengwende asked about whether worried about deaths of opposition supporters notes “We are more worried about our people that have been killed as well.”
21.4.2000 Arcturus: Black farm workers homes burnt and workers driven
Mvurwi: 200 people invade Austrian company farm and capture the farm manager
Bindura: 60 Zanu supporters assault farm owner and manager
22.4.2000 Harare: Petrol bomb thrown from a passing car at the offices of the Daily News at 9.l5pm. No arrests made.
22.4.2000 National: SADC leaders call for a peaceful end to the crisis, and
call for UK to honour 1998 agreement on funding land. (Behind
the scenes deal for free and fair elections, end to invasions and
inflammatory rhetoric in exchange for funding for land reform,
IMF loan finance)
23.4.2000 Wedza: Black farm worker set alight and others beaten in attack by 150 Zanu supporters for supporting the MDC. Tobacco storage barns burnt and crop destroyed.
One MDC supporter killed and the chairman of the MDC Shamva Branch assaulted with an axe. In addition 16 houses of MDC supporters destroyed in Shamva.
Father Tim Neill, an anglican priest in Harare critical of the government, received a death threat from an organisation known as “The revival of African Conscience”
A war vet going by the name of “Rex Jesus” has been carrying out a reign of terror in Karoi and Kariba. In Kariba he abducted 8 people from Nyamhunga township and took them to Banana Farm. The abductees were severely beaten, and it is reported that 4 have been killed.
Hwedza : War veterans and ZANU PF youths are alleged to have targeted farm workers and resorted to mass intimidation to scare them and win their hearts. They lecture to them on “the evils” of MDC and perfections of ZANU PF. The war vets come during the night on hijacked tractors and in the style of the red guards of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, they force the bruised and battered workers to go with them to the next farm to repeat the process, say farm staff.
Mashonaland Central: Groups of ZANU PF Youths are alleged to be terrorising teachers at schools whom they accuse of being supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
Kariba: Two people died and 20 others, all believed to be members of the MDC were hurt in clashes with alleged ZANU PF supporters in Kariba over the past two days.
Harare: Business came to an abrupt standstill mid-afternoon yesterday after a bomb hoax at the Daily News.
Harare: Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers have been deployed to direct farm invasions by ZANU PF supporters and war veterans, the Zimbabwe Independent, learnt this week.
Mutoko: About 40 war vets and ZANU PF supporters burnt down four lodges and assaulted workers at Ruenya Granite Quarry in Mutoko on Wednesday (Daily News)
Harare: President Mugabe has unleashed his notorious secret service to
smash growing opposition to his rule, sending agents as far as London to spy on, and intimidate expatriate Zimbabweans. (The Standard)
Harare: Government backed farm invaders on Thursday razed a compound housing over 100 farm workers at Rudolpha Farm – about 30km East of Harare who they accused of collaborating with white commercial farmers in the areas (The Standard)
Gweru: A car and shop belonging to Timothy Mukahlera, a parliamentary candidate for Gweru Central constituency for MDC were bombed in the City Centre on Thurday night (Daily News)
Matthew Pfebve, the brother of an MDC candidate for Bindura, was murdered in Mukumbura, Mount Darwin on Monday following an attack on his family, allegedly by ZANU PF supporters (Daily News)
Harare: Members of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) have been deployed in Mount Darwin and Nyamapanda to help the police to quell escalating political violence in the areas (Daily News)
Harare: Suspected ZANU PF supporters allegedly petrol-bombed a hammer mill belonging to Peter Karimakuenda, the MDC candidate for Dzivaresekwa, at the week-end. The complex was bombed five hours after MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai had addressed a campaign rally at the Centre.
Report from an Urban worker with a rural home
near St Paul's Mission, Murewa.
This is not an isolated incident. The same story is
being repeated hundreds of times each day, in the rural areas. The problem is
that the incidents in the rural area do not get brought to the attention of the
media. The farmers have access to communication and have an organisation that is
able to highlight the events on the farms.
An opposition supporter and activist who has been
campaigning for political change had his rural home burnt down on Friday 12 May
2000. Also destroyed in the process was their home-grown maize food supply. How
will they live without their food supply until the next season's crops are
reaped.?
His wife, a teacher, was taken from her place of
employment, and was instructed to come to Harare and take him back to Murewa to
"surrender" to the ruling party and denounce the opposition party.
The threat is that if does not "surrender" that
when they find him they will kill him. If does return as instructed he will be
beaten, and possibly killed.
The whereabouts and fate of the two children is not
known.
This is the second time the demand to "surrender"
has been made. The first occasion was over the Easter weekend. The ruling party
supporters went to his house and removed opposition T-shirts and party cards
that he had for distribution. He was made to "surrender" and state that he
supported the ruling party under threat of assault.
Five schools in the area around St Paul's Mission
have been closed by the supporters of the ruling party as the teachers are seen
to be supporters of the opposition party.
What is the purpose of this senseless destruction
of property. Forcing people to denounce the opposition party will not force them
to vote for the ruling party. How can we claim to be a democratic country when
you are not allowed to make a choice about the political party that you
support.?
There is no such support or network of information
in the rural areas to inform the world as to what is happening.
In another rural area, an opposition party activist
was warned by a well wisher not to go home as he was in danger. The man chose to
go home via a round-about route, to find that his home had been ransacked and
that the people of his village had been abducted. He travelled to other villages
within his immediate area and found that all known opposition party supporters
had been abducted. From what he was able to establish, the people had been taken
for "re-education".
Robert Mugabe is claiming victory in the land
issue. There is no victory to claim. The re-distribution of land was never an
issue. The only issue was the manner in which land re-distribution was being
carried out and the lack of accountability for funds donated for the
purpose.
It has to be clear now, that if the land was the
issue, there would be no need to intimidate the rural people who stand to gain
from the land redistribution. But political intimidation by the ruling party
continues to happen.
The ruling party has published an election
manifesto which contains reasons which should be sufficient reason for everyone
to vote for the ruling party. Why then if the election manifesto is true, is
there a need to continue intimidation. Why continue to destroy property of the
people who stand to gain from the proposed plans in the election
manifesto.
There is a major point of interest in the Election
2000 advertisement published on Thursday, 11 May 2000
Large scale Commercial farming is stated to be 12.2
million hectares, and that the target is to reduce this to 7.2 million
hectares. According to CFU figures, the present
area of large scale commercial farming is 7.5 million hectares.
The excess hectares over the 7.5 million hectares
having been already acquired over the last twenty years. This means that 0.3 million hectares are required to meet the target
stated in the advertisement.
Which must mean in the words of ZANU PF that there
is no justification for the land invasions. If we have reached the
target, why the need for the Land Acquisition Bill.
Democracy in Zimbabwe is under threat from the people who have sworn an
oath to protect the State.
VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION SOARS 10 DAYS BEFORE VOTERS GO TO THE
POLLS
..terrified people cower on streets, a farmer is hospitalised, a
candidate
flees after threats from an army general
14 June
2000
The Movement for Democratic Change is facing a deluge of complaints
about a
massive escalation of violence and intimidation in some
areas.
Morgan Tsvangirai, president of the MDC said: "yesterday I was in
Murehwa
South and Murehwa North - the area is totally besieged. There are
some 3 000
war veterans in the area terrorising the populace. When we moved
into
Murehwa the police moved in ahead of us, there were thousands of
people
sitting, standing and huddling in the corridors of that community
too
terrified to come forward. People had sat down on streets within
hearing
distance of loudspeakers until police said there was a petrol station
nearby
they should move further back - out of hearing range.
"Murehwa
is an area where some of the worst torture has occurred. Last night
and
yesterday war veterans threatened shopkeepers to close stores, and
told
residents that they went to door to door not to attend the rally. It is
so
humbling to see the courage of those people - and their fear.
"I
say to the people of Zimbabwe we will win this war through the ballot
box.
The weapon you carry is the pen with which you make your cross. We
will
overcome this terror. The people of Zimbabwe carry the power to make
a
change. I believe in their courage.
"It is only a week and a half from
now until we vote, you, my people, can
choose between tyranny and peace and
progress for this country.
"If we cannot talk to the people everywhere we go,
we want them to know we
will come to comfort them in this their hour of need.
I am travelling to the
areas of the worst violence, to say, I am with you,
have courage, be
strong, stand firm Zimbabwe. Each vote counts - cast your
vote, it will
count. It will make a difference for you, your children, your
future - our
future. We have seen the violence and terror in Murewha North
and Murewha
South, in Uzumba, in Mudzi - stay alive, your vote is you weapon
against
these bullies and thugs."
In response to questions posed by
members of the US House of Representatives
yesterday (Tuesday) after he
delivered his testimony to the house via
telephone from Harare, Tsvangirai
said: "Southern Africa will not be
peaceful if Zimbabwe remains the way it
is. Justice has to be restored ...
land and race are being used by ZanuPF as
a smokescreen for its failures.
We are committed to democracy through the
ballot box and know what that
means. People are terrified, people are living
under siege...
"Everyone is unsafe in this environment, me in particular,
because I am the
leader of this democratic change. The targets are MDC
candidates. One today
was threatened by an army general. There is no point in
having dead
candidates, everyone is in danger here.
"The international
observers are well appreciated by there are not enough of
them to cover the
country. Not all are being accredited in time to see this
violence. But we
hope they can create a sense of peace in at least some
constituencies. Their
number is small but their work is appreciated.
"There are five constituencies
in Mashonaland East - all five are no-go
areas, it is impossible to campaign
in two constituencies in Mashonaland
West, in Masvingo three constituencies
are no go areas. The Midlands have
been very badly affected. In these
constituencies people are so terrified
they dare not come to meetings, we
campaign door to door at night."
IN INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE AND SEVERE
INTIMIDATION REPORTED ON TUESDAY:
* John Melrose (64) of Glen Somerset
farm in Macheke - 90km from
Harare - was hospitalised with severe head
injuries after being badly beaten
by 20 war veterans who took up residence on
his farm some time ago. He is at
present in Borrowdale hospital.
* Pearson
Tachiveyi, the MDC candidate for Wedza was contacted at work
in Harare at
lunchtime on June 13 by ZNA Commander General Chiwenga who is
Tachiveyi's
uncle, the two come from the same home village of Chigodora.
Tachiveyi says
Chiwenga said: "I understand you are the MDC candidate for
Wedza. I ask you
to resign the candidature as soon as possible. You should
come to my office
to talk about this 'surrender'. This must be done
immediately. If you don't I
will make sure I find you before the elections."
Tachiveyi replied that he
would exercise his democratic right to support the
party of his choice. He
says the general said: "It's up to you to decide
whether you wish to live or
die." Tachiveyi refused and the conversation
ended. Tachiveyi is so
intimidated he is contemplating leaving the country.
(cell
011409389)
* Silent Dube, and election agent for Seke Rural
Constituency
(023-812450) and Co-ordinator for Marirangwe in Beatrice claims
consistent
harassment by war vets when he puts up posters. He fears for his
life.
* Munyamana Lovemore (023.749.493) had his house burnt in Gokwe
on
Tuesday, he says the assailants were well known ZanuPF supporters
*
Registration books for voters to add their names to the
supplementary roll
were used up by early Mnday morning at Macheke governmetn
school in
Marondera, the electoral officers fled after angry would-be
voters
gathered.
* In Chegutu, ZanuPF candidate Charles Ndlovu has
been picking up
illegal immigrants in the area - Mozambicans, Malawians and
the ilk - and
taking them to get rapid Zimbabwean Identitity documents and to
be placed on
the supplementary roll. There was a group with Ndlovu busy doing
this on
Monday night at 8.30pm when polcie arrived following a complaint from
MDC
candidate, Phil Mathibe (091.319.458) and chased them away.
*
CHIRUMANZU - Gideon Makumbe (054-26845) reported two incidents. The
first was
when Sweden Madziwa a communal farmer was approached by 3 ZanuPF
youths and
told him he would be killed in the next few days. However, other
villagers
came to his support and warned the youths to leave.
* Cosiom Mdala a railway
worker at Fairfield was threatened by seven
ZanuPF youths sent by a central
committee member.
* VICTORIA FALLS - 200 war veterans marched into
the town on Tuesday,
June 13, ahead of an advertised rally with Morgan
Tsvangirai (an incorrect
advertisement), they beat up the organiser of the
rally, marched up and down
the town and put chains locking stadium gates.
Professor Welshman Ncube and
Gibson Sibanda will be speaking at the rally
today (Wed, 14.6) Contact
Richard Lowe 091-239178
"Freedom has
always been an expensive thing. History is fit testimony to the
fact that
freedom is rarely gained without sacrifice and self-denial."
(Martin Luther
King)
The MEDIA UPDATE is published and distributed by the
Media Monitoring Project
(MMPZ), 221 Fife Avenue,
Harare, Tel/fax: 263 4 734207,
733486,
===============
http://www.afrizim.com/
mailto:afrizim@mweb.co.za
MEDIA
UPDATE 2000/22
MONDAY 29 MAY – SUNDAY 4 JUNE 2000
1.
SUMMARY
The failure of the media to carry out effective
voter
education in the referendum
looks set to be repeated in the
election campaign.
ZBC’s special election report three times a
week
has as its introductory and closing graphic the
electoral
symbol of one of the political parties
contesting the election.
The
state-controlled press quoted police sources
claiming deaths from
political
violence significantly lower than the estimates of
independent observers and the private press. ZBC
remained silent on the
figures and failed to report
on internal fighting within ZANU (PF) in
Bulawayo
and Masvingo.
A senior ZBC employee was said to have been
suspended
because of his
opposition to the farm occupations, while
war
veterans were alleged to have threatened vendors of
privately
owned newspapers. But the Supreme Court
found that the charges against
the Standard
journalists under the Law and Order (Maintenance)
Act
were unconstitutional.
The Mirror had a “document in our
possession” showing
that a number of judges
had not properly
renounced their British
citizenship. Professor Jonathan Moyo took this
as
evidence that the judiciary was aligned with the
“sell-outs”.
PresidentMugabe said that Britain was
intercepting oil
tankers on the high seas
and offering bribes not to
deliver their cargo to
Zimbabwe. MP Tony Gara blamed the fuel crisis
on
garage owners, while the spokesperson for the
presidential task
force said that it was a problem
with the Feruka pipeline. The ZBC was
uninterested
in probing the discrepancies between these
accounts,
while the Herald was so impressed with
the President’s claim
that it relegated it to
paragraph 10 of its story.
It has come to the
attention of the MMPZ that an
independent news radio
broadcasting
initiative is to be launched next
week.
2. ELECTORAL
PROCESS
One of MMPZ’s main conclusions about coverage of
the
constitutional referendum in February was that the
media had largely
failed to educate the voters on
either the issues being contested or the
practical
mechanisms of voting. The week under review was a
particularly
important one, with the opening of the
voters’ roll to public
inspection and the closing of
nominations. Yet, with three weeks to go before
voting,
all the confusion (and bias) of the referendum campaign
looks set
to be repeated.
ZBC TV, for example, has begun a series on
the
electoral process broadcast on Sundays, Tuesday and
Thursdays. The
introductory and closing picture is of
Great Zimbabwe – the
election symbol of ZANU (PF).
Both the Herald and the Chronicle (1 June)
reported the
opening of the voters’ roll for inspection
(“3500
centres set up to facilitate inspection of the
voters’
roll” and “Voters’ roll open
for inspection”). Both
articles stressed the need to present ID
particulars.
According to the Herald (31 May) (“It’s
wrong to
dismiss voters’ roll before inspection –
Registrar
General”):
Mr Mudede said people can quote
their national
identity during the inspection because the number
is used as a voter’s number.
Neither article questioned whether
this compromised the
secrecy of the ballot. On ZBC (6pm & 8pm, 30 May),
the
Registrar General made a similar point while stating
that the use of
the national identity as a tracking
system was a superb system (a claim on
which other
opinions were not sought). Again, ZBC did not question
the
implications of the use of ID numbers for the
secrecy of the ballot. On 4
June (6 pm and 8 pm) the
Registrar General stated on ZBC that there was no
way
the government could know how an individual voted. He
said that a
voter’s vote was between him and his God
and that not even a witch
would know how one voted.
Although this was the greatest attempt at
voter
education thus far, the ZBC could have gone further to
allay voter
fears by informing the public about the
exact procedures that are followed
after ballot
counting and the fact that the sealed packets
containing the
used ballot paper counterfoils can only
be opened with a High Court order.
(In the same report,
Mudede explained the difference between a monitor
and
an observer. So far all media have failed to
differentiate between the
two.)
Information about the dates when the roll was open
for
inspection was also confusing. ZBC announced (29 May)
that it was open
1-13 June, although the previous week
(25 May) they had reported Home Affairs
Minister
Dabengwa announcing that the roll was open for
inspection that
day. Even worse, ZBC failed to announce
where the roll could be inspected.
Those living in
remote areas who are dependent on the electronic
media
would simply not have known where to go. Small wonder
that there
were reports of a low turnout to inspect the
roll.
MMPZ also noted
with concern that the list advertising
the voters’ roll inspection
centres was only placed in
ZIMPAPERS. None of the privately owned
papers,
including the high-circulation Daily News, received
the
advertising. The Herald (“Inspecting voters’ roll
vital
to correct mistakes”, 2 June) ran a good
comment,
emphasizing the need to inspect the voters’ roll.
But
good sentiments are not enough if voters cannot find
the centres to
carry out the inspection.
ZIMPAPERS only made passing reference to the
concerns
of opposition parties and other stakeholders about the
accuracy
of the voters’ roll. It was only in the
private press that the
public got to hear the concerns
of the opposition. The Daily News articles,
“Voters’
roll in shambles, says MDC” (29 May)
and “Voters roll
in a mess” (31 May), quoted the MDC
president and the
Registrar-General respectively, stating that the
voters
roll was not in order, with the latter agreeing to
clean it up in
time for the election. Other Daily News
articles, “Candidate
missing from register” (2 June)
and “Voters not
amused” (2 June) both stated that the
voters’ roll had
many omissions. The latter article
indicated that people who had registered
after 16 May
would not be able to vote as their names had also
been
omitted.
Reporting of the nomination process was generally
fair
in both the public and private media, with both
emphasizing that
there were no reports of major hitches
or violence at any of the nomination
courts around the
country. Several opposition parties received coverage
on
ZBC, but the reporting was not clear, becoming lost
in an incoherent jumble
of numbers and names.
The Herald (2 June) article “MDC to
announce candidates
tomorrow” quoted the MDC president making
the
announcement to protect his candidates from
intimidation and
victimization. The Herald (3 June)
reported, “Three aspiring MDC
parliamentary candidates
resign” on the day the nomination courts
sat. The
article focused on divisions within the MDC. The Sunday
News and
The Sunday Mail (4 June) published lists of
the nomination results.
In
the story “MDC fields 120” the Standard (4 June)
reported
that the MDC had fielded candidates in all the
constituencies on offer, a
first for the opposition
since 1980. The paper also reported that the
Voting
Pact, comprising The Zimbabwe Union of Democrats (ZUD),
United
Parties (UP), Liberty Party and ZANU Ndonga
reported that the pact expected
to field 100
candidates. However the paper reported that members of
the
pact who had initially agreed not to field
candidates against each other had
reneged on that
promise in some constituencies.
Much of the weakness
of educational and informative
material in the media is a result in part of
the
weakness of the Electoral Supervisory Commission. Why
the commission
should be so starved of resources is
itself a story – but not one
that either the ZBC or
ZIMPAPERS chose to pursue. For example, none of
the
media made anything of the fact that the Registrar
General has failed
to deliver a copy of the voters’
roll to the ESC, although he is
legally required to do
so.
The competence of the ESC came under
consideration in
the private press. The Daily News’ article,
“ESC
hamstrung: parties” (29 May) quoted various
officials
of the opposition political parties and pre-election
observer
mission all casting doubt on the competence of
the ESC to supervise the
election effectively. In the
story “ESC says it has no money to run
elections”, The
Financial Gazette (1 June) reported that the ESC
would
be obliged to depend on whatever handouts the
government and donors
would give it. The paper also
reported that the commission only had three,
instead of
the mandated five commissioners, making it impossible
to fulfil
its duties in the electoral process. The
acting chairperson, Elaine
Raftopoulos said the
financial problems impinged on the
organization’s
freedom and operations.
That is why we
have always said that it is
imperative to have a truly independent ESC
with a
separate budget of its own to run elections.
3.
POLITICAL VIOLENCE
There was confusion in the week under review over
the
number of people who have died as a result of political
violence. The
Sunday Mail (4 June) quoted the police as
saying opposition and
anti-government groups were to
blame i.e. the NCA and MDC in an article
headlined
“Opposition forces triggered political
violence”. Part
of the article read:
Police maintained
that a total of 19 people had
since January 1 died in incidents linked
to
political violence, with only ten of those having
been
confirmed as having died in politically
motivated attacks.
So was
it 19 or 10? Or 11? That was the figure police
spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena
gave the Daily News on 31
May. NGOs, the opposition and private press report
the
number of deaths so far being as high as 26. Even a
scan of those
deaths reported in the Herald takes the
total much higher than 11. The
interesting story would
be not only which is the correct figure, but also
who
is massaging the figures and why.
In the past week both ZIMPAPERS
and the ZBC downplayed
political violence. The Herald (30 May) carried
an
article headlined “ZANU PF candidate’s campaign
manager
shot dead” which reported in-fighting within ZANU
(PF).
The second part of the article reported the death of a
ZANU (PF)
supporter in Honde Valley. In a bid to blame
the opposition part of the
article read:
In another incident, a ZANU PF supporter died in
Honde Valley, Manicaland, on Monday after being
assaulted by a group of
men suspected to be from
one of the many opposition parties in the
country.
The gang was wearing ZANU PF T-shirts.
Hence the
automatic assumption that they were
opposition supporters. The incident was
also reported
in ZIMPAPERS’ Manica Post and The Eastern Star,
which
both blamed ZANU (PF) supporters. Both papers were
closer to the
spot and provided timely coverage.
The Herald (1 June) did accuse ZANU
(PF) of being
behind the death of an MDC candidate in an article
headlined
“Political Violence: MDC candidate killed in
Bikita”.
However, the article was relegated to page 5.
The front page was an article
on MDC in-fighting
headlined “MDC’s Masvingo executive
plunged into
chaos”. In The Chronicle (1 June), the
article
headlined “MDC candidate found dead” was
relegated to
page 8. In follow-up, the ZIMPAPERS’ dailies
reported
that the police had picked up the son of the deceased
MDC
candidate for questioning.
ZBC did not report the deaths of farmer Tony
Oates in
Beatrice and one of his attackers in what was said to
be a
robbery. ZBC also did not report the death of a
ZANU (PF) supporter after
policemen opened fire on a
mob of two hundred militants who were reported to
have
stormed the police station in Mvurwi in an effort to
free colleagues
who were being held in detention there.
The electronic media continued to
quote police
statements that there was a decrease in political
violence
(television, 30 May, 8.00 pm) and gave the
impression that the police were
getting tough with
perpetrators of political violence (Radio 2/4 30
May,
8.00 pm). As MMPZ reported last week, there is a new
initiative for
the police to provide information on
political violence on both Radio 2 and
the AM Zimbabwe
television programme. However, the programmes this
week
failed to mention the death of ZANU (PF) campaign
manager Kufandaedza
in Marondera West.
ZBC reports on actual violence blamed the MDC. On
29
May ZBC television and radio (8 pm) presented a
confusing report about
a politically motivated car
accident in Budiriro in which MDC supporters
allegedly
chased the car of a President’s office employee.
The
car crashed into a house and the driver disappeared.
From the
report it was not clear what happened exactly,
although ZANU (PF) MP Gladys
Hokoyo was quoted blaming
the MDC. No comment was sought from the
MDC.
The ZBC did not report on the intra-party fighting in
ZANU (PF)
in Bulawayo or Masvingo, although ZIMPAPERS
did. These stories were covered
at length in the
private press. “War veterans attack Bulawayo ZANU
PF
provincial chairman” (Zimbabwe Independent, 2 June)
and
“War vets beat up top ZANU PF officials” (The
Zimbabwe
Mirror, 2 June) reported that the war veterans had
beaten up the
provincial chairman, Edson Ncube, and two
other senior officials for failing
to provide funds
from the $2m allocated to the province, to run the
ZANU
(PF) election campaign. The private press continued to
identify ZANU
(PF) supporters and the war veterans as
the main perpetrators of violence.
Violence against
teachers and rural people also continued to be
covered.
The Daily News followed up the disturbances at schools
in its
articles, “War vets, ZANU PF supporters threaten
to close Buhera
school” (29 May) and “Seven rural
schools
closed” (1 June).
4. LAND
In the week when 804 farms
were gazetted under the Land
Acquisition Act, ZBC’s coverage was
unquestioningly
pro-government. Half (49.5 per cent) of the voices on
the
land issue on radio were government and ZANU (PF),
followed by foreign voices
(20 per cent) including
endorsements from South Africa’ ANC and
povo. This
report (30 May) followed a ZANU (PF) delegation to
South Africa
to meet the ANC. Vox pop interviews with
Soweto and Alexandria residents were
in support of land
reform. Further endorsements came from the OAU
in
Tripoli which called on Britain to fund the Zimbabwe
land programme
(radio 2/4, 2 June, 6.00 and 7.00 am).
Alternative and opposition voices were
given 6.4 per
cent and 3.2 per cent respectively. The Democratic
Party on
4 June (radio 2/4, 1.00 pm) said that farm
invasions would continue until the
land issue was
solved.
The Sunday Mail (“Suspicions over
UNDP’s secret agenda
on land confirmed”, 4 June) stated
that the UNDP was
being used as a British tool in the same way as the
IMF
and World Bank to destroy Zimbabwe. The article alleged
that the UNDP
offer was meant to delay the land reform
exercise. No comment was quoted from
the UNDP.
ZBC made little of the continuing stalemate between
Home
Affairs Minister Dumiso Dabengwa and the war
veterans. On 31 May (radio 2,
6.00 and 7.00 am) the
Minister said that he did not expect resistance
from
the veterans and that they should prepare to move off
the land. This
was a follow-up to a report on 29 May in
which Chenjerai Hunzvi had said that
the war veterans
would only listen to President Mugabe and their
own
leaders. The Daily News (“Dabengwa throws in the towel
over
invaders”, 30 May) indicated that the Minister had
urged the
government to remove the veterans from the
farms. He was quoted
saying:
If the government wants to back Mhlanga, that is
fine.
I have always thought that they should move
out but I don’t
care anymore. What happened was
democracy and everyone could express
their
feelings.
5. MEDIA FREEDOM
The Financial Gazette
(“Unpopular phone Act to be
signed”, 1 June) reported
that the bill allowing
government to eavesdrop on telephone and
email
communication would receive the presidential assent
this month. The
same paper (“Senior ZBC man suspended
for opposing farm
invasions”) reported that a senior
ZBC employee, Edison Nyarambi,
was suspended
indefinitely for joining Liberator’s Platform, a
group
of former freedom fighters who are opposed to farm
invasions by war
veterans.
There were also reports of private newspapers being
outlawed
in some parts of the country by war veterans
and ZANU (PF) supporters. The
Zimbabwe Independent
(“War veterans threaten vendors of private
papers”, 2
June) reported that vendors’ papers were being
burnt in
Kwekwe. Some vendors had to flee to save their lives
and some had
been beaten up the paper said. MMPZ notes
this development with concern, and
calls upon
Government to ensure that media organizations operate
in an
environment free from fear and intimidation.
The Standard
(“Victory for press freedom as court rules
in favour of Standard
journalists”, 4 June) celebrated
the Supreme Court ruling that
section 50(2) (a) of the
Law and Order Maintenance Act, under which two
Standard
journalists Mark Chavunduka and Ray Choto were being
charged was
unconstitutional.
6. BRITISH JUDGES?
The question of whether
six of the country’s top judges
could still be regarded as
Zimbabwean citizens was an
interesting story in that, so far at least, it
entirely
inhabits the realms of the media, with no comment from
anyone
else. Yet, the British media has taken the
characteristically forthright
views of Professor
Jonathan Moyo as an indication of the
government’s
intentions with regard to the judiciary. The
story
began in the Mirror (“Chief Justice
Gubbay’s
citizenship questioned”, 2 June). The story
offered the
possibility of comment to several of those alleged to
be
affected and quoted extensively Advocate Pearson
Nherere, the lawyer
representing the MDC over the issue
of voting rights of British citizens. But
the story
hinges on “a document in our possession”, the
nature of
which is never specified.
The uncertain provenance of the
allegation did not
greatly worry Professor Moyo (Sunday Mail,
“Whose
interests is our judiciary serving?” 4 June) who,
in a
shower of “allegedlys” accused the judges of
being
unfit to hold office, since they owed allegiance to
Britain and were
therefore allied to the pro-British
“sell-outs” of the
MDC:
…the Zimbabwean body politic will remain with a
clear and present danger, a legal cancer or virus,
of having a foreign,
British sponsored, opposition
party recklessly going to court with a
dangerous
court application to be decided by foreigners in
the
interest of foreigners.
Most of the key judgments in the current crisis
– for
example on the land occupations – have been made
by
black Zimbabwean judges. The case on citizenship and
the franchise is
being decided by the Judge President.
It is unclear from his article if
Professor Moyo is
maintaining that Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku is not
a
Zimbabwean.
7. THE FUEL CRISIS
None of the media was able
to ignore the growing fuel
shortages. On 1 June, ZBC television 8.00 news
carried
the following story:
Newsreader: The President has said
the British are
resorting to following ships laden with fuel
destined for Zimbabwe on the high seas and offering
them double the
amount paid by the country for the
fuel in a bid to deprive the country
of normal
supplies of the commodity. The President was
addressing
ZANU (PF) supporters from Mbare West
constituency who demonstrated
against Britain’s
attitude against Zimbabwe in Harare
today.
President Mugabe: …the British are interfering
with
our fuel supplies. They are even trying to divert
ships with
fuel destined for this country. That is
why we say they are
bad…...we will not go back on
the issue of redistributing 841
farms…
ZBC did not carry any comment from the fuel
companies
verifying the President’s allegations, nor from
the
British High Commission. This was surprising since
Britain was, in
effect, being accused of the serious
crime of piracy. ZIMPAPERS carried the
same story, and
like the ZBC it carried no comment from the other
parties
involved. The Chronicle put it on the front
page (“President
accuses Britain”, 2 June). But the
Herald chose to bury the
President’s sensational
allegation in the tenth paragraph of its
story on the
Mbare West petition (“UK called upon to honour
its
obligation”, 2 June) – presumably an indication of
how
seriously they felt it should be taken.
But things were apparently
different over in Mbare
East, where outgoing MP Tony Gara (ZBCTV, 4 June,
8.00
pm) was reported as saying that the “alleged”
fuel
shortage was being caused by mischievous garage owners
whose aim was
to discredit the government. Were they by
any chance British garage owners?
Were they patrolling
the Mozambique Channel offering backhanders to
the
captains of passing oil tankers? We did not find out,
since ZBC
offered no substantiation for the claim.
Immediately after the report of
Gara’s claim was a
story in which Munyaradzi Hwengwere, the
spokesperson
for the presidential task force on fuel, apologised to
the
people of Zimbabwe for the fuel shortage, which he
said was as a result of
problems with the Feruka
pipeline. He added that supplies would be restored
the
following day. No comment was sought from Hwengwere,
who is based in
the President’s Office, on the
allegations made by the President
and Mr. Gara.
8. NEW INDEPENDENT RADIO STATION FOR ZIMBABWE
It has
come to the attention of MMPZ that an
independent radio broadcasting station
initiative is to
be launched next week on 7.215 kilohertz on the
short
wave band. The transmissions in Shona, SiNdebele and
English in half
hour slots at 7 pm and 9.15 pm will be
airing the views of Zimbabweans.
Someone in the USA checked this out and sent the following:
QUOTE
I phoned Senator Jesse Helms' office. They confirmed that the legislation is
in fact being sponsored by the three Senators. They then referred me to the
Foreign Relations Committee as being the source of the document and its
release -- (Document number: S 2677).
UNQUOTE
US recovery program
Dear friends of Zimbabwe,
U.S. Senator Bill
Frist, along with Senators Russ Feingold and
Jesse Helms, today introduced bi-partisan
legislation to clarify
and strengthen U.S. policy toward Zimbabwe.
The
primary focus of the legislation is to establish the clear
link between rule
of law and US policy, and to support a
transition to democracy and economic
recovery -- including
financial support, should a transition begin in
earnest.
The legislation is offered in recognition that the
future
stability of Zimbabwe will profoundly impact the entire
region and
that stability and recovery is in the United States'
national interest. That
future is dependent on the viability
of the democratic legal and economic
institutions in
Zimbabwe which are currently under assault.
A quick
summary of the content follows.
Please feel free to pass this on as you see
fit or to direct
inquiries and comments directly to me.
ZIMBABWE
DEMOCRACY ACT
(Introduced by Senator Bill Frist, along with Senators
Feingold
and Helms.)
Section 1: Title of the legislation
Section
2: Findings and Policy
. Finds that the violence in Zimbabwe is an
orchestrated
attempt to distract from the assault on rule of law
and
democratic opposition by the government, ruling party and
its
supporters.
. Establishes that the policy of the United States to
support
the people of Zimbabwe in their struggles to effect
peaceful,
democratic change, achieve broad-based and equitable
economic
growth, and restore the rule of law.
Section 3: Prohibition on Provision
of Assistance or Debt Relief
· Suspends bilateral assistance to the
government of
Zimbabwe;
. suspends any debt reduction measures for
the government
of Zimbabwe; and instructs the US Executive Directors
of
the multilateral lending institutions to vote against the
extension of any credit or benefits to the government of
Zimbabwe until
rule of law and democratic institutions are
restored.
. Includes
explicit exceptions for humanitarian, health and
democracy support
programs.
Section 4: Support for Democratic Institutions and the
Rule
of Law
· Authorizes the use of US funds for legal assistance
for
individuals and institutions which are suffering under the
breakdown
of rule of law. The legal expenses of torture
victims, independent media
supporting free speech and any
other democratic institutions or individuals
challenging election
results or undemocratic laws can be paid from US
funds.
· Provides new authority for broadcasting of objective
and
reliable news to rural listeners in Zimbabwe.
· Doubles next year's
funding for ongoing democracy programs
in Zimbabwe.
· Expresses the Sense
of the Senate that the United States
should support election observers to the
parliamentary and
presidential elections, especially during the
critical
pre-electoral period.
Section 5: Support for Democratic
Transition and Economic Recovery
· If the President certifies to Congress
that rule of law is
restored, freedom of speech and association is
respected,
elections conducted, Zimbabwe is pursuing an equitable
and
legal land reform program, and the army is under civilian
control, a
series of programs to support democratic transition
and aggressively promote
economic recovery are initiated:
· Suspended assistance is restored.
·
Allocates an initial US$16 million for alternative land reform
programs under
the Inception Phase of the Land Reform and
Resettlement Program - including
acquisition and resettlement
costs.
· The Secretary of Treasury shall
undertake a review of
Zimbabwe's bilateral debt for the purposes of
elimination of
that debt to the greatest extent possible.
· Directs the
US Executive Directors at the multilateral
institutions to propose and
support programs for the
elimination of Zimbabwe's multilateral debt, and
that those
institutions initiate programs to support rapid
economic
recovery and the stabilization of the Zimbabwe dollar.
· Directs
the establishment of a "Southern Africa Finance
Center" in Zimbabwe which
will serve as a joint office for the
Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private
Investment
Corporation, and the Trade Development Agency to
pursue,
facilitate and underwrite American private investment in
Zimbabwe
and the region.
Dear friends of Zimbabwe,
U.S. Senator Bill Frist,
along with Senators Feingold and
Helms, today introduced bi-partisan
legislation to clarify
and strengthen U.S. policy toward Zimbabwe.
The
primary focus of the legislation is to establish the clear
link between rule
of law and US policy, and to support a
transition to democracy and economic
recovery -- including
financial support, should a transition begin in
earnest.
The legislation is offered in recognition that the
future
stability of Zimbabwe will profoundly impact the entire
region and
that stability and recovery is in the United States'
national interest. That
future is dependent on the viability
of the democratic legal and economic
institutions in
Zimbabwe which are currently under assault.
A quick
summary of the content follows.
Please feel free to pass this on as you see
fit or to direct
inquiries and comments directly to me.
ZIMBABWE
DEMOCRACY ACT
(Introduced by Senator Bill Frist, along with Senators
Feingold
and Helms.)
Section 1: Title of the legislation
Section
2: Findings and Policy
. Finds that the violence in Zimbabwe is an
orchestrated
attempt to distract from the assault on rule of law
and
democratic opposition by the government, ruling party and
its
supporters.
. Establishes that the policy of the United States to
support
the people of Zimbabwe in their struggles to effect
peaceful,
democratic change, achieve broad-based and equitable
economic
growth, and restore the rule of law.
Section 3: Prohibition on Provision
of Assistance or Debt Relief
· Suspends bilateral assistance to the
government of
Zimbabwe;
. suspends any debt reduction measures for
the government
of Zimbabwe; and instructs the US Executive Directors
of
the multilateral lending institutions to vote against the
extension of any credit or benefits to the government of
Zimbabwe until
rule of law and democratic institutions are
restored.
. Includes
explicit exceptions for humanitarian, health and
democracy support
programs.
Section 4: Support for Democratic Institutions and the
Rule
of Law
· Authorizes the use of US funds for legal assistance
for
individuals and institutions which are suffering under the
breakdown
of rule of law. The legal expenses of torture
victims, independent media
supporting free speech and any
other democratic institutions or individuals
challenging election
results or undemocratic laws can be paid from US
funds.
· Provides new authority for broadcasting of objective
and
reliable news to rural listeners in Zimbabwe.
· Doubles next year's
funding for ongoing democracy programs
in Zimbabwe.
· Expresses the Sense
of the Senate that the United States
should support election observers to the
parliamentary and
presidential elections, especially during the
critical
pre-electoral period.
Section 5: Support for Democratic
Transition and Economic Recovery
· If the President certifies to Congress
that rule of law is
restored, freedom of speech and association is
respected,
elections conducted, Zimbabwe is pursuing an equitable
and
legal land reform program, and the army is under civilian
control, a
series of programs to support democratic transition
and aggressively promote
economic recovery are initiated:
· Suspended assistance is restored.
·
Allocates an initial US$16 million for alternative land reform
programs under
the Inception Phase of the Land Reform and
Resettlement Program - including
acquisition and resettlement
costs.
· The Secretary of Treasury shall
undertake a review of
Zimbabwe's bilateral debt for the purposes of
elimination of
that debt to the greatest extent possible.
· Directs the
US Executive Directors at the multilateral
institutions to propose and
support programs for the
elimination of Zimbabwe's multilateral debt, and
that those
institutions initiate programs to support rapid
economic
recovery and the stabilization of the Zimbabwe dollar.
· Directs
the establishment of a "Southern Africa Finance
Center" in Zimbabwe which
will serve as a joint office for the
Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private
Investment
Corporation, and the Trade Development Agency to
pursue,
facilitate and underwrite American private investment in
Zimbabwe
and the region.
Michael Miller