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18 May 2000
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Let us regain our humanity

5/16/00 10:30:52 AM (GMT +2)

Fr Oskar Wermter SJ

Some Catholics are demanding that the Pope should excommunicate members of the Church who are responsible for terror, intimidation and political killings.

But why trouble the Pope?

If you "do not regret" blood spilt and condone political murder as a means towards your political ends, you have excommunicated yourself already.

If you preach hatred and call for revenge, you have already placed yourself outside the church of Christ.
If your corruption takes the lives of the poor, you have cut yourself off from God, the "protector of widows and orphans".

You cannot sacrifice human beings on the altar of your lust for power and wealth. "You cannot be the slave of both God and money" (Matthew 6: 24).
Your verbal violence paves the way for physical violence. Killing a human being in cold blood is not easy even for the most depraved.

You first want to dehumanise and demonise your enemy by calling him "imperialist", "stooge", "sellout", "racist" or an "enemy of the people", declare him something subhuman, mere vermin, before you batter him to death. Hatemongers have no place among Christ's followers. "Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you are well aware that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him" (1 John 3:15).

The first word of Christ is not condemnation though, but a call to repentance and transformation (cf Mark 1: 15). If you are carried away by fanaticism and bigotry he implores you to stop and think.
But if even after several warnings there is no change, "treat him like a gentile or a tax collector": you have excluded yourself (cf Mt 18: 17). Nkosana Moyo said on Press Freedom Day (3 May) [addressing a large gathering convened by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists], "We have suffered from discrimination. We were not allowed to possess land where we wanted.

"Because of the injustice we went to war. We wanted to put something more equitable in place of the injustice we had seen.

"Now we must ask ourselves: did we really do better? Or did we just take Smith's place and run the same system?
"We must go back to our spiritual roots, to the intellectual and spiritual requirements of our unhu/ubuntu 'humanity' or 'humane behaviour'.

"We no longer have any respect for each other as people. There is now a casual flippancy about taking human life. We need to reconnect with unhu/ubuntu before the present state of lawlessness can no longer be reversed. Do not confuse this with the land issue. This issue must be resolved but not as a short-term measure which would compromise the essence of our Africanness. Not as a matter of mere political expediency.
Hatiuraye vanhu nhando. Upenyu hwomunhu hwakakosha. 'We do not kill people for nothing. Human life is precious'." The speaker also put it into Ndebele.

This is an abuse of office. "This callousness in taking life shows we are a spiritually sick society," he said.
This African insight is very close to a word of Christ, "What, then, will anyone gain by winning the whole world and forfeiting his life?" (Matthew 16: 26). For our society to regain its spiritual health, we have to re-establish certain basic values.

Time and again the churches have been asked "to restore the moral fibre of the nation" which was equated with "discipline". But now we have anarchy and lawlessness.

Either you hold certain basic moral values respect for human life, tolerance, personal freedom, solidarity with the young, the poor and the sick or you don't. You cannot suspend the moral law whenever it is in the way of your ambitions. You do not trifle with God.

We are now caught up in a full-blown propaganda war. Its first victims are the propagandists themselves: they begin to believe their own fantasies.

Habitual lying makes them blind to reality. We need to regain respect for the truth if we are not to lose our sanity.
There is no need for hatred and fanaticism to institute the land reform, so long overdue. It needs honesty and cool judgment. Land is only one factor in the economy where many different players have to balance each other. If imbalances are to be corrected you need a surgeon's knife, not a meat axe.

"We call on people to have hope and courage. Dictators have come and gone but Christ remains forever. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb 13:8). We call on all people to pray and work for peace.

We ask people not to be intimidated. Even if out of fear you comply with men of violence, you should still vote according to your conscience since your vote is secret. We encourage you all to continue registering as voters and to use wisely your vote. We ask that there be a meaningful dialogue between government and the farmers.

Let us all cultivate a culture of tolerance and respect each other, even those with a different point of view. "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Mat 5: 44). "When people stand united in their powerlessness and conviction, no one can defeat them" (Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo in a recent message).

The people of this country must regain their unhu/ ubuntu, their basic humanity, as the foundation for a new Zimbabwe.

This call goes out especially to those who, in spiritual confusion, while regaining their land, may lose their very soul as vana vevhu ("children of the land").

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Please find below and attached the Democratic Party's latest press statement regarding Zimbabwe, as well as correspondence highlighting the DP's continued efforts to bring and end to the crisis in Zimbabwe.
Yours sincerely

Office of Tony Leon MP
Leader of the Democratic Party
============================================================================
Statement by Douglas Gibson, MP
Democratic Party Chief Whip

Zimbabwe: DP delegation to help ensure free and fair elections
Release: Immediate, 16 May 2000

I am today leading a high level Democratic Party delegation to Zimbabwe with the view to holding discussions with local economists, the farming community and senior opposition politicians following the announcement of the election dates yesterday. Joe Seremane, MP and myself are going to Zimbabwe at the request of Tony Leon, Leader of the Opposition to observe the situation and find out what the DP can do to help ensure that the upcoming elections are free and fair.

Douglas Gibson: 082 415 5246
Media liaison: Phillip Grobler 082 3201 890
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Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade AUSTRALIA

Answers to questions by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Trade and their representatives in the Senate.

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

Zimbabwe: Government Response
Question Without Notice
9 May 2000, 2:31pm
Dr WASHER (2.31 p.m.) —My question is addressed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Minister, since the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group met in London last week, violence and the illegal occupation of farms continue in Zimbabwe. Would you inform the House of the Australian government's response to this ongoing violence in Zimbabwe and of any action being taken?

Mr DOWNER —First, I thank the honourable member for his question and recognise that many members of this House on both sides have ex- pressed very great concern about the current situation in Zimbabwe. I think it is fair to say that Australia comes to this issue from a position of real strength because there is no doubt that the Australian government of the day provided very significant assistance to help Zimbabwe achieve the constitutional government, the rule of law and a civil society sought for many years before 1980. It therefore is a matter of particular concern to the Australian government that the situation in Zimbabwe today is so serious.

Farmers, farm workers and members of the opposition continue to be killed and assaulted. The latest estimate I have is that 19 people have been killed. New occupations of farms are occurring. There are currently over 700 farms which have encamped squatters. The Zimbabwean government is not enforcing the decisions of Zimbabwe's High Court, nor is it attempting to control the violence and restore the rule of law. Such developments are of real concern to the Australian government and, I think it is fair to say, to this House as a whole and, of course, to the broader Australian community. The government's views have been made very clear directly to Zimbabwean ministers through our High Commission in Harare. Indeed, this very day I spoke to the Zimbabwean High Com- missioner here in Canberra once more expressing my concerns about recent developments.

Last week I was in London for my first meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group prepared a strong chairman's statement, reflecting the deep concern of the Commonwealth about the situation in Zimbabwe, including—and I quote from the statement—`ongoing violence, loss of life, illegal occupations of property, failure to uphold the rule of law and political intimidation in the run-up to Zimbabwe's parliamentary election'. What was interesting about this statement was that it was a statement agreed to by not only Australia or the United King- dom but also countries like Botswana, Nigeria—near neighbours of Zimbabwe—Malaysia, Bangladesh, Barbados and Canada. This issue is of very major concern to the international community. Let me make it clear that this problem in Zimbabwe should not be characterised just as a dispute between Zimbabwe and Britain. This is a matter of concern to the whole of the international community. We helped now President Mugabe and his people achieve the genuine independence that they have, and we expect that Zimbabwe today and the Zimbabwe government will uphold the rule of law and will ensure that there is a proper constitutional process in place. We will continue to make representations on this issue. The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth is intending to visit Zimbabwe very soon and I know he will make representations.

Finally, I have made it clear that Australia would be prepared to send observers to the elections in Zimbabwe which we expect to be held before the end of August. I think some members of this House may be willing to go. I think it would be appropriate to have a small number of members of parliament as part of that observer group. Overall, I think it is important that the Commonwealth has a team of observers there, including some from Australia.

© Commonwealth of Australia 2000
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May 16 (AFP) - Political violence in Zimbabwe, in which 18 people have died since February, is now threatening anyone suspected of opposing the ruling ZANU-PF party as fear grips the country ahead of legislative elections.
"We will hunt you down until we get all of you," supporters of the ruling party - former veterans of Zimbabwe's independence war and unemployed youths - shouted as they beat their victims with iron bars or sticks.
The violence began after the defeat of Zimbabwean President Robert Muganbe in a a constitutional referendum last February, his first main political setback in 20 years of rule.
The country's whites, acused of backing the opposition, were immediately threatened with expropriation without compensation while 1,000 of their farms were taken over by veterans of the war of independence against white Prime Minister Ian Smith.
Four white farmers, who were members of the anti-Mugabe opposition, have been killed during the land grabs, orchestrated by Mugabe and the ruling Zimbambwe African Nation Union - Popular Front (ZANU-PF), aimed at retaining their hold on power, claims the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Mugabe announced on Monday that parliamentary elections would be held next month.
Dozens of black workers on white farmers have been regularly beaten by activists if they have been too lukewarm in their support for ZANU-PF, which has installed Chinese-stye re-education camps. Several have also been killed.
State television regulary shows footage of camp inmates being forced to stay awake all night, shouting pro-government slogans, to make military style marches or to beat up their fellow-inmates.
In recent days, intimidation has also been aimed against students and their teachers, regarded as pillars of the opposition, along with journalists working for independent newspapers.
Students at Harare University have been banned from holding meetings on campus and have denounced government oppression. A growing number of teachers, particularly in rural areas, have been singled out for ill-treatment since the new school term began on May 9.
Rodwell Mutoredzana, a primary school teader who fled to Harare, said he had been on a list of opposition supporters who were targetted. According to him, the list was drawn up by the headmaster, a ZANU-PF supporter. "Everyone lives in fear," Rodwell said.
Human rights organisations have also denounced beatings, rapes and destruction of property against women and children.
The violence started in rural areas but has spread to the towns where only a few people still dare to express opposition to the government, and even fear speaking over the the telephone to someone they do not know.
Mugabe has set June 24 and 25 as the date for parliamentary elections, presidential spokesman George Charamba said Monday.
The opposition, theoretically in a position to win the elections, says it is not free to campaign, and has called on the international community to guarantee free and fair elections.
Ahead of MDC meetings, ZANU-PF supporters range through the town, threatening MDC militant with reprisals.
But that means the ruling party is running scared, said MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, adding that the intimidation campaign was "a good sign."
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HARARE, May 16 (AFP) - Commonwealth chief Don McKinnon said Tuesday after talks with President Robert Mugabe he believes it is possible to have a free and fair election in Zimbabwe, despite violence which has left 20 people dead.
"I believe it is possible to have a free election," Secretary General McKinnon told reporters after the hour-long meeting at Mugabe's State House office here.
"There are concerns that people have been killed, obviously, and I have conveyed these (to Mugabe), but we hope to see the level of violence down very much."
McKinnon said he believed Mugabe was genuinely committed to reducing the level of violence, which has been exacerbated by the invasion of about 1,300 white-owned commercial farms by self-styled war veterans, and to ensure that the June 24-25 parliamentary poll will be free and fair.
McKinnon, who was kept waiting almost 24 hours before being able to secure a meeting with Mugabe, said the president had agreed to the deployment of "40 plus" Commonwealth monitors and that these were likely to be deployed "fairly soon."
"The Commonwealth only sends observers to where we are invited," he said.
The monitors are to be joined by others from the South African Development Community (SADC), the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the United States.
"I imagine there will be a lot of observers on the ground," he said.
The deployment of observers will help ensure a free and fair election, McKinnon said, adding: "That is certainly what the government has told me it wants to have."
He had, he said, conveyed the concerns of an eight-member Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), which met in London early this month to condemn Mugabe for failing to uphold the rule of law over the illegal farm occupations.
Mugabe has ignored calls to end the land invasions, but has warned that police will act against those perpetrating violence -- a claim scoffed at by the Commercial Farmers Union, which has reported four of its members murdered by war veterans.
"I conveyed the issues ... raised by the ministers in London," New Zealander McKinnon said.
"We had a very good debate about those," he said. "I believe the president is aware that while within the Commonwealth we can have our differences, we are also capable of dealing with those issues face to face and remain friends."
He said Mugabe had taken the concerns of the Commonwealth ministers "in good faith."
The Zimbabwean leader, he added, was "obviously" concerned about the violence.
"I got from the president that he genuinely wants to see a lessening of violence, that he genuinely wants to let the international community see a free and fair election."
He said Mugabe had spoken at length about the land issue.
"We fully understand that this is certainly a serious element in the whole election."
The Commonwealth, McKinnon added, remained prepared to help resolve the land crisis, even after the election.
The meeting between McKinnon and Mugabe was meant to take place on Monday, but it was continually delayed, according to members of McKinnon's party, by Mugabe without explanation.
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Zimbabwe immigrants choose New Zealand to escape violence

There has been a rapid rise in the number of immigrants to New Zealand from Zimbabwe

. About 25 Zimbabwean families have arrived in New Zealand since violence against white farmers started two months ago.

The New Zealand High Commission in Harare reported last week it was being swamped by inquiries from people wanting to leave Zimbabwe.

It said it was getting up to 400 inquiries a day, compared with about four calls a week before violence erupted in the country.

Immigration Minister, Lianne Dalziel, says Zimbabweans will have to apply for residence visas under normal rules.

The violence in Zimbabwe began when supporters of President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF Party invaded white-owned farms, attempting to claim the land.
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Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2000 7:08 PM

"There are leaders in Africa . . . who have made enormous wealth, leaders who once commanded liberation armies. But rubbing shoulders with the rich, the powerful, the wealthy has made some leaders despise the very people who put them in power, and they think it is their privilege to be there for eternity," Mr. Mandela said in Saturday's speech.
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Date: Sunday 14 May 2000 11:44
Subject: Sacrificial lambs


Dear family and friends
It has been a very traumatic week for us here on the farm as the school
holidays came to an end and we had to ease R back into the routine of
going to school every day. On the first day he threw a tantrum of the sort
I hadn't seen since his nursery school days: crying, kicking and then
sobbing, begging me not to take him to school. He cried all the way in the
car and when we got there, he wouldn't get out of the car, begging me not
to leave him. I tried all the usual 'mother tactics' but he was really
inconsolable, finally spluttering out his fear: "what if something happens
to you and dad while I'm at school." I had stupidly not realised what he
was taking in, hearing and understanding and how much of an impact it was
having on him. On the second morning he quizzed me very seriously about
what would happen if he got sick at school, would I come and get him if the
school phoned me. I reassured him, promised him that I would come the
moment the school contacted me and off he went again, albeit reluctantly.
Mid morning the school did phone me to say would I come and get R, he
was sick. This has never happened before and I guess I broke the land speed
record in driving rain going the 16kms to school. I found him in the school
clinic sitting wrapped in a blanket sucking his thumb. The matron said he
was complaining of a terrible earache. Half way home he was playing with
paper aeroplanes and as we turned the corner by the workers' houses he
asked if I could let him out so that he could go and play with L !
Obviously testing me to see if I would come at a moment's notice, I gave
him a serious talking to and now I think we're back to normal - on that
front at least.

The week started on a terrible note with the murder of Alan Dunn, a
Beatrice Farmer.
Unarmed, he was beaten to death by a gang of thugs while his wife and
children hid inside the house - completely helpless, unable to do a thing.
This has put us all in a renewed state of fear and shock and made a
complete mockery of the 'deal' made between the farmers union and the war
veterans. Throughout the week, around the country, there have been ongoing
incidences of violence against both farmers and their workers and it is
becoming worryingly clear that these 'squatters, war-lords and paid thugs'
are out of control, are not going to listen to anyone and are basically
getting away with any crime you care to think of. Police continue to stand
by and watch rape, murder, assault, arson, looting etc etc. On Friday the
farmers' union leaders met with the President who, for the first time,
agreed that the violence has got to stop. On Saturday though, the beatings
continued including the assualt on a farm Pastor and beating of 15 workers
on a farm in Wedza.

Violence, intimidation, beatings and lawlessness are now a part of everyday
life and far from being restricted to the farms. The thugs are now
intimidating anyone and everyone, twelve rural schools on the Mutare side
of Marondera were closed barely a day after opening this week as teachers
were chased away and children terrorized, some schools haven't opened at
all and those that have are being protected twenty four hours a day by
security guards behind locked gates.

67 Marondera farmers were called to an emergency meeting yesterday and we
met in the newly refurbished Ruzawi Club. (Two weeks ago the squatters
raided the club house, stole all the booze, smashed the counter tops and
fridges and trashed the place) I have never seen such low morale, such
total depression and resigned despair. Everyone's in a state of shocked
paralysis, the fighting spirit has gone and almost the only conversation is
about what the hell we're going to do. A lot of winter crops are not being
planted, tobacco seed beds are not being established, vegetable seedlings
not being started,there is huge destocking of  beef and dairy cattle and
there is major fear of a country on the brink of starvation. We were told
at this meeting that the President  of Zimbabwe is very concerned about
hunger and that it's now up to the farmers to decide which farms the
government can have. In order to prevent the mass handing over of 2000
farms to the 'war veterans'  by the gvt, we were all asked to complete a 30
point questionnaire, the results of which are to be collated by our farmers
union reps and given to Mugabe on Monday.  Basically it was all about who's
had enough, who wants to sell and who's prepared to be a sacrificial lamb.
It's all a farce really because although 35% of farmers in one small area
of Marondera are happy now to give up their farms, it's got to be done with
compensation. Compensation, we were told, is not an issue that's been
discussed yet because there isn't any money. What the government have
suggested is that farmers would be given an I.O.U. and then, funds
permitting, they would pay us out over a five or ten year period. These
comments were met with the scorn and disgust that they deserve. What hope
would any of us have of ever being paid and how the hell would be survive
in the interim. It's a ludicrous, laughable, vomit inducing 'deal' which we
are being pushed into before an election so that "landless peasants" can be
legitimately given land, thus supposedly securing votes.

N and I have no idea what we are going to do, how we could afford to
start again or whether we are even going to be allowed to stay in the
country. Basically the ball's in their court and we are sitting ducks.
Sorry this is so totally depressing, we are watching our lives disintegrate
and finding it almost impossible to even decide what's for lunch let alone
anything else. Every week when it comes time to write this letter, I wish I
had something positive to say, perhaps next week.
Thanks again everyone for your support.
Love C.
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> Profile: Tsvangirai and Sibanda
The 'train drivers' giving Mugabe a headache

o many Zimbabweans, Morgan Tsvangirai is nothing short of a hero. The man
stands up to a repressive government. He denounces corruption, defends
workers' interests and rights, and chairs the movement to reform the
Constitution. For his troubles he is bashed on the head and needs stitches.
The attack appears ordered by the ruling party, Zanu-PF. A dozen members of
his party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), have been killed, some
viciously tortured. Undaunted, Tsvangirai (pronounced Changarai) is this
week campaigning in Masvingo. The trade unions cancelled May Day
celebrations for fear of violence, but Tsvangirai still addressed two
rallies in Harare. Exhausted and hoarse at the end of the day, he told the
Mail & Guardian: "We knew Zanu-PF would get violent but not to the extent of
these gruesome killings. We are still committed to fighting the elections on
political discourse, not violence. As long as we have the people's
confidence, we go on." Tsvangirai was born in drought-prone Buhera,
south-eastern Zimbabwe, in 1952, the eldest of nine children. His father was
a bricklayer. A bright student at Gokomere mission school, he quit studying
in 1972 to support his siblings. He worked at a textile mill in Mutare, then
at a nickel mine in Bindura. In 1980 he became a union organiser. He rose
through the ranks and became secretary general of the Zimbabwe Congress of
Trade Unions (ZCTU) in 1988, a post he still holds. Under his leadership the
ZCTU ceased to be an arm of the ruling party and got teeth. In the early
1990s the ZCTU challenged economic policy and lack of democracy. In
well-organised national strikes workers defied the government to protest
against erosion of their salaries, runaway inflation, rampant corruption and
widespread poverty. In 1998, the National Constitutional Assembly named him
chair -- a recognition of his stature as leader of the opposition. He became
a household name, a symbol of resistance. When he was attacked in December
1998, workers spontaneously downed their tools. Tsvangirai's gift is to
articulate a vision and direction that captures people's imaginations. He is
a powerful public speaker who delivers memorable quotes, such as:
"[President Robert] Mugabe is a demented bus driver, speeding downhill at
150km an hour on a bus without brakes, and we all are the passengers." He is
married with six children. By Tsvangirai's side for the past 10 years is
Gibson Sibanda. Lesser-known, Sibanda is a key element in trade union and
party dynamics. The quiet, affable Sibanda brokers negotiations, finds
middle ground and builds consensus. Tsvangirai is more authoritative.
Sibanda, more consultative, is the coalition-builder behind the scenes, the
one who has time to listen. Together they bring ethnic balance -- Sibanda is
Ndebele, Tsvangirai is Shona. Sibanda was born in 1944 in Filabusi, in
Matabeleland. Among other jobs, his father was a miner in South Africa. An
only child, Sibanda is schooled up to Cambridge level certificates. In 1965
he joined the railways of Zimbabwe. By 1970 he was an active unionist. He
joined Zapu, became its welfare secretary and was jailed by the Ian Smith
regime between 1976 and 1979.

In 1984 Sibanda was elected president of the five amalgamated railway
unions; first vice-president of the ZCTU in 1988 and its president the
following year. He still holds the position today. People who have worked
with the two men in the ZCTU, the National Constitutional Assembly and the
MDC say both work well in teams, know how to listen and make compromises.
This appears to be true -- in spite of internal divisions and many attempts
by the Central Intelligence Organisation to infiltrate and provoke
divisions, the three organisations have remained strong and united. In
leather jackets, caps, and checkered shirts, the two appear as a refreshing
alternative to Zanu-PF's impeccable Savile Row suits. Both are avid readers
of history and social science. Both enjoy the company of academics, and many
prominent scholars and lawyers have joined the MDC. Mugabe has dismissed the
union leaders for lacking university degrees. Replies Sibanda: "With
something like seven honorary degrees, Mugabe has wrecked the economy." When
Mugabe described the unionists as "mere train drivers", Tsvangirai laughed:
"At least a train conductor kept the train on the tracks." Analysts point
out that 10 years at the helm of trade unions, combined with the experience
at the National Constitutional Assembly, are better preparation for
democratic governance than ruling a military movement, like Mugabe. The two
seem above board. Zimbabwe's intelligence services have tried to find
something dishonest about them, but have not been able, or we would have
heard about it. The MDC is the only credible alternative to Mugabe. Why is
the African National Congress government so wary of it? One reason is that
Mugabe has successfully projected the image of the MDC as a party ruled by
whites. This is not true. All the top six office bearers are black. Of the
30-member executive, three are white. It is true that, for the first time
since independence in 1980, whites have dabbled in politics. But so have
hundreds of thousands of blacks who did not bother before for lack of
choice. Internal and regional politics also count. Says Sibanda: "The ANC
has its own problems with [the Congress of South African Trade Unions] and
does not want to encourage a trade union-based party. While [the Southern
African Development Community] is an old man's club, newcomers are not
welcome." - The Mail & Guardian,
 
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Mugabe tries to bar whites from Zim poll
May 13 2000 at 10:29PM

Harare - Zimbabwe's decision to revoke the Zimbabwean passports of those who once held dual British-Zimbabwean citizenship is a ploy to bar thousands of whites from voting in upcoming general elections, the opposition claimed on Saturday.

According to Saturday's edition of the state-run Herald newspaper, the government citizenship office has ordered about 86 000 whites who have failed to renounce their British citizenship to turn in their Zimbabwean passports.

An analyst, who requested anonymity, estimated that about 30 000 white Zimbabweans might be prevented from voting because of the order.

"About 30 000 people have been wiped off the voters' roll," he said, adding that the others affected by the order were too young to vote.

"This is going to be used in such a way as to completely undermine free and fair elections and to subvert the voters' roll," said David Coltart, a legal secretary for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), who is planning to stand in parliamentary elections.

"I think it's intimidatory, no citizen has a right to have his or her citizenship taken away," said MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Zimbabwe has not allowed dual citizenship since 1984 and dual citizens had until the end of 1985 to renounce foreign citizenship, the Herald reported.

Those who have not renounced their British citizenship are deemed "residents and not citizens of Zimbabwe," the citizenship office said.

"These people who have not renounced must surrender all Zimbabwe passports because they are not citizens of Zimbabwe."

Whites in Zimbabwe have been accused of joining the political opposition to defeat a February referendum called by President Robert Mugabe, in which he requested approval of a constitutional change that would have entrenched his powers.

Relations between Zimbabwe and Britain, its former colonial power, have deteriorated since February when war veterans began mass invasions of white-owned commercial farms.

Three white farmers have been killed so far in the course of the occupations.

The Zimbabwean government plans to seize half the white-owned farms in the country without compensation, a move which has angered Britain because it has offered £36-million (about R360-million) to the Zimbabwean government for the purchase of land in Zimbabwe for redistribution to landless blacks.

However, the British government wants the land invasions to end and free and fair parliamentary elections to be held before it will release the cash.

Britain estimates some 20 000 of its nationals are living in Zimbabwe, out of a total population of 12 million, but says it has no plans to evacuate them. - Sapa-AFP

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An Update of MDC’s Position.

I have just come out of two days of consultation – the first with the MDC National Executive and the second with the National Council – our top decision making body. The main issue confronting us was how to deal with the Zanu PF inspired and managed campaign of violence and intimidation.

The two meetings were held against the background of the uproar caused by Morgan Tsvangirai’s statement this week on Wednesday that we were considering all options – including a boycott. There was an enormous response – people from all over the country called in to say that we cannot do that, the international community also responded by urging us to stay the course.

In the event it was decided that a boycott – no matter what the provocation – was not on and we would go the distance with Zanu to the elections. However it was also decided that we should campaign quietly in the next few weeks until the election date is announced and we will then campaign openly again. It was also decided that we would support mass action against the government and to emphasise our point that the violence was unacceptable. We also resolved to prepare for the actual electoral process very carefully so as to ensure that there was adequate supervision of the process itself and that people felt they could vote and in secret. The churches are being drawn into this process as through them we can reach the majority of the people without interference by the powers that be.

We also agreed to ask the international community to help with the victims of violence by creating a fund to look after families and to repair some of the damage to homes and other property. When you know that we have had 400 homes burnt to the ground and a number of families left without a breadwinner you can see the extent of this aspect. Then there is the issue of medical bills for the injured and things like legal representation.

All 12 provinces were represented at the Council meeting and it was very encouraging to see the courage and commitment of these people despite all that they have had to face in the past two months. It was also encouraging to receive reports from the whole country of continuing support at the grass roots and the firm commitment to vote for change. If anything the attitude of people has been strengthened by recent events. I am more convinced than ever that MDC is going to win with a large majority – and then the issue will be what to do with Mugabe.

Eddie Cross
14th May 2000
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