Harare police ban marches by activists

IOL

          May 18 2006 at 01:56AM

      By Cris Chinaka

      Harare - Zimbabwe police have banned street marches planned by some
churches to mark the plight of thousands of people left homeless by a
government crackdown on slums a year ago, local rights activists said on
Wednesday.

      University lecturer John Makumbe - a prominent critic of President
Robert Mugabe - told Reuters by telephone he had been detained by police,
apparently for helping rights groups to draw up a programme to commemorate
the slum demolitions.

      "I was detained for about five hours and warned that I should not get
involved in this commemoration. The fear is that these could spark
anti-government protests," he said.

       Police officials were not immediately available for comment.

      The United Nations says 700 000 people lost their homes or their
livelihoods when police bulldozed slums and what it called illegal
structures in Harare and other towns last May.

      Zimbabwe rights groups have planned eight weeks of meetings and
marches to commemorate the crackdown and highlight the country's deepening
economic crisis, marked by rising unemployment, inflation at 1 000 percent
and chronic food and fuel shortages.

      A spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) in Zimbabwe's
second largest city of Bulawayo said police had summoned pastors and ordered
them to cancel weekend prayer meetings and a march in sympathy with victims
of the crackdown.

      "The ban and request that we abandon the programme is based on the
assumption that the prayer meetings and the processions are likely to
disturb law and order," the ZCA spokesperson, Hussein Sibanda, told Reuters
by telephone.

      "But we are likely to challenge that in the courts because prayer
meetings and peaceful processions by churches should not require police
permission," he added.

      On Tuesday Zimbabwe rights groups said victims of the demolitions
still lived in abject destitution with limited international aid because
Zimbabwe's neighbours had minimised the impact of the crackdown.

      Mugabe's government said it had demolished the slums and vending
markets to build "decent" houses and trading places, but critics say that a
year down the line it has largely failed to deliver on its promises.

      Mugabe, 82 and in power since independence from Britain in 1980,
denies responsibility for the country's deepening crisis.

      He points to sabotage by local and foreign opponents of his
controversial drive to forcibly redistribute white-owned farms among
landless blacks.

Zimbabwe voices: Mary

 

Mary is one of the thousands whose homes were demolished last year Zimbabwe is in economic meltdown, with the world's highest rate of inflation of 1,000% and chronic unemployment. Here Mary, 41, an HIV-positive widow, whose home was demolished by the authorities last year, reflects on her life. My husband passed away in 2000. He was a soldier, he was HIV-positive. My baby was born and then passed away. My husband, my three sons, they passed away - I'm the only one. In time I was tested and [when] the result was out, I just laughed - I'm HIV positive, then what can I do? The doctors said: "No, here we just test you, we don't have anything to give you." Then I said: "Why have you tested me - you have just put me on a death sentence because I'm scared now because I know I am HIV positive. If you test me, it was to give me tablets." Here in Zimbabwe we don't have something like that. We don't have tablets, even Panadol we can't get it here. You are under a death penalty. Party card If you want to be taken for a CD4 count [a key test of the immune system] these days, it costs 10,000,300 Zimbabwe dollars ($99). A loaf of bread used to be about 70 cents - Now we don't even have cents Tawanda, IT manager Tawanda's story Lovemore's story Hope's story But first you must go to the doctor, you pay 1m just for the doctor to write the letter to get a CD4 count. After that you must buy some tablets. It's 4.7m per bottle now. I can't afford it because I'm not working, I'm not strong enough. We have got a problem - where can I go? Where am I going to get some tablets? If I go to the doctors - at first I go to the hospital - the government hospital - they say they want the card for Zanu-PF [the ruling party] but I didn't have the card. I can't have my tablet, I can't have my Panadol, I can't have my ARVs [Anti-Aids drugs]. Angry You know if you start the ARVs you mustn't stop. Then if I stop what else? I'm going to die. If you go to our graveyard, you can see five, six, seven, eight people be buried because of HIV. With HIV you must have food and live in a good house and have good water and then you can survive with HIV. But if you don't have food, you don't have tablets, the rents of the houses, the rents of the water. You are lucky I'm not crying but I'm very angry. Last year, when Tsunami [slum clearance operation] came, they kicked in all our houses. I had a nice house. I was married to a soldier. My house was destroyed. That was my riches, that was everything for me. I have nowhere to stay. I sleep under the bed of my mother.

Zimbabwe to seek Justice Paradza's extradition

zimbabwejournalists.com

      By a Correspondent

      THE ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT will lodge a formal request with New Zealand
to have former High Court judge, Justice Benjamin Paradza, sent back home so
he can serve his sentence for corruption. Paradza, convicted of corruptly
trying to influence fellow judges in a case involving a business associate,
was recently denied asylum by Britain but has now found refuge in New
Zealand. It is, however, unlikely that the New Zealand authorities will
agree to send him back to Zimbabwe. The two countries have signed an
extradition treaty but since Paradza is claiming he fears for his life is he
returns to the country and if covered under international law, it is highly
unlikely he would be sent back to face Zimbabwean law.

      Home Affairs Deputy Minister Rueben Marumahoko said Zimbabwe would
always make requests for "fugitives" to be sent back home to face justice.
Paradza fled Zimbabwe, reportedly in a haulage truck, for South Africa in
January this year after skipping bail following his conviction on corruption
charges. Justice Simpson Mutambanengwe, a judge in the Supreme Court of
Namibia, convicted Paradza on two counts of attempting to incite Justices
Maphios Cheda and George Chiweshe to release a passport belonging to his
business partner in a safari-hunting venture, Russell Labuschagne, who was
facing murder charges.

      The judge was eventually sentenced in absentia to three years in jail
for corruption but one year was conditionally suspended. Paradza had denied
the charges claiming that he did not try to influence his colleagues to
corruptly release the passport. Labuschagne was on bail pending trial for
the murder of a man he found poaching fish at his safari camp in Binga. He
was subsequently convicted and is serving a 15-year jail term for the
murder.

      According to the UK's Mail on Sunday newspaper, Paradza's asylum
application was rejected by Britain.Paradza's supporters, the Mail reported,
put together a £40 000 university fellowship fund, but still he would not be
allowed to stay forcing him to move back to New Zealand where he was
immediately granted refuge.A despairing Paradza told the Mail: "I feel let
down by Tony Blair. The British government put my safety in danger. As soon
as I got out of Zimbabwe, I went to the British High Commission in Pretoria
and told them I was on the run from (President) Mugabe, but they would not
help. "I had a home and a job to go to in London, I wouldn't have been a
burden on taxpayers."

      Kate Hoey, a Labour MP and leading critic of President Robert Mugabe
said: "Tony Blair says he wants to stand up to (President) Mugabe, but he
did nothing for this . . . judge. It is rank hypocrisy and another example
of what is wrong at the Home Office." Although Paradza was convicted of
corruption, he has argued that he was a victim of the Zimbabwe government's
attempt to turn judges into "pliant servants".

      Arnold Tsunga, the director of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
said: "Paradza has been used to demonstrate to other members on the bench
that if you don't toe the line, if you don't comply with the political
leadership, then you will not receive protection."Paradza was arrested in
February 2003 in his chambers, a month after he had ordered police to
release former Harare MDC mayor, Elias Mudzuri, and 21 others following
their arrest in Mabvuku at a ratepayers' meeting. Paradza was subsequently
freed from prison where he shared a cell with 15 others on $30 000 bail and
asked to surrender his passport.

      In the other judgments considered not favorable to the government,
Paradza overturned a government notice evicting 54 white Zimbabwean farmers
from their farms.He also ordered the government to issue a passport to
Judith Todd, a leading Zimbabwean human rights activist, although the
Supreme Court later ruled against Todd's favour.

      Zimbabwe has been trying to have a number of people extradited back
home from the UK especially. Bankers and businesspeople who fled the country
fearing persecution are now living in the UK and others in South Africa
fearing charges connected to dealing in foreign currency illegally.

Vigils to mark anniversary of Zimbabwe's Operation Drive Out Trash

Independent Catholic News

(but see the first story on
https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/may18_2006.html )

ESHER - 17 May 2006 - 178 words

This Saturday, the churches in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, are planning to hold a
procession through the city to mark the first anniversary of Operation Drive
Out Trash, or 'Murambatsvina, in which the homes and businesses of many
thousands of people were bulldozed to the ground by the government.

Protests and prayer vigils are also planned in other parts of Zimbabwe to
mark the anniversary.

Demolitions and arbitrary street arrests are continuing in Zimbabwe. The
Telegraph reported yesterday that 10,000 street children in Harare had been
detained pending relocation to rural areas.

In London a sympathy demonstration will take place outside the Zimbabwean
High Commission in the Strand on Saturday from 2 - 6pm.

Washinton Ali, Chair of the MDC-UK (part of the Vigil Coalition) urges all
opposed to Murambatsvina to attend the Vigil. He also advises that MDC
President, Morgan Tsvangirai, will be addressing supporters at a meeting in
London on Sunday, 28 May at a venue to be announced.

© Independent Catholic News 2006

Contact Independent Catholic News tel/fax: +44 (0)20 7267 3616 or email
info@indcatholicnews.com

One year since Murambatsvina

HARARE - On this day last year, May 18, the people of Hatcliffe watched in shocked disbelief as bulldozers accompanied by armed policemen descended on their suburb, smashing their homes in a cloud of dust. Some sat in the rubble and wept while others tried desperately to rescue a few belongings.
During the ensuing days, the roaring bulldozers struck again and again in urban areas throughout the country.  This was Operation Murambatsvina (clean-up) - Mugabe's callous and vicious response to the massive pro-MDC urban vote in the March 2005 general election. 
Thus began the systematic destruction of so-called illegal dwellings.  The bulldozers spared nothing. Street vendors, even those trading legally, were arrested and fined, their wares and assets confiscated. Even municipal-built people's markets were demolished. All this was done under the guise of an urban clean-up targeted at criminal activity. 
However, most of the people affected were neither dirty nor criminal: most were victims of disastrous government policies and were trying by all means to eke out a living for their families.  Operation Murambatsvina spread its stain indiscriminately across the country and in June the settlements of Killarney and Ngozi Mine were demolished, along with many suburban structures.
Winter set in. Thousands of families huddled in the open around pathetic fires. Many burnt their furniture in a desperate attempt to keep warm. Babies fell ill and died.
Many churches sheltered and fed the homeless for several weeks before armed police descended on them in dawn raids and removed them forcibly into makeshift camps away from public view, where no shelter, water, food, medical nor sanitary facilities were provided.
Shortly afterwards, thousands were again uplifted and strewn across the country, told callously to go back to the villages they had come from - despite the fact that they had known no home other than their urban dwellings.
Today, a year later, many still live in the open. And winter is coming again.  They have lost their friends and family, their belongings, their means of earning a living.  Sometimes they are not even allowed to bury their dead.  On average, two people a week (often babies) die and the rate is increasing. The cause of death is often HIV-related and aggravated by malnutrition.  Most of the children have no access to schools.
Despite widespread international protests, including from the United Nations, the Mugabe government has been unrepentant and has continued to do as it pleases. - Own correspondent

Revolving door agric policy makes my head spin

The Zimbabwean

BY MAGAISA IBENZI
WARD 12, PARIRENYATWA HOSPITAL, HARARE - I am not well again this week, my
dear readers. My head is spinning all the time. I am so dizzy. It must be
from watching all this revolving door activity in the agricultural industry
in this country. I am really battling to understand the convoluted land
reform programme of our illustrious president and his cowboy ministers.
Let me go back to the beginning.  We were told the white farmers had stolen
the land from our ancestors and therefore they had to go.  The fact that
they had given money to Tsvangirai and lent their tractors to transport
people to vote No in the 2000 referendum had nothing to do with this ancient
theft that now needed to be put right.
So the war vets and the landless peasants were told to invade these farms
and take what rightly belonged to them. Tormented, beaten and even killed,
the white farmers were driven off their lands. Certain choice properties
were set aside for the chefs who lined their pockets by harvesting existing
crops and selling off valuable machinery and equipment.
After a year or so, these obedient invaders were once again made landless.
They were told to go back where they had come from.  Everybody in Zimbabwe
has a rural home, they were told. The reason? They were not farming
successfully. Those who resisted these instructions from above had their
homes torched, their dogs shot and their goats stolen by the security
forces.
Zanu (PF) chefs, cronies, and a coterie of army and police chiefs were now
the new farmers. These 'new farmers' proceeded to make a small fortune
selling firewood, hunting concessions and meat.
During the following few years, agricultural production declined
dramatically. Six years later, with the country on its knees, even Zanu (PF)
has got it into its thick head that these guys are not farmers. They might
be party faithfuls - but that does not make them successful farmers. What to
do? It's a crisis.
Minister Didymus Mutasa comes up with a brainwave. Conduct a survey and find
out who is a really farmer and who is not. (By the way, he himself is not.
He is a trader of agricultural equipment. He has made a fortune stealing and
selling equipment from invaded farms.)  But anyway .
Next thing we heard was that consultations between Mutasa and the CFU had
led to a change of heart and 200 white farmers were being invited back to
farm the land on a 99-year lease so that we could all eat again. "They are
Zimbabweans like everybody else," the state media reported Mutasa as saying,
to everyone's great amazement and profound relief.
Meanwhile, some other white farmers - who had managed to cling on to their
land through all this by one means or another - were that same week evicted
by Zanu (PF) mobs acting on instructions from above.
No sooner had the 200 white farmers begun to make plans to move back, than
Mutasa appeared in the press again - this time denying any deal with white
farmers. They are not Zimbabweans after all, we were told. No wonder I am
feeling so dizzy!
Even MuJubheki is not his usual self. What has really confused him is all
these new plans which Zanu (PF) has dreamt up and announced with great
fanfare: we have MERP- Millennium Economic Recovery Plan;  NERP- New
Economic Recovery Plan; a Ten-point  Plan; NERP 2, a TNF - Tripartite
Negotiating Forum; and now a NERC (National Economic Recovery Council). He
says they forgot to mention the TWERP, the guy running the country, and the
NERD (National Economic Run Down). I worry about him.

Open letter to President Mugabe

The Zimbabwean

ZINASU notes with dismay the insecurity that engulfs the students of
Zimbabwe with respect to the new fees structure, as examinations are pending
countrywide and teachers and polytechnic colleges have just opened. Students
are suffering alongside Zimbabweans under the current economic crisis. To
increase public education fees well beyond the reach of most Zimbabweans at
this time is to punish the economically weakest members of society. ZINASU
refers the President to his pre-independence promise of free education for
all as a fundamental and inalienable human right, a right that must be
safeguarded in the constitution.
We inform the President that ZINASU resolved at its recent Congress to
continue to reject the new fees, as these are unjustified and beyond the
reach of many currently enrolled students. Our view is that charging tuition
fees is a reversal of the gains of independence.
ZINASU has requested that the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education
clarify to the public whether students that have not yet paid their fees
will be admitted into classes, whether they will be admitted into
examinations and whether they will be able to access their results after
completing such exams. We have also informed the Minister that ZINASU has
resolved to boycott lectures after Monday, May 22, 2006 should the issue of
fees structures remain unclear and unsatisfactory.
ZINASU is disappointed to inform the President that on Friday, May 4, police
arrested and unlawfully detained 51 student leaders at the Congress, all of
whom have since been released without charge. On the following Monday, in
Bindura, 56 further students have been unlawfully detained, beaten, denied
food or water and denied access to legal representation. This alarming
escalation of government repression of students for expressing their
legitimate concerns exacerbates the feeling among students that their
government no longer represents their interest.
The students of Zimbabwe call upon the President to use his authority over
the Police Commissioner, the Attorney General, the Minister of Home Affairs
and the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education to desist from unlawful
detention, beating and harassment of students. We also call upon the
President, as the Chancellor of all state universities in Zimbabwe, to
reverse the expulsions and suspensions of students for peacefully drawing
attention to their economic hardships.
Promise Mkwananzi, President, Zimbabwe National Students Union

May Day "celebrated" by printing money

The Zimbabwean

BY A CORRESPONDENT
HARARE - The state-run media's coverage of how Zimbabwe "celebrated"
workers' May Day was marked by farcical praise of the Zanu (PF)-supporting
labour union body, downplaying the trival Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
(ZCTU) and, as usual, failing to blame massive unemployment on the
authorities.
Perhaps the most telling moment was an interview featuring Economic
Development Minister Rugare Gumbo on ZTV's Face the Nation in which he
announced that the authorities would "print money" to fund pay hikes for
state employees. "What did you want us to do?" Gumbo said.
Indeed.  "It (ZTV) did not query the economic prudence of the move or how
the poor performing private sector was then expected to pay their workers
'decent' wages when they had no similar access to money printing machines,"
commented the media watchdog, the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ),
in its report covering May 1-7.
"Neither did ZBH interpret the agricultural chaos as symptomatic of the
authorities' chaotic land reforms or show curiosity at revelations by
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers' Union president Davison Mugabe that tobacco
output had dropped from 230 million tonnes in 1999 to a mere 16 million
tonnes in the last season," added MMPZ.
The regime's ally, the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU), was
portrayed in the state media, along of course with the authorities
themselves, as committed to alleviating the workers' distress. There was no
mention of hyperinflation, fuelled by money-printing, collapsing agriculture
and all the rest that have led to Zimbabwe beng ranked recently by the US
magazine Foreign Policy as 5th among "failed states." Zimbabwe had moved up
10 places, but is still behind - though working on it - Sudan, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast and Iraq.
Apart from, as usual, the Mirror group, the private media in its May Day
coverage mostly traced the economic decline and deterioration in the living
conditions of the minority with jobs to poor policies. "They also
highlighted how these poor policies had led to acute shortages, accelerated
militarisation of the economy and a bad international image of the country,"
said the media monitors.
In the Zimbabwe Independent, for example, the Muckraker columnist pointed
out that the private sector could hardly heed exhortations from the ZFTU to
follow the regime's pay hikes for the simple reason that commercial firms
don't have their own money-printing machines.
Highly critical remarks by US Ambassador Christopher Dell about Zimbabwe's
poor human rights record and muzzling of free speech naturally got short
shrift in the state media. But privately owned Standard carried the full
text of Dell's remarks to students at the National University of Science and
Technology in Bulawayo. The Financial Gazette and other private media also
gave it coverage.
"Typically, the government media either censored his statement or carried
articles that dismissed outright his observations," said MMPZ.
The dreadful human cost of Zimbabwe's woes was reflected in figures of
malnutrition-related deaths in January released by the Bulawayo city health
authorities: 34 adults and 29 children.

Hitschman's health deteriorates

The Zimbabwean

MUTARE - Licensed gun dealer, Peter Hitschman, arrested two months ago on
spurious charges of plotting a coup against President Mugabe, is in a
serious condition in a Mutare jail after being thrashed to within an inch of
his life.
According to eye witnesses, Hitschman's health has deteriorated seriously.
"His legs and face are swollen. His urinary system seems to be failing. He
is generally in a terrible state and is in acute pain," a spokesman for his
lawyers and family told The Zimbabwean this week.
"His captors have refused him access to a doctor or to medical treatment at
the local hospital. The attitude is one of people who do not care if he
dies," said the spokesman.
Hitshman, in whose house the state claimed to have discovered an arms cache
for use in a murder plot, is on remand and will face trial next month. He
was arrested with Roy Bennett, Giles Mutseyekwa and several other MDC
officials, who have since been released after charges were dropped.
Lawyers representing the activists said they had all been badly tortured
while in custody. Bennett fled for his life to South Africa, where he
believe to have been allowed to stay pending processing of his asylum
application.
The charges against Hitschman change almost on a weekly basis. Initially it
was said he had been caught with an "arms cache" and he was alleged to be
part of an assassination or coup conspiracy.
When the conspiracy charges fell apart the Attorney General's office quickly
panel-beat fresh charges of possession of dangerous weapons.
When it emerged that he was a licensed gun dealer and charges of possession
would be non-sustainable, the AG contacted purported ballistics experts to
certify on oath that some of the guns were so dangerous that the accused
would have needed a special permit to posses them.
Again his bail application was defeated on the fresh charges before a
handpicked judge. In the meantime he was subjected to endless interrogation.
The investigating officers and state agents would collect him from remand
prison against his will and interrogate him without his lawyers and behind
the backs of his lawyers.
An attempt to obtain a court injunction against the violation of his
constitutional right to legal representation was foiled by the cowardice of
the magistrates before whom the case was placed.
In the meantime, faced with a fresh bail application, the AG has brought up
new treason charges on the same facts, the same case. The High Court has
reserved judgement.
An attempt to get relief from the Magistrate's Court was again foiled by the
reluctance of the prosecutors, who were all unwilling to consider the
application.
This was so even after the Attorney General's representative, a Mr. Chikafu
had personally gone to see for himself the serious condition of the accused,
and promised to respond this week.

Who will bring development to Budiriro?

The Zimbabwean

'Someone needs to remind them that the 'Z' in ZTV does not stand for Zanu
but for Zimbabwe'
BY PRAYER WARRIOR
BUDIRIRO - As a resident of Budiriro I attended both contesting parties'
pre-election meetings. This is what I found.
As Manyika, Chombo and a handful of the rogues from Jongwe House descended
on our suburb to campaign for their little known MP-aspirant, people hoped
that perhaps they had something new. But the sparse handful audience just
got the same old rhetoric about war and empty promises.
On the contrary, Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC was full of energy and gave a
meaningful presentation for the packed audience attending his rally. A rough
calculation on the attendance ratios would put Zanu (PF)'s audience at less
than 20 percent of the MDC's.
But it was not just about the numbers, crucial though that is. It was also
about the quality of presentations by the delegates themselves. The Zanu
(PF) loyalists were, as usual, blabbering about who fought the war and
brought 'sovereignty' to Zimbabwe. Chombo had nothing but 'Garikai Kuhle
empties'. At the same time they were crying about sanctions and Tsvangirai's
stance on calling for them. One stops to ask:
. If these guys had really won the war, would they have gone to conference
in the losing enemy's Lancaster House? Would they have under-bargained the
country in terms of the Land Tenure Act only to embark on a reform program
20 years later in a perilous and idiotic style?
. Is there anything to celebrate about sovereignty in Zimbabwe? Or a trickle
of Robertites have colonised the country and empowered themselves
autonomously through treachery, corruption and stolen elections?
. What is there about Operation Garikai save for the worse-off ramshackles
that are being shunned by the supposed beneficiaries? How many of the 700
000 displaced people have been decently accommodated? Was it not Chombo
himself who, last year, shamelessly pointed at a housing development by a
mine in Zvishavane and claimed it was a Garikai project?
. Is the international community so blind that they need someone to tell
them about Zimbabwe's crises and call for sanctions? Tsvangirai did not call
for sanctions but supported an international cause to replace a government
of human rights abusers. In any case, is it not Mugabe who even further
supported the sanctions when he bragged at a South African summit that he
doesn't need international support? Is he now failing to 'keep his
Zimbabwe'? One wonders what he is doing with his fruitless 'Look East
Policy' that has flooded Zimbabwe with sub-standard products at the expense
of indigenous businesspersons and jobseekers.

Meanwhile, in stark contrast to this rubbish, the MDC was telling it as it
is from the other end of Budiriro. It is axiomatic that Zanu has failed the
country, there is no question there. The ruling rogues have tried to cling
to power through uncanny and devilish means that include creating puppet
opposition organs like ZUM and the pro-senate party led by Mutambara (we
don't know if they have a name yet).
Tsvangirai highlighted the lawful, democratic and sane MDC roadmap to
Zimbabwe's recovery and urged the electorate to turn out in large numbers to
vote for the incoming MP and prove their mettle as well as that his is 'the
real MDC'. It is the MDC that will bring the suburb to concurrence with the
meaning of its name, Budiriro (development).
Then came in the ZTV with their shameless bias. The producers at Pockets
Hill gave the Zanu (PF) rally a star coverage and the MDC got a dismal
formal appearance which did not even touch on the most necessary issues that
were deliberated. They further realised that the camerapersons had shot the
two crowds so well that the MDC showed its command of the suburb and the
country at large. Either Mahoso or Jokonya must have instructed against a
second broadcast of the MDC rally, although that of Zanu (PF) was repeated
over and over.
Thumbs up though, to the camerapersons for showing us who is following who.
Someone surely needs to remind them that the 'Z' in ZTV does not stand for
Zanu but Zimbabwe. They are there to serve their employer and the employer
is the state not Zanu (PF).  We now await the proof, come election day.

Operation MurambaMugabe

The Zimbabwean

The people of Budiriro should go en masse to the polls on Saturday and give
Zanu (PF) a bloody nose. They need to turn out in such high numbers as to
make it difficult for the Registrar General to carry out his usual trick of
stuffing the ballot boxes in advance. A massive turnout will also make it
difficult for the police to arrest voters on trumped up charges as they have
done in the past.

But above all we appeal to the voters of Budiriro to remain calm and not to
give the authorities any excuse whatsoever to prevent them from voting or to
whip up a disturbance. No doubt the ruling party will have its usual
trouble-makers in place to try and foment outbreaks of violence in order to
sully the waters and prevent people from voting.

We encourage the law-abiding residents of Budiriro, who have suffered so
much at the hands of the ruinous policies of the Mugabe regime, to go one
more mile and to stay calm no matter what provocation they may face on
polling day.

To the youth in particular, who we understand are frustrated, restless and
angry, we make an impassioned plea for calm and maturity. This is your
chance to make your mark - not with violence and pointless destruction, but
with dignity and self-restraint.
You can turn Operation Murambatsvina around into Operation MurambaMugabe.

Send them home

Most Britons are the upset by the release of over 1000 foreign criminals who
should have been deported. Among them are 200 Zimbabweans who face
deportation as soon as they are rounded up.
We have no sympathy for them. They abused the hospitality of their hosts.
They are an embarrassment to most Zimbabweans in the UK who are decent,
law-abiding people who fled Mugabe's brutal rule and are trying to rebuild
their lives by working hard and making a contribution to the country who has
given them refuge.
Those who come here to steal, rape and murder should be sent back to
Mugabe's Zimbabwe. They are a menace to society and they spoil it for
everybody else. Some of them might claim that they fear arrest and torture
on their arrival back home.  They should have thought of that before
engaging in criminal activities here.
We say send them back to Mugabe, but allow decent, hardworking Zimbabweans
who are seeking asylum and protection from political persecution to stay
here.

'Warlord' Langa controls food

The Zimbabwean

BULAWAYO - Archbishop Pius Ncube has expressed concern at the continued
partisan distribution of much needed food in Insiza and Gwanda. The
outspoken cleric alleges that the notorious Langa family are at the centre
of this practice and have made the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) in the area
totally disorderly.
Andrew Langa is the MP for Insiza who allegedly brandished a gun and shot an
MDC official in front of the police during the 2005 parliamentary elections.
There are also allegations that MP Langa intimidates and threatens the local
chiefs and has the police in his pocket. His wife is reported to be in
charge of the GMB depot in Insiza, which gives her powers to decide who can
buy food and who gets turned away.
Archbishop Ncube said the oppression of the people in this region was
heartless and that recently at least 200 people were denied food, even
though they had the money.
Langa is known as the Zanu (PF) Warlord for the area. The pressure group
Sokwanele wrote about him saying; "Those acquainted with Langa in even the
slightest way confirm that here is one politician who understands no other
style of politics than bullying intimidation and brutal violence."
We were not able to get a comment from Langa or his wife. - Violet Gonda, SW
Radio Africa

Tsvangirai to visit UK

The Zimbabwean

LONDON - MDC President, Morgan Tsvangirai, will visit the UK at the end of
May. UK province chairman, Washington Ali, said Tsvangirai would be
accompanied by MDC treasurer, Roy Bennett, and Grace Kwinjeh, the party's
deputy secretary for International Relations.
"The purpose of this visit is to meet the UK structures, friends of Zimbabwe
and to introduce the new liberation team of the party," said Ali.  "The
agenda will be an engagement of all in the diaspora on the crisis that our
country is facing and to map the way forward and our roles together." - Own
correspondent

Shopping basket 18/05/06

The Zimbabwean

ZW$
Bread - 115,000.00
Nido Milk Powder - 200 grams 437,000.00
Oats - 200 grams 414,000.00
Milk - 500 ml 79,000.00
Apples - 1 kg 268,000.00
Cerevita Cereal - 500 grams 335,000.00
Tomatoes - 1 kg 197,000.00
Mazoe Orange - 2 litres - 47% increase in 1 week 465,000.00
Relish - 65 gram packet 97,000.00
Colgate Toothpaste - 100 mls 400,000.00
Shoe Polish - 50 ml 132,000.00
Tampax - 10 1,625,300.00
Rat Poison - 200 grams - 12 May 420,000.00
Rat Poison - 200 grams - 13 May 923,000.00
A4 newprint exercise book 90,000.00
Deodarant Roll On 45 ml - Special Offier 650,000.00
Johnsons Baby Acqueous Cream - 350 ml 1,190,000.00
Johnsons BabyOil - 200 ml 1,295,000.00
2 Torch Batteries 650,000.00
Double Bed Blanket 3,900,000.00
Kango 2 bar Heater 15,500,000.00
Candles - 4 529,000.00

The people shall govern

The Zimbabwean

JOHANNESBURG - A meeting entitled 'The People Shall Govern' is being held
here this week as part of a Public Participation in Policy Processes
initiative focussing on Zimbabwe and South African foreign policy on the eve
of the Anniversary of "Operation Murambatsvina".
The meeting will also see the launch of a research project, conducted by the
Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation and Action for Conflict
Transformation, entitled Public Participation, Policy Processes and Violent
Conflict: Responsive and Responsible Governance in South Africa.
The meeting will be addressed by Bishop Rubin Phillip, Chair of the Zimbabwe
Solidarity Forum, Brian Raftoupolos, a visiting scholar from the Institute
for Justice and Reconciliation, Briggs Bomba, a former Zimbabwean student
leader and human rights defender and Ahmed Motala, Director, Centre for the
Study of Violence and Reconciliation .

Heated debate at IOM conference

The Zimbabwean

BY KJW
LONDON - Frustrated Zimbabweans called for greater transparency from the
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) at a conference held in
London last week to discuss IOM's reintegration programme for failed asylum
seekers.
IOM invited members from the African Diaspora in the UK to an Africa
Consultation Day to discuss ways of developing their Voluntary Assisted
Return and Reintegration Programme (VARRP). The programme is funded by the
UK Home Office and the European Refugee Fund. It offers asylum seekers,
whose claims have failed or who are still in the process of claiming asylum,
help in returning to their countries and financial assistance to be used for
further education, training or in setting up a small business. The
reintegration package has been increased from £1000 to £3000 per family
member until June this year.
The offer of increased reintegration assistance comes at a worrying time for
many Zimbabwean asylum seekers. Having won their appeal against the AA
ruling, the Home Office is searching for further evidence to present to a
tribunal later this year, that it is safe to return Zimbabwean asylum
seekers. In light of this sensitive issue, Zimbabweans at the conference
were frustrated with the way the IOM was marketing VARRP.
Emmanual Nyoni from Zimbabwean Action Group said: "The case IOM is giving to
the Home Office is logically flawed. They are going to use this workshop and
these figures to say it is safe to send Zimbabweans back. All this is
against a background of tagging and deportation - we are being coerced into
returning."
IOM's Chief of Mission, Jan Wilder insisted that they were "not in the
business" of "forcing" people to return. "People come to us, we don't go to
them," he said, adding that IOM does not play a part in the "political
process" in the UK. "The question of the right to stay in the UK is a
sovereign prerogative and we cannot interfere in that," he said.
The IOM refused to discuss security issues at the conference despite several
questions about the safety of returnees, many of whom fled Zimbabwe because
they had been threatened or even tortured by government officials. Wilder
did assure Zimbabweans that "returns we have assisted to Zimbabwe have been
successful" adding that he only knew of one case where someone had been
questioned "for a while by the CIO" on return. "It was a woman from Bulawayo
in March 2004. We brought this incident to the attention of the government.
The government was satisfactorily responsive," he said.
Dyane Epstein, an IOM representative from Harare said that people were
misinformed about the situation in Zimbabwe. "People are scared to go back,
once they get back we are finding that it wasn't as bad as they thought it
would be," she said. IOM has helped 105 Zimbabwean returnees set up small
businesses since the scheme was set up in 2002 while other returnees opted
for further education or training. Epstein said most of these people were
now running successful businesses in diverse areas. One returned asylum
seeker had set up a hardware store, whilst another was running a thriving
peanut butter business. Once they have helped someone start a business, the
IOM monitors them every three months for a year to try and ensure the
success of the enterprise.
However, given the state of the Zimbabwean economy and hyperinflation,
starting a business and purchasing the necessary goods has become especially
difficult. In addition to this Derek Bvochora (IOM Harare) admitted that
some of the people he had helped saw their businesses destroyed during
Operation Murambatsvina. "We had a few people affected by Operation
Murambatsvina especially those opening small shops. Some people had to sell
their items quickly and then ventured into other legal businesses," he said.
Wilder expressed his hope that those attending the conference would inform
their communities about the reintegration package and also come up with
suggestions on how to improve it. He reiterated that IOM is "an operational
organisation, we are trying to help individuals we can't right the wrongs of
the world." He added: "We hope that we can work with you on the basis that
we leave the political advocacy to groups who exist for that purpose."

The winter of our discontent

The Zimbabwean

BY MUONGORORI
BULAWAYO - May 15 is generally regarded as the start of winter in Zimbabwe.
In Matabeleland we can expect frost any time from this date and right now
the weather is just out of this world - clear blue skies, crisp mornings and
brilliant moonlit nights. Most people do not appreciate that we on the
highveld of Africa often have days when the temperature will drop to well
below zero - frozen bird baths and garden hoses. But apart from that it
bears little resemblance to winter in the north.
For Zanu (PF) this past week has shown many signs that this is going to be a
long winter for them. Perhaps their last winter?
First they suddenly postponed the publication of the inflation data for
April. We all knew why - as expected, it went over the barrier of 1000 per
cent per annum. In fact in April the month on month inflation was 21 per
cent. Most of us think that the real inflation rate is much higher, I wonder
if they are still using the controlled prices for goods that are supposed to
be under price control for example?
Then interest rates fell dramatically in the markets - on Monday they were
over 300 per cent per annum, by Friday it was difficult to place money at
any interest - the overnight rate was a paltry 5 per cent. This is a sure
indication that government is not borrowing money to meet its obligations -
it is just printing it. If that is true, then we have only seen the start of
the inflation storm - very rough weather ahead.
We then heard from the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone. The "melt down in
Zimbabwe" was "damaging the prospects" of a whole raft of SADC initiatives -
a Customs Union, a standardized currency for the region, harmonized
inflation and macro economic policies among others. Where have these guys
been all these years? I would have thought that these were prima facie
implications of Mugabe's policies and that the region should have recognized
that a long time ago.
Botswana has a foot and mouth outbreak in the border with Zimbabwe and is
vaccinating 100 000 head of cattle and closing of a significant part of the
country for the delivery of cattle for slaughter at its export factory in
Lobatse. The problem came from Zimbabwe where discipline and control in the
cattle industry has been eroded by lawlessness and theft.
With hundreds of thousands fleeing south, the South African authorities are
just starting to appreciate what the implications are for their own country.
Zimbabweans and other foreign nationals who are in the country illegally
have become the backbone of a criminal element that saw 18 700 murders in
South Africa last year. Armed robberies and hijackings are endemic. Men with
families displaced and starving in Zimbabwe will kill you for your cell
phone if this is what it takes to make a few Rand to send home.
The current Secretary General of the UN has given Zanu (PF) no comfort. In a
major interview with the Observer in the UK recently he said that he was
ashamed of much of the leadership in Africa. He also said that there was no
longer any safe hiding place for leaders who commit atrocities and genocide
anywhere in the world. He called on Africans to put their house in order and
give the continent some hope for the future.
Finally, the worst nightmare of Zanu (PF) is starting to happen. The people
are just beginning to make their demands known. Every day there are
demonstrations - students, women from WOZA, the members of the NCA. Many are
arrested and they promptly go back onto the street. Next Saturday the
Churches across the whole country are going to march in a series of parades
to remembers and stand in unity with those displaced by Murambatsvina in
2005. You will recall that Zanu PF launched this campaign on May 18, 2005 -
just in time to catch the coldest time of the year. Hundreds of thousands
have died in the past year - victims of a calculated political act designed
purely to protect the regime from the consequences of their own
misgovernance.
Civil rights leaders are now calling for a massive combined effort to get
our people out on the streets to demand that those in power step aside and
allow others to take over and get the country back on its feet. Again the SG
of the UN stepped in - he is engaged in an urgent exercise the media
claimed, to persuade Mugabe that it is time to go - and then to arrange a
transition back to sanity very similar to the one being demanded by the MDC.
The regime is still brash and arrogant on the surface. Underneath they are
simply terrified. It was fascinating to read Jonathan Moyo's disclosures the
other day that in every election since 2000, the Zanu (PF) leadership has
been terrified of a defeat. I can well recall the discussions at the airport
in Harare with the late President Kabila in 2002, when we were right in the
middle of the presidential elections. They were talking about what to do if
Zanu was defeated. Well this time it's for real - no rigging this time
round, just a straight fight - a small frightened band of aging ogres
against the rest of us. I once said to Ian Smith in 1973 that he couldn't
win a war against his own people and the rest of the world. This is still
true.

Daily Mirror legal battle intensifies

The Zimbabwean

HARARE - Dr. Ibbo Mandaza, former the chief executive officer of the
Zimbabwe Mirror Newspapers Group (ZMNG), has filed a High Court application
for the company's directors to be found in contempt of court, charging they
have defied a court order to reinstate him.
The ZMNG newspapers, publishers of the Daily Mirror and the Sunday Mirror,
have lost their independent voice and generally sound like other state-run
newspapers since  being taken over by the Central Intelligence Organisation
(CIO) last year.
In December, Judge Bharet Patel ordered that Mandaza be reinstated as
Editor-in-Chief and CEO. But the publishing group slapped Mandaza with a
fresh suspension letter outside the court.
In his application to court, Mandaza says directors Jonathan Kadzura, John
Marangwanda, Charm Makuwane, Alexander Kanengoni and Thomas Meke, should be
imprisoned "until such a time that they comply with the order of this
honourable court".
"There can be no question that all the respondents disobeyed a lawful order
of this court. I understand that in law, this proves their wilful
disobedience and inherent mala fides," he added, MISA-Zimbabwe reported.-
Own Correspondent

Mbare Squatters Win Court Ruling

The Zimbabwean

BY A CORRESPONDENT

HARARE - The High Court has barred police from evicting some 350 squatters
from makeshift shelters in Mbare after a magistrate, apparently nervous of
retaliation from the Justice Ministry, refused to hear the case.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), which represents the group - among
thousands of urban dwellers whose homes and livelihoods were destroyed in
Operation Murambatsvina - said the High Court on Oct. 10 provisionally
barred the eviction. "It was by consent. The City of Harare said they had
never threatened eviction," said Zvikomborero Chadambuka of ZLHR. The group
will now be seeking a final court order barring their eviction until they
have been found alternative accommodation.

Provincial Magistrate Ms. Chigwaza refused to hear the case Oct. 5, claiming
that magistrate's courts have no jurisdiction in Murambatsvina cases,
although there is a register of such cases having been heard in lower
courts.

Most of the group, including children, have been living in squalid
conditions in makeshift shelters on an open area near Tsiga Grounds in
Mbare. They were evicted from their homes under the purge - reportedly
organised by the Central Intelligence Organisation to fend off feared
demonstrations against the Mugabe regime. Police armed with dogs showed up
on October 2 threatening them with violence unless they moved.

The Zimbabwean Letters 18/05/06

Apologise to BaTonga
EDITOR - May you seek Spiwe Chikosi's Apology to the BaTonga People
regarding her article about them. I am Karanga, but I found her article
lacked rigor and as such just served to ruffle feathers unnecessarily.
Having worked in Hwange in 2004, I found a lot of missing gaps in their
survey. I worked in the hospital a lot of the times and I interacted with a
lot of HIV/AIDs patients from this area. I did find that the pandemic was in
many respects similar to Harare, Marondera, Bikita and Zaka; all of which
areas I worked in for not less than two years at a time.
Dr Temba Dhobha, Australia

Proudly Zimbabwean
EDITOR - I would like to introduce a group called Free-Zim - a
non-governmental movement formed by combined youths of Zimbabwe in the UK.
We believe it is our  civil right to be at the fore-front of the Revolution
and to speak out for our fellow youths who cannot do so due to the media and
political situation in our motherland.
So Free-Zim will be organising demonstrations and rallies all across the UK
to protest against the gross human rights violations by the Mugabe regime.
We will also be chairing debates and live forums in colleges and
universities, targeting our fellow youths in how we can help in pushing for
a New Zimbabwe.
Our motto is "divided he rules -  united Mugabe goes".  Our vision is to see
Free-Zim being spread like a virus. We would also like to pray and push for
international intervention for the Zim crisis.
We are proud to be Zimbabweans and we want to go back home, but we need to
unite first - regardless of race, tribe and sexuality, to kick out this
filth.  Mugabe he is the stumbling block for peace ad prosperity not only
for Zim but Africa as a whole.
Alois Phiri, UK

Justice at last
EDITOR - I write to thank you for publishing the letter I wrote in February
2006 in
which I was explaining that I was still the Chief Executive of Zesa. I
believe that your publishing of the letter may have contributed to the rapid
turn of events that culminated in a Labour Court judgment setting on May 5,
2006 as the date of termination of my contract of employment with Zesa.
Soon after the letter appeared in your paper the Honourable Justice
Hlatshwayo handed down judgment on 22nd February 2006 on the dispute that he
heard on October 8, 2003 concerning the status of my contract of employment
and the level of salary and benefits due to me. The judge ordered Zesa to
pay my legal costs and the increments that had been unlawfully suspended in
January 2002. He however declined to deal with the question of the
lawfulness of the appointment of the Executive Chairman after noting that
there had been an agreement to settle the matter by negotiation. The
judgment helped to expedite agreement on a settlement which the Labour Court
confirmed in its judgment handed down on 5th May 2005.
Thank you very much for your contribution to the resolution of this long
outstanding dispute.
Eng Simbarashe Mangwengwende, Harare

26 reasons for 26 years of misrule
EDITOR - Please allow me to write to my fellow Zimbabweans on this little
thought. It has become a chorus now that "Mugabe must go!" Do we really have
reasons behind our quest to see him relinquish power? I have 26 reasons:
1.PRIDE:-I feel it his pride that prevented him from pacifying the
relatives/victims of the Gukurahundi atrocities by at least making a formal
apology.
2.PRESS FREEDOM:-The draconian laws inhibiting free flow of information and
the torture of journalists who fail to toe the line are clear examples of
stifling press freedom.
3.ECONOMY:-All we can say now is Once upon a time we needed Z$2 in
exchange for US$1.The economy has been completely wrecked.
4.THE JUDICIARY:-On 21/12/00,then Chief Justice Gubbay issued an indictment
on the lawlessness perpetrated by the government when he said: 'Wicked
things have been done and continue to be done. They must be stopped. Laws
made by the government have been flouted by the government.' One month later
after ruling against the executive in their attempts to invalidate electoral
challenges, he was forced into early retirement and an with that came an era
of coercing the remaining judges out. With the departure of many judges
being replaced by Zanu (PF) sympathisers, the impartiality of the bench was
neutralised and is now questionable. Further allocation of prime farming
land to these newly appointed judges makes a mockery of the court battles to
invalidate the land grab when the judges themselves were beneficiaries of
the flawed system.
5.THE DRC ADVENTURE:-In 1985 prior to this adventure, inflation was
manageable at around 36%,but it soared to around 700% by the turn of
2002. I am yet to be appraised and appreciate the benefits of our
involvement
in the DRC.
6.AGRICULTURE:- I do agree that it was necessary to redistribute land, and
there are economies in the far east that have successfully implemented such
a program, but my concern is the manner it was manipulated by the leaders
thereby destroying the mainstay of our economy.
7.ELECTORAL FRAUD:-I will not dwell much on this. Its apparent the playfield
has never been even.
8.STATE SANCTIONED TORTURE:-Ordinary citizens are now living in fear of the
very government that must be safeguarding them. What a travesty of justice!
9.UNEMPLOYMENT:-Now hovering at above 80%,is there any hope to the
unemployed and the youth entering the job market?
10.CORRUPTION:-Talk of scandal after scandal, The Willowgate Scandal, The
Noczim debacle, The Pay For Your House Scheme, The GMB fiasco etc. Where
does
the buck stop?
11.INCOMPETENCE OF SERVING MINISTERS:-ministers failing to execute their
duties efficiently have only been recycled. What hope do we have in them
turning around the fortunes of our beloved country?
12.HEALTH SERVICE:-Delivery of this service has been severely crippled and
yet the government seem content on unjustifiably allocating the lion's share
of the budget to the Ministry of Defence.
13.COLLAPSE OF INDUSTRY:-Many companies are folding each day due to economic
mismanagement. Whither Zimbabwe?
14.SOARING INTERNATIONAL DEBT:-Ludicrous government pending, corruption from
the top, and glaring incompetence have not helped the situation.
15.OPERATION MURAMBATSVINA:-The casualties will bear testimony of government
insensitivity.
16.HEROES ACRE:-Should it be the Politburo that must decide who should be
there and who should not? Is honestly Cde X befitting the national hero
status as opposed to Revolutionary Y? Admittedly no-one is perfect and
including Mugabe himself, but this national shrine has over the years lost
its significance. Should the Civic society not be involved in determining
hero status?
17.RULE OF LAW:-There is one law for the CHEFS and their relatives and
another for the povo. What a sorry state of affairs.
18.ECONOMIC POLICY:-This has in recent months been placed in the hands of
The Zimbabwe National Security Council dominated by officers from the
army, air force, police, the dreaded CIO.Really? Recent media reports say
Gen
Chiwenga ordered the Central bank to print Z$60t to fund salary increases
for civil servants and the uniformed forces (economics dze feja-feja
idzika!)One can only wonder why, when Cde Nzuwah was announcing the salary
hikes, he was flanked by Chiwenga and Chihuri!
19.PRIORITIES:-Do we need to spend US$500m now on new military aircraft when
we do not have power, fuel, medicines etc?
20.POLITICAL POSTS: - I am yet to be convinced we need the Senate or many of
those political posts when our economy is collapsing.
21.THE EXECUTIVE:-The sweeping powers invested in the executive do not allow
for balances and checks hence the mess we find ourselves in.
22.VICE PRESIDENCY:-Do we need two vice presidents?
23.MYSTERIOUS DEATHS:-We continue to ask why over the disappearance/death of
those at odds with the ruling party.
24.HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD:-We have the worst.
25.PRESIDENTIAL TERMS:- A limitless number of presidential terms will cause
more harm than good.
26.AGE;-The law of diminishing returns........At 82,it time to call it
quits. I hope the proposed cold season mass action will yield the desired
results.
CLEMENCE NGAIRONGWE, UK