Cabinet agrees to clip Gono's wings

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=17111

May 29, 2009

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - Zimbabwe's cabinet is said to have agreed to effect key amendments
to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Act, a development that will see the
RBZ being confined to its core functions.

While the battle around the status of controversial RBZ governor Gideon Gono
rages on, Finance Minister Tendai Biti is reported to have convinced cabinet
on the need to clip the wings of the central bank chief, whose controversial
quasi-fiscal policies are widely regarded as having ruined Zimbabwe's once
buoyant economy.

President Robert Mugabe, who has declared he will not heed local or
international calls for Gono to be replaced, chairs cabinet, which comprises
all ministers from both Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
parties.

"I am pleased to advise that cabinet has agreed on fundamental amendments to
the Reserve Bank Act," Biti told journalists Thursday.

"It is important that we restore the legitimacy, credibility and integrity
of the Reserve Bank."

Biti said the RBZ reforms would ensure the bank was confined to its core
business which involved the crafting of the monitory policy, supervising the
banking sector and the management of the national payment systems, among
other duties.

The MDC secretary-general said the envisaged amendments to the RBZ Act will
also factor in recommendations by an International Monetary Fund (IMF)
technical team that is in Zimbabwe to offer guidance in the banking system
and central bank governance.

He said, "There would also be reforms around the board and the composition
of the board.

"Most importantly the board will also play an oversight role of the bank.
The board will ensure that there is compliance with the Act and various
other Acts of the state.

"There will be issues around curtailment of the capacity of the bank to
borrow. We have put in some restrictions there.

"There will be provisions that will enforce the liquidation and
rationalization of all none-core assets of the bank - companies like Home
Link - so that the bank remains clean and legitimate."

Biti was confident the moves were bound to succeed saying nothing was going
to distract his ministry from redressing the economy.

Gono took over the reigns as central bank governor in December 2003 when
inflation was still at around 600 percent. It ballooned to an estimated 500
billion percent by December last year, according to Biti.

Since the time, the RBZ was churning out loads of worthless local currency
ostensibly to meet the demands of spiralling inflation while financing
extravagant and often partisan government activities.

Biti said the advent of the multi-currency system early this year, coupled
with a new fiscal culture by the new inclusive government, had reduced
inflation to a monthly average of minus three percent.

"Our biggest enemy as a ministry is politics," he said.

"There are things that we do not control, that we hope our principals and
our leaders will resolve as a matter of urgency. All the outstanding issues
in the Global Political Agreement we hope that they will resolve them.

"All the toxic issues around detentions, people that are being arrested,
farm occupations we hope they will be resolved. If they can only help us in
liquidating these things then we will be able to sprint.

Meanwhile Biti's law firm, Honey and Blanckenberg, has condemned Gono for
what it described as an "unfortunate outburst against us" after he
controversially accused its directors of externalization of funds and
money-laundering.

In a letter purportedly written to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on May
11, Gono said Honey and Blanckenberg - where Finance Minister Tendai Biti
was a partner - had stashed over US$1million outside the country in
violation of exchange control regulations.

Gono said the law firm's externalization of foreign currency predated his
appointment as Reserve Bank governor in 2003. He sought to use the
allegations to buttress his claim that Biti's campaign to remove him from
the RBZ was motivated by a personal vendetta.

New Zimbabwe.com reports that the law firm said in a statement: "Over the
past few weeks (three years after the alleged offence), the partners of
Honey and Blanckenberg have received a number of crude threats arising from
these old accusations, stating that unless Tendai Biti, a former partner of
the firm and currently Minister of Finance, desisted from his attempts to
demand accountability from the governor of the Reserve Bank, the partners
would face unspecified consequences. Naturally we have ignored such threats.

"Since Dr Gono states that this matter is before the courts, then it is
clearly sub judice and it is regrettable and highly inappropriate that a
person of his position has resorted to the media in an effort to bring this
matter into the political arena without allowing the due process of the law
to take its course.

"We are confident, however, in the sound judgment of the public its
awareness of the integrity of Honey and Blanckenberg and its understanding
of the reality of what lies behind Dr Gono's unfortunate outburst against
us."

Gono's so-called letter to Tsvangirai was mysterious leaked to the media.
Tsvangirai said last week that he never received the letter.

If the Prime Minister never had sight of the letter allegedly dispatched to
him by the governor of the Reserve Bank, while the document was splashed in
various media outlets, it would be logical to assume the letter was leaked
at source.

Amnesty challenges Harare to impose rule of law

http://www.zimonline.co.za/

by Cuthbert Nzou Friday 29 May 2009

HARARE - Amnesty International has challenged Zimbabwe's inclusive
government to impose the rule of law in the country and that the
administration acts against state agents and government officials who
continue to violate human rights.

"The relentless silencing of government critics that characterised the
previous administration is a blight on the record of the inclusive
government," said Simeon Mawanza, Amnesty International's expert on Zimbabwe
in a report released yesterday.

Amnesty criticised the arrest of two independent journalists and a prominent
human rights lawyer over the past three weeks.

On May 11, journalists, Vincent Kahiya and Constantine Chimakure of the
privately owned Zimbabwe Independent weekly were arrested and charged for
publishing an article, which the state claimed, was "wholly or materially
false with the intention to generate public hostility towards the police,
the military and the prison service".

They were released the following day on bail and were yesterday remanded on
bail to June 16 for trial.

Amnesty said it believes the journalists were arrested and detained purely
for exercising their right to freedom of expression.

On May 14, prominent human rights lawyer, Alec Muchadehama, who had been
representing a number of human rights and political activists, was arrested
and detained by officers from the police's law and order section, notorious
for harassing perceived opponents of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF
party.

Muchadehama was charged with "defeating or obstructing the course of
 justice" and released on bail.

Amnesty said it was concerned about the apparent lack of political will by
the power-sharing government to create an environment in which human rights
and media workers could freely do their work.

The organisation urged the Southern Africa Development Community and the
African Union to use their role as guarantors of Zimbabwe's inter-party
agreement to end on going human rights violations.

"The continued harassment and intimidation of perceived government critics
has held back the international community from providing much needed
assistance to ensure the realisation of the economic and social rights of
Zimbabwean people," said Amnesty.

"For the inclusive government to live up to its international obligations to
ensure the realisation of the economic and social rights of Zimbabwean
people, it urgently needs to create the conditions in which donors can feel
confident about providing assistance," said Mawanza.

Amnesty International also expressed concern about reports of victims of
political violence who have taken up matters into their own hands in an
attempt to recover their property that was looted by ZANU PF supporters
between the March and June 2008 elections.

Police were quick to arrest the people involved, but no action was taken
against known perpetrators of the 2008 human rights abuses despite reports
being made to the police by the victims.?

"Partisan policing needs to be brought to an end, said Mawanza. "The needs
of victims of the state sponsored human rights violations have to be
addressed as a matter of urgency. Those responsible for human rights
violations have to be held accountable and the victims accorded effective
remedies." - ZimOnline

EU urges Zim to halt land invasions

http://www.zimonline.co.za/

by Nokuthula Sibanda Friday 29 May 2009

HARARE - The European Union (EU) urged authorities in Harare to impose a
moratorium on all land invasions, saying this could improve Zimbabwe's
tourism profile.

"I still feel that as the European Commission and European Union that the
government should announce a moratorium on farm invasions and
conservancies," Xavier Marchal head of the EU in Zimbabwe said last
Thursday.

"If there is no wildlife, there is no tourism and there are no investors. I
have proposed that we make a joint trip to the Save Conservancy and
lowveld."

Marchal made the remarks after meeting Deputy Prime Minister Arthur
Mutambara at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare.

"We discussed the issue of moratorium on the farms and conservancies."

Conservationists say hundreds of elephants have been forced to migrate
across strife-torn Zimbabwe's borders, fleeing poachers and human
encroachment into wildlife areas.

Marchal also expressed concern on the decline of sugar production in the
lowveld saying 300 000 metric tonnes of sugar was being produced compared to
the 600 000 tonnes of sugar that used to be produced from the region.

Over the past three months, Zimbabwe has witnessed an upsurge in land
invasions, despite formation of new power-sharing government in February.

Long time political rivals President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai formed a power-sharing government to tackle Zimbabwe's economic
and humanitarian crisis.

Marchal said the EU welcomed the power sharing deal but acknowledged that
the agreement was going through "difficult times".  "It is the desire of the
European Union to enter into genuine dialogue with the Zimbabwe government."

Zimbabwe's tourism sector, at one time one of the three biggest foreign
currency earners in the country, is now a shadow of its former self after
Mugabe stepped up violence against political opponents 10 years ago.

Tourists stayed away from Zimbabwe in their thousands, fearing for their
safety and photographic safaris dropped sharply during years of political
and economic turmoil since the often violent seizures of thousands of
white-owned farms began in 2000, disrupting the agriculture-based economy in
the former regional breadbasket.

More than 700 families, with tacit approval from the government, invaded
Gonarezhou National Park in the southeastern border with South Africa and
Mozambique around 2000 as part of the government's violent land reforms,
putting pressure on the wildlife conservancy.

As the economic crisis deepened poaching of animals intensified and
conservationists already have raised alarm with CITES, a world body that
regulates trade in endangered species, for Zimbabwe's rare rhinos after a
sharp increase in poaching over the past year because of a breakdown of law
enforcement in the country.

The formation of a government of national unity has raised hopes the
political crisis will dissipate and allow the economy to pick up again and
with it the tourism sector. - ZimOnline

Parly in move to set up commissions

http://www.zimonline.co.za/

by Nqobizitha Khumalo Friday 29 May 2009

BULAWAYO - Parliament's standing orders and rules committee is scheduled to
meet next Monday to finalise procedures for the establishment of commissions
provided for under Constitutional Amendment Number 19, according to Speaker
Lovemore Moyo.

The amendment enacted earlier this year provides for the creation of a
Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC), Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) and
an Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

Moyo said: "The Standing Orders and Rules Committee is meeting on Monday and
all the modalities concerning the appointment of commissioners to the
commissions will be finalised and these will be announced so that people are
aware of the qualifications and the manner in which the commissioners will
be selected."

He said the committee had held meetings on the matter before but had not
finalised on the procedure of appointing commissioners and said that this
would be done on Monday.

"There will be no delays this time around and on Tuesday we will be
announcing to everyone how the commissioners will be appointed and the
process will kick off from there," said Moyo.

The delay in setting up the committees was attributed to the late
appointment of members of the committee but almost two months after that
committee was constituted there has been no movement towards the setting up
of the committees.

The ZMC is expected to register new newspapers and will replace the Media
and Information Commission (MIC).

The now moribund MIC led by Tafataona Mahoso presided over the closure of
four independent newspapers and forced many Zimbabwean journalists to flee
the country while the majority of international news agencies that include
the BBC and CNN were hounded out of the country.

 Repressive laws such as the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy
Act (AIPPA), Criminal Codification Reform Act, the Public Order and Security
Act and the Official Secrets were used by the state to harass and intimidate
journalists.

The ZMC is expected to license new newspapers that include the News Day to
be run by Zimbabwe Independent and the Standard publisher Trevor Ncube and
The Evening Gazette to be published under the weekly Financial Gazette
stable.

Many political analysts believe the setting up of the commissions will pave
the way towards the democratisation of Zimbabwe

The IEC is set to replace the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) that has
been accused of manipulating elections in favour of President Robert Mugabe
and his Zanu (PF) party. The ZHRC is set to be a first in a country where
the previous government is accused of serious human rights violations.

FULL TEXT: Tsvangirai, Mutambara's letter to Zuma

http://www.zimonline.co.za/

Friday 29 May 2009

TO: The SADC Chairman - HE President Jacob Zuma

Cc: SADC Executive Secretary - Mr Augustos Salomao

African Union - c/o - Mr Jean Ping

The SADC Appointed Facilitator - Mr Thabo Mbeki

RE: UNRESOLVED ISSUES ON THE GLOBAL POLITICAL AGREEMENT

Your Excellence you will recall that an Extra-Ordinary Summit of the
SADC Heads of State and Government met in Tshwane from the 26th to the 29th
of January 2009.

That Summit among other things directed that the Parties to the
Zimbabwe Global Political Agreement, signed on the 15th of September 2008,
would inaugurate the Inclusive Government through the swearing-in of the
Prime Minister and his Deputies and Ministers on the 11th and 13th of
February 2009 respectively. The summit also directed that issues connected
to the appointment of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor and the Attorney
General be dealt with by the Inclusive Government after its formation.

In addition, the summit also directed that the Parties would negotiate
on the formula for the appointment of Provincial Governors in a bid to pave
way for the appointment of new Provincial Governors consistent with the
composition of the Inclusive Government.

We regret to advise that despite innumerable meetings between the
three Principals, the above issues remain unresolved. It would appear that
on the part of ZANU PF the issue of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor
and the Attorney General are no issues at all and thus not open for
discussion.

With regard to the issues of Provincial Governors, although the
Negotiators agreed on a formula, there is little progress in the
implementation of the same and more importantly in ensuring that new
Provincial Governors are appointed in terms of the agreed formula.

The failure to address the above issues is clearly affecting the
credibility of the Inclusive Government. It is also causing great
misapprehension in our respective political parties.

In terms of Article 22.6 of the GPA, the same shall be guaranteed and
underwritten by SADC, the African Union and the SADC appointed Facilitator.

We thus write to you, in terms of the above provision, kindly
requesting?you to intercede in this matter to ensure that the above three
matters are?solved as a matter of urgency.

Your Excellency, kindly accept the assurances of our highest
consideration and fraternal esteem.

Thank you,

Yours faithfully,

MORGAN R. TSVANGIRAI    PROF. A.G.O MUTAMBARA?

MDC PRESIDENT               MDC PRESIDENT

Zuma's Government Draws Fire For Alleged Cover Up

http://www.voanews.com

By Peter Clottey
Washington, D.C
29 May 2009

South Africa's new President Jacob Zuma is coming under criticism after his
administration refused to release a dubious report that alleged military
complicity in Zimbabwe's post-election violence last year.

The alleged involvement, which was supposedly instigated by former President
Thabo Mbeki, was conducted by retired army generals as Zimbabwe's violence
left scores dead.But President Zuma's office has rejected requests to
release the document, saying it does not exist, as the generals who
commissioned it never reported to him in writing.

But nongovernmental organizations (NGO'S) in South Africa and neighboring
Zimbabwe dismissed the claim, calling it a coverup.

Political analyst Somadoda Fikeni told VOA that it is unlikely Pretoria
would cave under pressure and release the alleged document.

"I do think that it had to be understood in the context of the current
impasse within the government of national unity in Zimbabwe where the
parties in coalition, ZANU-PF and the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change),
are having challenges over appointment of the governor of the Reserve Bank,"
Fikeni said.

He said the nongovernmental organizations have been opposed to Zimbabwe's
coalition government brokered by Mr. Mbeki.

"These NGO'S in the very first place were never very happy with the
arrangement with the government of national unity," he said.

Fikeni said the NGO'S were of the view that Zimbabwe's long-time ruler
President Mugabe should have been left out of the coalition government.

"They wanted to see Mugabe either tried at the International Court of
justice or removed from power," Fikeni said.

He said there are indications that the demand for the release of the alleged
report is a pretext to compel Pretoria to have a change in policy towards
neighboring Zimbabwe.

"They are using the issue of this report as one way of pressurizing the
South African government, which is part of a SADC (Southern African
Development Community) arrangement to resolve the impasse," he said.

Fikeni said it is unlikely that President Zuma's administration would be
forced to release the report.

"I doubt they would curb under pressure. suffice it to say that they will
say that the previous government had sanctioned the investigation into what
was happening in Zimbabwe," Fikeni said.

He said it is likely the NGO's will seek to use the country's freedom of
information act to compel the new administration to release the report.

"The NGO's are aware that there is the access to information law in South
Africa, which would try to put pressure on government, but I doubt that the
government would release such a report in its entirety," he said.

Fikeni said the aim of the NGO'S to show Pretoria's bias to the world.

"They would try to demonstrate that the South African government under the
leadership of the ANC (African National Congress) governing party has
actually being favoring the ZANU-PF side and therefore supporting Mugabe,"
Fikeni said.

He reiterated that the NGO'S would want a policy change towards Zimbabwe.

"They would use that as a way pressurizing the South African government to
take a different cause of action to put pressure on ZANU-PF in Zimbabwe,
especially under the current impasse," he said.

Former President Mbeki, who was instrumental in the formation of the
coalition government in Zimbabwe, allegedly instructed six retired generals
to assess the extent of the army's involvement in the political crisis.

Human rights groups, however, maintain that after the investigations, which
were carried out in May and June of last year, former President Mbeki and
his immediate successor Kgalema Mothlanthe refused to release the report.

Groups backed by South Africa's main opposition party, the Democratic
Alliance, have invoked the Promotion of Access to Information Act to force
President Zuma to release the alleged document.

Some of the nongovernmental organizations say although violence and fear
levels in Zimbabwe had sharply declined after formation of the ZANU-PF - MDC
unity government, light should be shed on last year's reign of terror to
prompt a transformation of the military and prevent future abuses.

Human rights groups have often accused President Mugabe of unleashing a
systematic campaign of violence against opposition supporters after his
ZANU-PF lost control of parliament to the MDC in March, 2008 elections.

'Mbeki never got Zim report'

Government to Appeal for Food Aid

http://www.radiovop.com


HARARE, May 29 2009 - The government has appealed to the United
Nations (UN) to provide USd7 million dollars of food aid to avert widespread
hunger as the country's grain silos remain empty, a senior government
official said.

In a consolidated appeal to be launched on Monday in the capital, the
government together with the UN will launch a programme to source for funds
to avert widespread hunger following another failed harvest.

"A food appeal programme with the United Nations will be officially
launched on Monday at Meikles hotel to source for about USd7 million dollars
for food to avert hunger," a senior government official said Thursday.

The Minister of Finance, Tendai Biti announced in March that the
country needs to import 500 000 tonnes of maize to cover this year's
shortfall after farmers failed to meet the country's requirement of 2,2
million tonnes.

Farmers are expected to harvest 1,5 million tonnes of maize as the
government has already provided USd2 million dollars to the Grain Marketing
Board (GMB) to secure the required strategic reserve of 500 000 tonnes.

Biti also announced that his ministry is working with three banks to
source USd70 million dollars to beef up the country's food stores.

To prevent the country from running out of maize, government announced
this year that only the GMB would be allowed to export maize products.

However, government allowed private millers to buy maize from farmers.

Zimbabwe agriculture sector has been down since the country embarked
on the much criticized land reform programme, removing experienced farmers
to settle landless blacks.

Despite the government providing the bulk of inputs to newly resettled
farmers, most of the inputs, which include seed, fertilizer and fuel, were
sold on the black market.

Government Urged to End Confusion Surrounding Media

http://www.radiovop.com


HARARE, May 29 2009 - The Media Institute of Southern Africa Zimbabwe
chapter (MISA-Zimbabwe) has expressed concern at the mistaken belief
concerning the Media and Information Commission (MIC)'s continued existence
by the Permanent Secretary for Media, Information and Publicity, George
Charamba, following comments he recently made with regard to his
interpretation of its legal status.

"In terms of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act
(AIPPA), as amended in January 2008, Section 38 of the statutory instrument
notes the creation of the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) which replaces the
Media Information Commission. Section 38 reads, 'Established is a commission
to be known as the Zimbabwe Media Commission, which shall be a body
corporate capable of suing and being sued in its corporate name and, subject
to this Act, of performing all acts that bodies corporate may by law
perform."

"The interpretation clause of the same Act explicitly defines the word
"Commission" as referring to the ZMC. Therefore legally the ZMC is deemed to
exist pending its constitution. Mr Charamba contends that the law only
removed the MIC and not the administrative structure. The position of the
law clearly reflects otherwise," said MISA-Zimbabwe in a statement.

MISA-Zimbabwe called on the information ministry to put an end to the
confusion regarding registration of media houses and the accreditation of
journalists after the recent remarks by the Prime Minister, Morgan
Tsvangirai that journalists have no obligation to be accredited.

"It is only fair that the law is not deliberately or conveniently
interpreted in an attempt to deter journalists from going about their normal
duties," said the organisations.

Misa-Zimbabwe noted that although the functions of the ZMC are largely
similar to those of the former MIC as set out in Section 39, there is no
clause or provision in the Act which presupposes that the MIC shall be
transformed into the ZMC nor is there any intimation that the former may
execute the duties expressly mandated to the latter.

"In fact the wording of the Act clearly anticipates the formation of
the ZMC and sets out the manner of appointment of the new office bearers. In
relation to foreign media houses and journalists, Section 79(4)  reads, "A
journalist who is not a citizen of Zimbabwe, or is not regarded as
permanently resident in Zimbabwe by virtue of the Immigration Act [Chapter
4:02], may be accredited for any period specified by the Commission not
exceeding sixty days".

"The "Commission" referred to under this section is the ZMC as alluded
to under the interpretation clause. Therefore, unless the ZMC is sooner
constituted, there shall be no legal obligation on the part of any foreign
journalist to be accredited, let alone pay for accreditation," said
Misa-Zimbabwe.

The organisation poinetd out that under the Constitution of Zimbabwe
Amendment (No.19) Act which ideally should supersede all other legal
instruments, reference is only made in respect of the ZMC in Section 100.
There is no mention of the MIC, in either express or implied terms.

"Given this legal position, it is apparent that the statements
expressed Mr. Charamba are not founded on any cogent legal basis or
interpretation of the law and really do not serve to advance or foster the
right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press," said
Misa-Zimbabwe.

Political Risks Seen For Zimbabwe's MDC In Central Bank Row

http://www.voanews.com



By Patience Rusere
Washington
28 May 2009

The fight within Zimbabwe's national unity government over control of the
central bank took a new and troubling twist this week as military and
security agency chiefs weighed in to defend beleagured Reserve Bank Governor
Gideon Gono.

Air Marshall Henry Muchena told the state-controlled Herald newspaper that
Gono could not be sacrificed as he had a key role to play in the "economic
revolution."

But skeptics said the "securocrats" backing President Robert Mugabe along
with hardliners in the long-ruling ZANU-PF party were mainly concerned that
Gono's largesse in their favor would come to an end, and that Reserve Bank
accounts might be audited.

The Movement for Democratic Change party of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
meanwhile is pressing for Gono to be replaced, in part because he is one of
the reasons international donors are wary of funding government operations
and an economic turnaround.

Gono for his part says the MDC has launched a personal vendetta against him.

For insight into what is driving this bitter feud, reporter Patience Rusere
of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe turned to political analyst Brilliant Mhlanga
of Westminister University, London, and Regional Coordinator Glen Mpani of
the Center for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation in Cape Town, South
Africa.

Mpani said the intra-governmental dispute over Gono has turned into a power
game, which in view of the balance of forces could turn to the detriment of
the MDC.

Tutu in Hay appeal for Zimbabwe

Thursday, 28 May 2009 22:40 UK

Archbishop Desmond Tutu said he had a role as a 'global elder' Archbishop Desmond Tutu has pleaded for increased support for Zimbabwe's fragile national unity government. The anti-apartheid icon, a key-note speaker at Hay's literary festival, said Zimbabwe had become a "hell on earth". He was questioned by a Zimbabwean activist on the lack of unity among the leaders of southern African countries in dealing robustly with Robert Mugabe's regime. He said the new unity government was the best option and that change could only really come at the next election. Archbishop Tutu told the woman that he "felt very deeply" with her anguish. Tutu, now the emeritus Archbishop of Cape Town, said some leaders had taken a tougher line with President Mugabe. He said he hoped other leaders would follow suit. Tutu also said he understood too that countries were reluctant to give aid to a country with so many problems. DESMOND TUTU FACTFILE Born October 1931 in Transvaal Became a teacher until law in 1953 separated races in education Joined the church and became the first black Anglican Dean of Johannesburg in 1975 and Archbishop of Cape Town in 1986 An opponent of apartheid, he told the government its racist approach defied the will of God and risked jail by calling for a boycott of municipal elections in 1986 Asked in 1995 by President Nelson Mandela to head a truth and reconciliation commission Advised on reconciliation in Northern Ireland and Cyprus and a strong critic of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe and the Iraq war Won Nobel peace prize in 1984 and other honours include an honorary degree from Cardiff University in 1998 But he said this was the best way forward and that would help to strengthen the political process and give Morgan Tsvangirai a decisive mandate at the next election. In a wide-ranging and witty conversation with festival director Peter Florence, the Nobel laureate praised the human spirit in adversity. He said if apartheid could be abolished in South Africa then surely most of the world's problems could be solved. There was no situation that was "totally intractable" he said. Tutu also said his roving brief as a "global elder" had involved him in helping to resolve the problems in Gaza. He criticised the conditions Palestinians were living under and said the only answer was the two-state solution. But he warned that if the Palestinian question was not resolved, the world could "give up on everything else". "This is the problem and it is in our hands," he said. Tutu said he felt that religious faith had played a large part in the process of rebuilding post-apartheid South Africa. Archbishop of Canterbury He said they had had "an enormous advantage that trumped everything - we had Nelson Mandela". Modestly playing down his own role, he said he was a good captain of a winning team. Earlier, Archbishop Tutu attended a church service in Hay, where the Archbishop of Canterbury gave the address. Rowan Williams called for lifestyles to be more human and to avoid the excesses of individualism and collectivism.

JAG - farm situations communique

Dated 28th May 2009

Email: jag@mango.zw : justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw

JAG Hotlines: +263 (011) 610 073, +263 (04) 799410.  If you are in
trouble or need advice, please don't hesitate to contact us - we're here
to help!

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KARORI FARM

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

 Over the weekend and continuing through this week Mujaji and his
soldiers continue to step up the pressure.  He has totally shut down the
farm now for over 8days and we cannot reap maize, grade tobacco, water
seedbeds and cattle.  Our seedbeds for the forth coming tobacco crop are
dead through lack of water.  Mujaji then broke all our locks on our pump
houses and put his own locks on and then started to evict are senior
staff.

The police have been informed on a daily basis but it appears that the
soldiers are telling them what to do.  I went to Headlands and DISPOL
myself to ask them about their continued inaction.  I was told not to
come any more as they had been instructed not to intervene except where
there were matters of theft or assault to which they have been instructed
to take statements only.  I was told they will only act on a High Court
Order if instructed by their bosses.

The situation has been reported to the Minister of Home Affairs and the
Prime Minister and Minister of Lands but nothing gets done.  We have no
recourse at all in spite of having the law totally on my side .In fact I
had more support and adherence to the rule of law under a ZANU PF
Government than this Unity Government which refuses to deal with these
sort of issues. I am embarrassed.

There is over a Million dollars of agricultural produce on the farm now
wasting away while this Government pretends there is nothing wrong on the
ground.  Every court order, and document relating to this situation has
been given personally by me to the authorities that matter and I have
followed it up with meetings to explain it fully so that there are no mis
truths.  It is all quite clear that this is not a land issue, even though
I have been allocated the land, but a case of pure criminality.

Foreign aid no panacea for Zimbabwe's problems

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=17094

May 28, 2009

By Clifford Chitupa Mashiri

I don't agree with some of the points raised by retired judge Justice Smith
in the article, "Zimbabwe could collapse within a year," The Zimbabwe Times,
27 May 2009.

Firstly, he says, "Zimbabwe could collapse into "complete anarchy" in a year
if foreign aid does not bolster its failing economy."

While I share Justice Smith's anxiety about Zimbabwe's coalition government,
I disagree with his prescription. Foreign aid is no panacea for Zimbabwe's
problems, because it does not address other variables that are responsible
for the possibility of anarchy.

Zimbabwe can transform itself into a big success story in Africa without
depending on foreign aid if only it addressed the fundamentals and for
example, seized the abundant tourism opportunities offered by the World Cup
next year in neighbouring South Africa.

Ideally, the whole of Zimbabwe, especially, Beitbridge, Bulawayo, Vic Falls
and Tsholotsho should be busy building the vital infrastructure such as
roads, bridges, telecommunications links, telephone, internet facilities,
mobile broadband services shipping and freight services, entertainment
facilities,  hotels and chalets for tourists using the much publicised lines
of credit secured by the coalition government. Once in place, such capital
investment will be of immense value in a peaceful, stable and democratic
country and should payoff as happening in other countries. It would be sad
if Zimbabwe allowed these opportunities to slip by while singing about 'our
land and sovereignty.'

I wonder what has prompted Justice Smith to say there is a risk of anarchy
when only two months ago in an interview with Violet Gonda of Short Wave
Radio Africa on March 1, 2009, he said, "I am very optimistic about the
change that is coming. I think this new inclusive government has got a very
uphill task but as long as we have people with goodwill and they really mean
what they have committed themselves to, then I think there's a good chance
of us turning around the economy and restoring the rule of law in the
country."

Secondly, he says the problem is not the president, but there are people in
the parties or in the police who are doing their own thing. That seems to
have been what the MDC Minister of Home Affairs meant when he denied
involvement in the arrest of the two Zimbabwe independent journalists and
was quoted as saying the arrests were ordered by the Attorney General. It is
not just for politics that one risks life and limb in Zimbabwe.

According to Clemence Manyukwe's article,  "Suspects suffer broken ribs in
police brutality" , Financial Gazette,Thursday, 21 May 2009, four police
officers allegedly broke the ribs of three suspected cell phone thieves in
one of the latest examples of the excessive use of force by some members of
the police.

Now the question is "Who appointed those people accused of human rights
abuses? "

Again going to that same interview with Violet Gonda Justice Smith said,

"I don't see how they (MDC) would ever have been able to get people they
wanted appointed in the civil service, all they could have done is to
approach people already in the service to see if they would be prepared to
adopt the policies of the MDC. But that would have had to be purely done
unofficially."

Thirdly, Justice Smith says that Africa should be left to police itself.

While that sounds very pan-Africanist, it is not only impractical but also
legally challenging. Accordingly, when asked by Violet Gonda if the
Zimbabwean judiciary was bound by the SADC tribunal ruling on some of the
land invasions, Justice Smith answered, "No because we haven't got any
legislation that makes it part of our law but what I find difficult to
understand as far as SADC is concerned is that when this country joined SADC
and signed up as a member, one of the obligations was to comply with all the
provisions of the SADC treaty."

Justice Smith's prescription of a donor funded multi-billion pound rescue
package for Zimbabwe is flawed and not reassuring amidst recent revelations
about raids by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe on private Foreign Currency
Accounts (FCAs) including those of non-governmental organisations and donor
agencies such as HIVOS and others.

Until Mugabe's regime is fully rehabilitated to abide by international
treaties protecting property rights and avoid nocturnal raids on private
bank accounts and going on a shopping spree for scoth-carts for ZANU (PF)
supporters, it is inconceivable to envisage any rescue package in the short
term. I think donors are equally anxious about Mugabe's real intentions on
the issue of succession in view of his advanced age.

The future was made bleaker by press reports that Media Affairs Minister,
Webster Shamu had called on all Zimbabweans to rally behind Robert Mugabe
while hinting that the aging leader might be Zanu-PF candidate in the next
election after the current unity process. What do donors make of that?

Justice Smith's appeal for a rescue package for Zimbabwe seems not to
recognise the current deadlock over the RBZ Governor's post and that of the
Attorney General - issues which multilateral organisations have expressed
their concerns about.

It appears donors have realised the risks of banking in Mugabe's Zimbabwe as
they have all started to circumvent the regime by channelling all their
funding directly to the projects or to non governmental organisations. They
don't trust Zanu-PF anymore.

The strategy of circumventing government seems to be working well with the
Red Cross doing a good job feeding prisoners, the Save the Children Fund
dealing with cholera and water purification while other NGOs are restoring
hope at Parirenyatwa Hospital where the smell of death has been replaced by
fresh air.

Human rights organisations would be shocked to learn that abductions are
still taking place in Zimbabwe. A more recent case is that of Pastor
Berejena, who according to Shortwave Radio Africa.com, was allegedly
abducted on Monday May 25, 2009 in a white vehicle.

This comes just a week after the alleged abduction and deportation on
Tuesday last week of Lee Johns an Australian businessman who used to own the
Globe Phoenix Mine in Kwekwe. According to the report, he was forcibly
deported from the country following reports he was locked in a fierce
dispute with the Reserve Bank, who through their subsidiary Carslone
(Private) Limited had allegedly taken over his mine.

To conclude, it can be seen that there is a whole world of difference
between politics and the law whereby what is illegal may be politically
correct or feasible depending on which side you are and vice versa. It is
very unlikely that the donor community could be swayed by Mr Justice Smith's
appeal for a rescue package when there is no verifiable evidence of the
regime's respect for human and property rights, the rule of law, press
freedom as well as more than cosmetic political and economic reforms.

Charity begins at home.

(Clifford Chitupa Mashiri is the chief analyst at the Zimbabwe Centre for
Policy Research and Analysis (ZCPRA), London, UK. ZCPRA is an independent
not for profit think tank. Clifford can be contacted on
zimanalysis2009@googlemail.com)

Nowhere to turn

http://www.spectator.co.uk

Aidan Hartley
Wednesday, 27th May 2009

Zimbabwe

'Ah, and no cake to offer you!' Mrs H- said. 'I would have baked one if only
I'd known you were coming.' It was teatime in Zimbabwe. A golden afternoon
sunlight streamed across the shrivelled garden lawn and the mopani woodland
beyond. Mr H- chipped in, 'But of course the telephone is cut off, so you
could not have called.' We all made polite noises but one thing was clear.
This elderly couple had no cakes to bake. I looked into their faces and saw
they were starving. A neighbour had encouraged me to visit the couple to
boost their spirits. He had said, 'I'm very worried about them. I won't be
surprised if I hear they've shot or hanged themselves.' So my group drove
over there and as the car entered the drive we found them, looking
suspicious and scared.

Mr and Mrs H- (to reveal their names would put them at more risk than they
already are) settled in Zimbabwe 29 years ago, investing all they had into a
livestock and game farm. 'We liked the people,' the man said. South Africa
was becoming tense and, with the end of the civil war, Zimbabwe seemed a
good bet. In other words, the family had not acquired the land unfairly in
the colonial past; they paid for it after independence.

When Mugabe launched his 'fast track land reform' nine years ago Zanu-PF war
veterans invaded the H- farm. No compensation was ever paid and dozens of
African families were resettled on the land. This was a rare example of
redistribution. Most properties stolen from white landowners went to Mugabe's
political cronies, who had no interest at all in farming. All they ever did
was loot the machinery, use their party credentials to access farm 'loans'
that were never repaid and use the white people's houses for weekend
barbeques. The farms themselves returned to bush, which is why despite the
best rains in 15 years this season will have the lowest harvest in Zimbabwe's
modern history.

The H-s were able to stay in their home. They clearly get along with their
new African neighbours, about whom they say nothing bitter. The Africans
allow them to graze their few cattle on the verges between the matches of
maize. And that's good, because the cows are their only source of income.

Mr H-has a haunted look. 'There's no money and I'm too old to be of use to
anybody,' he said. In youth his wife must have been beautiful but she is
ravaged by age and stress. The state of their bungalow adds to the
atmosphere of despair. 'It's all we have, but now they say we have to go. Go
where?'

Recently, an army colonel turned up at the house, barged in and declared
that he wanted the place for himself. 'The only way we're leaving is in a
box,' said Mr H-. A few evenings later the colonel returned with 150
soldiers and thugs. All night they paraded up and down beyond the garden
fence, banged drums, lit fires and chanted 'Hondo!' - which means war in the
Shona language. The colonel had deployed his thugs several times and the
couple were nervous wrecks. 'The stress is endless. If you hear a car, you
don't know what's going to happen next.'

Mr H- was summoned to appear in court, accused of illegally staying in his
own home. He had to borrow money to travel 200 kilometres to the courthouse.
On the appointed day he turned up and was told the date had been changed and
he would have to come back another day. As a result of this, they were
unable to buy provisions. 'To beg for food on the street doesn't make you
feel good,' said the old man. There were children in South Africa but when I
asked why they didn't go to them they screwed their faces up and murmured
about not wanting to get in the way. As we left I slipped $100 into the
woman's hand. 'For housekeeping,' I said. She burst into tears.

While driving away one of the white Zimbabweans who had accompanied me
criticised the old couple for whining about how tough life was. The Zimbos
are a tough lot after nine years of this. Though many whites have been
forced to stay because they are too poor or elderly, others have chosen to
stick it out, hoping for the day 'when things come right'. But that may not
be soon enough for the H-s.

To Give or Not to Give?

JAG open letter forum - No. 633 - Dated 28th  May 2009

Email: jag@mango.zw; justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw

Please send any material for publication in the Open Letter Forum to
jag@mango JAG OPEN LETTER FORUM - No..zw with "For Open Letter
Forum" in the subject line.

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1. History lessons?

2. letter to the premier Minister

3. WHINGING TOWNIES or WHINGING FARMERS?

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Dear JAG,

This appeared in one of the UK papers last week - appropriate for the UK
for the moment, but perhaps also quite pertinent to ourselves??????

History provides a lesson in how to deal with a Parliament seen as
corrupt and finished.

In 1653, Oliver Cromwell lost patience with the House after learning it
was attempting to stay in session despite as agreement to dissolve. His
speech will still resonate today with disgusted voters. This is what he

said:

"It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this
place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue. And
defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and
enemies to all good government, ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and
would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas
betray your God for a few pieces of money. Is there a single virtue now
remaining amonst you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have no
more religion than my horse; gold is your God; which of you have not
bartered your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has
the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?

Ye sordid prostitutes, have ye not defil'd this sacred place, and
turn'd the Lord's temple into a den of theives,by your
immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious
to the whole nation;  you were deputed here by the people to get
grievances redress'd, are yourselves become the greatest grievance.
Your country therefore calls upon me to cleanse this Augean stable, by
putting a final period to your iniquitous proceedings in this House, and
which by God's help, and the strength he has given me, I am now
come to do; I command ye therefore, upon the peril of your lives, to
depart immediately out of this place, go, get you out!

Make haste! Ye venal slaves be gone! So! Take away that shining bauble
there, and lock up the doors, in the name of God, go!"

Oliver Cromwell

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2. Dear Mr Premier Minister,

You and the MDC are seeking help again from the SADC concerning some
severe issues of the GPU agreement from last September which should have
been settled long ago but were not. Are you not afraid that you are going
to hear from SADC that those  "so called" violations of the GPU are
"isolated incidents" and "blown out of proportion" so you should shut up
and not longer go on the nerves of SADC and AU?

By the way: Why is the MDC not longer reachable by email. Is it because
the email box is overflooded by letters as mine?

Deissner, Germany

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3. Dear JAG,

WHINGING TOWNIES or WHINGING FARMERS?

Dear Dumb ole Farmer (DoF)

Yes, I agree that the old love-hate jealousies that the townies have for
farmers are resurfacing as they do their sums with the latest tobacco
prices becoming public information.

As an ex tobacco farmer myself I remember one ZTA president telling us to
lower our profile many yrs ago, and as a result, the daily bulletin of
TSF/BMZ  sales statistics was withdrawn from ZBC, to try curb this
resentment from the general public. As always, the critics snipe from
uninformed positions.

However, these same 'irate' DoF's'  were laughing on the other side of
their faces when they were tapping into ASPEF funding, borrowing money at
56% when inflation was in the thousands, hiving off ferts, chems and fuel
to buy forex and assets, etc etc etc......and yet still remained in
business with pathetic yields that would have seen them foreclosed by the
bank manager in the good old days.

Yes, they were getting paid in ZW$, but it cost them peanuts to produce
the crop.  Most of the profits were secured against devaluation in the
form of new Isuzu vehicles, huge fuel purchases sold on privately for
forex,  town properties, boats, toys, overseas holidays, whilst
the kids were being educated offshore. Very little money went back into
the farm (and who blames them?...........I wouldn't have.) These are
privileges many ex farmers and townies do not have.

The money currently being lent by the tobacco companies to grow tobacco
is almost risk free, without huge collateral being necessary. It is a
contract where the farmer must simply grow the crop (admittedly under
difficult conditions) without fear of losing his house, his moveable
assets, or his offshore nest egg. So what's the problem? It is the
tobacco boys who should be nipping straws.

The new dollarisation of inputs will sort the wheat from the chaff: the
days of cell phone farming are gone. Margins are tight but the rewards
are there if it is done properly......focus on growing tobacco and stop
wasting time worrying about what the whinging townies are saying. You
have enough problems of your own to worry about.

You don't know how lucky you are to be able to be producing a commodity
in such demand in these times of world recession. Tobacco prices are at
an all time high whilst other commodity prices are crashing. So ride your
luck and maximise your potential earnings whilst you can, because it
won't last forever.

We know that farming is tough, but it is your chosen profession.
Nobody is forcing you to stay on the farm. Believe me, there are hundreds
of ex farmers sitting in town (and Aussie) who would trade places with
you tomorrow to be able to earn the money you guys are making: hard
earned or not.

 So stop whinging and get on with it!

New urban perridweller.

(PS:I'll put my own milk in my tea thank you very much.)