Police in Zimbabwe have raided the offices of the main
opposition party after alleging that arms were hidden there. Dozens of police
armed with pistols, rifles and shotguns, went to the headquarters of the MDC,
and two other offices in the capital, Harare. A party spokesman, Learnmore
Jongwe, described the raid as part of a campaign of harassment and intimidation.
Police made no arrests and refused to comment on the operation. On Monday night,
there was an explosion outside the MDC headquarters which shattered windows but
injured no one. An opposition spokesman said the explosion was caused by a
grenade and accused the government of being behind the attack.
MDC secretary-general Welshman Ncube said the explosion was a
continuation of the terror tactics used against the opposition during the recent
parliamentary election campaign, in which more than 30 people were killed.
President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party won a narrow victory in that election,
but now faces a strong opposition challenge in parliament for the first time
since independence. Another explosion occurred in April outside the offices of
the main, privately-owned newspaper, the Daily News.
Dear all
Honde Valley Development Trust.
As a loyal and concerned supporter of democracy and basic human rites I
appeal to you to contribute to this worthy cause - see below - the delay in
getting the appeal out is attributed to Govt red tape in getting registered
as an NGO.
Please pass on this apeal to as many people who you thing could assist in
any small or large way.
Should you require any additional information please contact the me.
from the desk of R W { Topper } Whitehead
Honde Valley Development Trust
P O Box 3529
Hauna
Zimbabwe
Thursday, 24 August 2000
Dear Colleague
The Honde Valley Development Trust has been formed, initially to repair the
damage done by ZANU PF in its efforts to intimidate the people, and
ultimately to develop the area. We have drawn up a draft constitution and
have made application to the relevant authorities to be registered as an NGO
{non-governmental organisation}. While this bureaucratic process is
happening we appeal to well wishers for assistance in helping displaced
persons re-build their homes and replenish their food granaries.
During the recent politically motivated violence in the Honde Valley 18
homesteads were set on fire and completely destroyed, in each case the
household’s granary were vindictively burnt to the ground, this was done in
an attempt to force the MDC candidate to cease campaigning, such is Mugabe’s
determination to retain power at any cost.
Evelyn Masaiti did not give up and in spite of the intimidation, petrol bomb
attacks on her and her family and death threats she and her supporters
bravely went on and ultimately won the support of the people by a wide
margin. Rebuilding for these people must begin, as there are now 89 women
and children with out homes or food who are forced to live in one tent, they
are being fed by well wishers from an open air communal kitchen.
We look to you to assist in whatever way you are able bearing in mind that
the Trust is committed to rebuilding the homes and feeding the women and
children until their food stocks are replenished. Any donation however small
would be greatly appreciated. Although the destruction was politically
motivated the rebuilding is apolitical and purely humanitarian as are my
motives.
Donations can be made to:-
Honde Valley Development Trust
Barclays Bank
Avondale Branch No 2190
Account No 2740627
Yours faithfully
R W { Topper } Whitehead
A concise documented account of the intimidation with names of the
perpetrators is available on request
MEDIA MONITORING PROJECT ZIMBABWE Media Update # 34 Monday 4th
September to 10th September 2000
SUMMARY
_ All the media reported the Commercial Farmers' Union's decision to revive
litigation against the government's compulsory acquisition of farms - and the
criticism it invoked. But the state owned media stopped running stories that
provided some critical insight to the land reform process in the week under
review. The Daily News however, continued to carry these stories in the early
part of the week, including one about a farm belonging to Vice-President Joseph
Msika, chairman of the government's land acquisition committee, being
under-utilized and neglected.
_ The activities and statements of President Mugabe and government
officials on land, Britain and the Zimbabwe Democracy Bill dominated reports
of the UN Millennium Summit in the state-owned media. The privately owned
press did not accord much attention to the Summit
_ ZBC left it to the Press to break the news that government was seeking
parliamentary approval for a supplementary budget of Z$35,5 billion and the
controversy it sparked in the House on Thursday (7/9). Only Zimpapers' reports
(8/9) explained that MPs still had to vote on the issue as the paper went to bed
and provided the best coverage of the circumstances surrounding the walk-out by
opposition MDC MPs. Television only provided some detailed coverage the day
after the debate started (8/9), while listeners to Radios 2/4 would have missed
the story altogether if they didn't listen to the lunchtime bulletin.
_ ZBC featured an interview with the DRC's ambassador denying a claim in
The Zimbabwe Independent in which he was quoted as contradicting Makoni's
statement that the DRC had made only a verbal commitment to compensate Zimbabwe;
everything had been put down in writing, the paper said. No media tallied the
Finance Minister's announcement of the $10 billion DRC war cost to the
supplementary allocation of $6.1 billion for the Ministry of Defence.
1. LAND President Mugabe and the CFU ensured that the land issue
continued to dominate media coverage in the week under review. The Herald (5/9)
provided some background to the reason why the CFU congress had decided to
revive legal action against the government's seizure of commercial farmland by
featuring a letter from CFU leader Tim Henwood to various ministers at the end
of August making a last-ditch plea to negotiate. In it he explained that he was
"under considerable pressure" to return to the courts after government efforts
to remove war veterans from some commercial farms had been stopped. ZBC
television however, failed even to report the CFU decision on the day it
happened, reporting the event instead, as a follow-on item from an interview
with MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai the following evening(7/9). It combined
its day-late report with a statement from Henwood saying the farmers
were challenging the constitutionality of the farm seizures without
compensation and denying claims in The Daily News and The Financial Gazette that
the legal action was being taken against Mugabe. Billed as a "wide ranging
interview" in which Tsvangirai was said to be calling for dialogue with ZANU PF,
the interview highlighted the opposition leader's criticism of the CFU. He was
quoted as saying the organization should realize it was a farmers' union and not
a white institution and that the farmers would not be in their present situation
if they had solved the land issue 10 years ago. The same bulletin then
sandwiched its CFU report with a statement from a Harare provincial war
veterans' leader saying that the CFU decision exposed the farmers' "colonial
arrogance". In this way ZBC contrived to isolate the CFU and present its legal
action as a product of white colonialists against land reform. In what must have
been a deliberate strategy to explain itself, the CFU instead, shot itself in
the foot when it placed adverts in The Herald and The Independent the next day
(Friday 8/9/) attempting to explain its understanding of land ownership in
Zimbabwe. The adverts claimed that commercial farmers owned only 30% of the
land, which it described as privately, owned, while government owned the rest
(70%). Proving that it can respond promptly when it sees a good story, ZBC
was quick to obtain comment from the minister of Lands and Agriculture, who
launched a scathing attack on the CFU (8/9 8pm). Introduced by the news
reader as saying it was wrong for any group in society to hold the country to
ransom by refusing to accept the democratic needs of the country, Dr Made
spoke rhetorically off the cuff:
"Are you telling me that the peasant farmers in this country are not
private citizens? Are you telling me that that section is so defined as
government simply because there are black people in that particular sector? Is
this now the division that the commercial farmers would like to continue to
define themselves as a special group that is the only one that is private
in this country? Are you saying every peasant farmer in this country is not a
citizen, is not a private individual? You are saying anything that is black is
lumped together as government.so the white commercial farmers are not citizens
of this country isn't it? They are not part and parcel of the government.
They are not Zimbabweans isn't it? They have got their own
territories."
ZBC failed to challenge the CFU over the content of the advert which
failed to identify who owned the agriculturally productive land. But ZBC
viewers would not have understood this from ZTV's report because it did not
address this question to the minister, or anybody else. . The Herald followed
up the issue with a front-page article CFU misleading people on land
ownership (9/9) which quoted Made saying that the CFU was misleading people on
land ownership in a bid to garner support for its stance on land reform. The
Press was left to deal with the warning to farmers from the chairman of the
Bankers' Association of Zimbabwe that legal action would be costly: "The time
scale and realities that litigation brings with it will extract a heavy price
on the economy." he was reported as telling the CFU congress in The Daily
News (8/9), under the heading, Land crisis could see GDP drop by 6%. The Herald
(8/9) carried the same story on its front page under the heading, CFU slammed
for relaunching litigation, in which the same speaker was quoted as saying he
was convinced that dialogue was the only way forward. "We stand at the edge
of a mine shaft. The trick now is, how are we going to step back from the
precipice?" The emphasis in the headlines of the two papers were completely
different and it is impossible to say which one was right; perhaps both since
The Herald failed to report the warning about the decline in the GDP, and The
Daily News played down the speaker's criticism of the litigation. In addition,
only The Herald reported that Minister Made snubbed the farmers by failing to
make a scheduled address at the congress. The Herald story also reported a
statement from the same war veteran later quoted by ZBC as threatening to
occupy more land. The Zimbabwe Mirror (8/9) also quoted the same bankers'
association speaker criticizing the CFU for "adopting a confrontational approach
towards the land reform". The Herald (8/9) gave a detailed breakdown of the
CFU's legal action, and both Zimpapers' dailies quoted Information Minister,
Jonathan Moyo, dismissing the litigation as the last kicks of a dying
horse. In another development, plans by the little known National Employment
Council for the Agricultural Industry of Zimbabwe to take legal action
against the government for unfair labour practices against farm workers was
reported in the Manica Post (8/9) and the Sunday News (10/9) but was not
accorded mainstream media prominence. The Manica Post ignored moves by the
CFU but focused on the plight of farm workers. A front-page article quoted
the chief executive officer of the NECAIZ, Douglas Mutembwa who "expressed
concern that the current fast track land resettlement programme is leading to
massive illegal retrenchment of farm workers". He claimed government was
contravening a section of the Labour Relations Act. While ZBC reported CFU's
efforts to resist government taking "white-owned" farms for redistribution,
it demonstrated its own description to be wrong with a report the next day
(9/9) on Nhau Indaba and the 8pm radio and television bulletins about how
Youth Minister Border Gezi had to mediate in a dispute between members of a
farm co- operative and war veterans who were acquiring the co-op's land. The
report went on to explain that the farm was acquired for resettlement in 1982
but had been re-designated recently because it was underutilized. Farms
belonging to black farmers and mission school farms have also been
designated.
2. THE UN MILLENNIUM SUMMIT Coverage of the Millennium Summit in New
York provided the state owned media with the opportunity to resort to its
pre-election propaganda tactics. While The Herald focused on Britain's
alleged growing isolation and increasing support for Zimbabwe's land reforms
on the diplomatic front, ZBC merely ran CNN and CFI reports of the summit
until it received its own footage of Mugabe in the "Big Apple" which it
used extensively on Sunday's 8pm bulletin. First up was six minutes and 40
seconds of Mugabe addressing the summit in which he attacked widespread
criticism of his government's efforts to redress the historical inequity of land
distribution. This was The Herald's front-page lead the previous day under the
heading, Time to end rich states' dominance over the poor. ZBC aired Mugabe's
speech on television by headlining the story with the unsubstantiated and
unrelated claim that the summit had given "a nod" to Zimbabwe's land reforms.
But this was never referred to in the report itself - like the story in The
Herald and The Chronicle (8/9) it was borrowed from, which only quoted "a
source" as saying UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan "was happy" with the conduct of
Zimbabwe's land reform. Next came a four-minute 55-second interview with
Minister Jonathan Moyo, who said the President's speech had been well
received. The reporter then baffled viewers when he vaguely framed a question
referring to "incidents in New York where certain people wanted to sue the
President". But it didn't confuse Moyo: "This is the figment of
imagination of some people. I see one of our papers today had a story to that
effect. Nothing of that kind happened. How can you sue a head of state of
Zimbabwe in New York?" He was referring to a story actually carried by both
The Sunday Mail and The Standard about the President being sued in America by
relatives of victims of pre-election violence who had initiated a civil law suit
accusing him of human rights abuses by orchestrating a campaign of political
violence to keep Zanu PF in power. According to both papers the lawsuit was
filed under a 211-year-old American law that gives foreigners the right to
file civil suits in US courts for injuries suffered in violation
of international law. Only The Standard quoted an MDC spokesman who welcomed
the development. The Sunday Mail story was agency copy quoting The Washington
Post. Both papers reported that the court order was issued on the Wednesday,
"clearing the way" for the U.S. Secret Service to hand the order to Mugabe.
But neither paper said whether this had actually happened, which may well
explain why Moyo was able to say the legal action was "a figment of the
imagination". More happily, Moyo was asked about a reception organized for
Mugabe in Harlem by the African American group, the December 12 Movement, as
being an expression of solidarity with Zimbabwe: "They understand
that the struggles for African people on the continent are the struggles
for black people in the Diaspora. The message was clear. You would have thought
you were right in the heart of Mbare." Footage of the event was screened the
following week on ZTV, confirming an enthusiastic welcome - which might not be
so readily forthcoming from Mbare right now.
In a further echo of The Herald's story (8/9), UK increasingly isolated as
support for Zimbabwe grows, Moyo was reported on Radio 1's lunchtime bulletin
(10/9) as saying that the British government felt isolated and now wanted
dialogue with Zimbabwe on the land issue. No source was identified and no
British or independent comment was sought to substantiate this claim - a
similar fault initiated in the Zimpapers' story. The Daily News report, Annan
gives Mugabe guarded support (7/9) stated that the UN Secretary-General had
urged Mugabe to reopen dialogue with "London and other lifeblood Western donors
over funding for land redistribution". Television and radio first featured
the December 12th Movement in a preview of the Millennium Summit on Monday
(4/9). Billing it as "the black community in Harlem preparing to welcome Mugabe"
television and radio 8pm bulletins used the opportunity to highlight the
organization's attack on the MDC for championing the interests of the white
commercial farmers. Quoting Moyo, the report also accused Tsvangirai of pleading
with the US Congress to borrow Z$800 million. The report did not subject this
claim to any scrutiny, nor did it bother to question the MDC or the US Embassy
about its veracity.. MMPZ notes ZBC'S politically insensitive reference to
Americans of African descent as Black Americans instead of African-Americans.
For the record, the term Afro-American is also archaic. Successive reports on
other December 12 meetings were reported on September 8, 8pm television and
Radios 1/3.
3. THE SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET Simba Makoni's Z$35,5 billion
supplementary budget proposal sparked uproar in Parliament on Thursday (7/9),
but ZBC ignored the story that day, leaving it up to the Press to report. The
Herald (8/9) and The Daily News duly carried the story, together with the MDC
walk-out, but The Chronicle only carried the more sensational opposition protest
on its front page, relegating the massive budget overspend to page 15. When
it did report the story, ZBC was able to tell its audiences that parliament had
approved the extra spending after a marathon debate that didn't end until
midnight on Thursday, but relegated the news to its business section on
television (8pm 8/9). On Radio 2/4 the report was broadcast on the 1pm bulletin
but was dropped from the 8pm bulletin. Radio reported the story on both the 1pm
and 8pm bulletins but highlighted the fact that the MDC had walked out of
Parliament saying the budget did not cater for crucial areas. Television
provided a better report than radio, breaking down the amounts required by the
various ministries and saying that the supplementary budget brought government's
total spend for the year to $101 billion. This meant Zimbabwe had spent more
than it had earned and government would have to borrow from the local market in
addition to the proposed sale of its assets, the report said, without
attempting to find out how this would affect the economy. In addition, none of
the media explained that what Makoni was asking for represented a staggering
54% increase on the millennium budget presented by his predecessor Herbert
Murerwa. In earlier reports, the ZIMPAPERS business weeklies
reported: "With three months to go before the end of the financial year,
the budget deficit has once again proved difficult to contain with analysts
predicting that it will fall to a staggering 20 percent of the gross domestic
product". The article quoted analysts who said "annual budget statements
could no longer be taken seriously as they had never been adhered to". This
was followed up by reports of Makoni's proposal, and the MDC MPs walk-out.
The ZIMPAPERS dailies conceded, "If approved, the move is set to further
deepen the country's economic crisis". Minister Makoni was quoted conceding,
"the move would have the negative effect of crowding the productive sectors
through increases in interest rates, inflation and money supply growth, as well
as a general contraction of the economy". Despite falling on its publishing
deadline, The Zimbabwe Independent (8/9) also carried a summary of the story,
saying the extra spending was likely to have a major impact on the country's
already devastated economy. However, it did not detail these
effects. Continuing the story on Saturday, The Herald (9/9) reported that
Makoni's Bill was fast- tracked through Parliament and "a divided Parliament
on Thursday night passed the Appropriation Bill of 2000 authorising
Government supplementary expenditure of $35, 5 billion up to the end of
December ." But The Herald comment criticized the MDC MPs: "walking out each
time the Government brings to the table issues they disagree with will not help
the opposition or the people they represent". In a subtle expression of sympathy
with the government, the comment read, ". we would want to believe that the
Government had no choice but to go that route to finance pressing supplementary
expenditure". The comment stressed the negative consequences of the extra
spending. The Daily News (8/9) lead story focused on the MDC walk-out,
implying it was in protest at the budget itself instead of the fact that
parliamentarians had been given no time to study Makoni's submission, which
appeared to be the case, reading between the lines of The Herald story. The
Daily News story failed to clarify this and at what point the MDC MPs had
returned, since the paper reported them being present when the house began
voting on individual items. The story was therefore confusing.
4. DRC EXPENDITURE ZBC television and radio (8/9) 8pm carried a
report apparently responding to a story that originally appeared earlier that
day in The Zimbabwe Independent under what appeared to be a confusing headline:
DRC denies pledging to repay Zim for war costs. The newspaper report however,
was a follow-up to Makoni's revelation in Parliament the previous week that
Zimbabwe had spent $10bn on the war and that the DRC had given a verbal
commitment to repay the costs. It quoted the DRC ambassador saying that,
contrary to Makoni's remark, everything had been put in writing. "Everything
was put in writing. On the payment of salaries (it was agreed that) they would
be paid by the Zimbabwe government, which was going to pay anyway even if the
soldiers were to stay in Zimbabwe.. Everything else, food, spare parts,
uniforms, ammunition is paid for by the DRC government" The ambassador
however, declined to say how much those costs had gone up to. The paper said
military analysts had disputed Makoni's figure of $10bn, putting it nearer to
$26bn. The ambassador was also quoted saying that he didn't know where Makoni
had got his figure from, as his country's bill was much higher than that. The
ZBC report featured the same DRC ambassador concurring with the Independent
story, saying that his government was paying for the allied military presence in
the DRC and emphasizing the fact that his country could never fully repay the
debt it owed Zimbabwe. The DRC, he said on television, was picking up the
bill "when it comes to food rations, uniforms, spare parts, fuel and
everything". Zimbabwe was only paying for soldiers' salaries. The report
did not question the contradictions between this statement and
Makoni's remarks.
5. ZCTU ZBC television and radio (9/9 8pm) and all the Sunday press
(10/9) reported the ZCTU's special general council meeting focusing on its
proposal for a minimum monthly wage of $8,400 and a revival of the tripartite
forum with government and the private sector to discuss economic hardships
afflicting the country's labour force. No analysis was given to the effect of
such an increase on the economy, although The Standard reported the ZCTU's
acting Secretary General Zindoga, as saying he did not rule out the possibility
of a strike if their proposals were not met.
6. LAW AND ORDER Both the Herald and the Daily News (September 7
& 8) reported the breakdown of law and order on farms in articles
headlined Scores injured at 2 farms as workers, land occupiers clash, and
Police stop farm workers' demo against ZANU PF respectively. These reports
came in the wake of Minister Nkomo's statement in parliament that there is no
breakdown of law and order in Zimbabwe, despite his statements the previous week
that his ministry was launching a crackdown on lawlessness, especially on
occupied farms. Law and order? What's that?
7. SPECIAL MENTION MMPZ welcomes the announcement by the Speaker of
Parliament, Emmerson Mnangagwa, granting ZBC access to Parliament to cover live
the question-and-answer sessions on Wednesdays. MMPZ believes this will
encourage the participation of citizens in the democratic process and urges ZBC
to air the sessions as soon and as fully as is possible. ENDS
For more information about the Project, previous issues of the MMPZ reports
and alerts, please visit our website at http://www.icon.co.zw/mmpz or contact the
Project Coordinator, MMPZ, 221 Fife Avenue, Harare, Tel/fax: 263 4 733486,
734207, E-mail: monitors@icon.co.zw
Squatters
threaten to burn Masvingo wheat crop -
DNews
From The Star (SA), 14 September
Namibian snub will leave Mugabe home alone
Windhoek - Namibian President Sam Nujoma
has excluded Zimbabwean counterpart Robert Mugabe from a regional investment
summit next month fearing he will chase away investors, government sources and
organisers said on Wednesday. A presidential aide said that Mugabe had been
excluded from the gathering "for the sake of not scaring away potential
investors. President Mugabe has harmed the investment potential of his country
with his political remarks and actions. I believe inviting him to the summit
would do more harm than good," said the aide, who did not want to be named. A
list of guests omitted Mugabe's name, but includes Presidents Thabo Mbeki of
South Africa, Festus Mogae of Botswana, Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique,
Frederick Chiluba of Zambia, Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania and Bakili Maluzi of
Malawi.
"The Namibian government advised us of the
heads of state they wanted to invite to the event," summit co-ordinator Deborah
Melrose told Reuters. The annual Southern Africa Trade and Investment Summit,
sponsored by the International Herald Tribune, will take place from October 9 to
11 in Windhoek. Nujoma has so far not joined international criticism of Mugabe
for his controversial land reform policies which have plunged the country into
its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1980 and chased
away investors. Nujoma is on a two-week investment promotion drive in the United
States in his capacity as chairman of SADC and could not be reached for comment.
The Windhoek summit will tackle trading partnerships between Africa, the United
States and the European Union.
From Business Day (SA), 14
September
Chissano defends embattled
Mugabe
Zimbabwean leader is trying to protect what he believes
are his people's rights, Chissano says
MOZAMBICAN President Joaquim Chissano defended Zimbabwean
leader Robert Mugabe yesterday over the controversial land-seizure campaign that
has plunged Zimbabwe into political and economic turmoil. Chissano, who has been
working behind the scenes to resolve his southern African neighbour's land
crisis, told the BBC's Hard Talk programme that he believed Mugabe was defending
his people's democratic rights. "He may have failed to follow one path or
another, but I am convinced that whatever he is doing he is trying to defend
what he believes to be the democratic rights of his people," Chissano said when
asked why he defended Mugabe.
Mugabe has refused to abide by court orders to remove war
veterans from thousands of farms they have occupied, and Chissano defended his
stance saying forced evictions could lead to bloodshed. At least 31 people have
died during the land invasions that have precipitated Zimbabwe's worst economic
crisis in 20 years. "What I think is that it would be worse if, by taking just
systematic measures, he would create another big bloodshed in Zimbabwe, which we
no longer want to see. That is why we are cautious in all our dealings with this
issue because it is not good to pour petrol where there is fire," Chissano said.
"It is important to see the situation improve and not to worsen it. If certain
measures were taken without due care, we could have a big explosion in Zimbabwe,
which could be uncontrollable," he said.
Chissano whose government was backed by Zimbabwean troops in
the 1980s in its fight against SA-backed Renamo rebels also defended Mugabe
against accusations that he had enriched himself at the expense of his country's
economy. "We are against leaders who want to enrich themselves I am not sure
whether this is applicable to Mugabe, that Mugabe just wants to enrich himself
to the detriment of his people."
From The Star (SA), 13 September
Mugabe robs Zimbabwe of R360m, says Britain
London - President Robert Mugabe has
"robbed" his people of about R360-million earmarked by Britain for anti-poverty
and land reform programmes in Zimbabwe because of his continued policy of
seizing land from white landowners. Britain's foreign office minister for
Africa, Peter Hain, said at a press briefing in London on Tuesday that while
Britain remained committed to the land reform programme which it and other donor
countries had agreed to fund at the 1998 land conference, they could not do so
if Mugabe continued with his policy of land seizures.
"The land reform programme we agreed to
fund was not based on a policy of land seizure, but on the genuine empowerment
of the country's land-poor," Hain said. "Mugabe has embarked upon this
catastrophic policy of seizing farms, putting out of work not just white farmers
but hundreds of black farmworkers. We cannot support that." Positive steps in
Zimbabwe, like the appointment of dynamic new finance and trade and industry
ministers, were overshadowed by the farm seizures, which in turn were leading to
the collapse of agriculture and the economy, Hain added. Up to R360-million that
had been earmarked by Britain for an anti-poverty programme in Zimbabwe, which
would include cash for land reform, had been spent in other African countries
where there was a "desperate need", Hain said.
Basildon Peta reports from Harare that
Mugabe's office responded, "Zimbabwe will implement the land reform programme on
the basis of the laws and constitution of the country. Any donors who find this
stance unpalatable are free to keep their silver (money). The British have never
been serious about financing land reform in Zimbabwe and we see no reason for
engaging them on this issue any further. We have long taken a decision to
proceed without them."
From Business Day (SA), 14
September
Mugabe fights on all
fronts
Unless he retires gracefully, he is expected to face a
leadership challenge
HARARE - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe might be forced
into uncharacteristic compromises to ease mounting domestic and international
pressure threatening his leadership, political analysts said yesterday. The
battle fronts are many.
The opposition MDC, which Mugabe's ruling Zanu (PF) party
narrowly defeated in June elections, is threatening to hit the streets to
protest over a worsening economic crisis. The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
earlier this week bluntly told Mugabe he would not receive western aid to rescue
Zimbabwe's "rapidly deteriorating economy" until the government improved its
economic and political management. Within his ruling Zanu (PF) party there is
speculation that unless Mugabe retires gracefully at a special party congress
later this year, the 76-year-old former guerrilla leader will face a humiliating
leadership challenge.
"From whatever angle you look at his case, it is clear (that)
his position is becoming untenable and that his options are very limited," said
political commentator Masipula Sithole. "Although he prefers to present himself
as a hard-line militant who does not back away from a fight, I think it is very
possible that wise counsel and his instinct for political survival could force
him to compromise," Sithole said.
After a three-week mission to assess Zimbabwe's economy, the
IMF has urged Mugabe to address the issue of governance and to pursue orderly
land reform to win back donor and investor confidence. Mugabe has vowed to push
ahead with a controversial land seizure programme that has seen black Zimbabwean
war veterans occupy thousands of white-owned farms. The government has served
notice it will acquire more than 2000 of the 3041 white-owned farms earmarked
for resettlement of landless blacks. The IMF and other western donors suspended
aid to Zimbabwe last year because of dissatisfaction with its economic policies
and war in the DRC. Britain and other donors support the idea of land reform,
but have refused to resume aid until Harare restores order on the key export
revenue-earning farms. Mugabe is also facing intense pressure from the US. A
bill which would impose sanctions on Mugabe's administration over its failure to
uphold the rule of law has passed through the senate and is before the House of
Representatives.
John Makumbe, a political scientist at the University of
Zimbabwe, said that Mugabe had few options but to seek ways to ease the pressure
on himself. "Everything that can go wrong is going wrong and we are cutting a
lonely figure on the world stage," Makumbe said. The economy is battling record
high interest rates, inflation and a critical shortage of foreign exchange which
has constrained fuel supplies. The CFU, representing the country's 4500 mainly
white commercial farmers, has warned that agricultural production, which
accounts for 20% of Zimbabwe's gross domestic product, will shrink by about 13%
in real terms this year.
In a stinging attack reflecting the tension within Zanu (PF)
over Mugabe's leadership, former cabinet minister and potential leadership rival
Eddison Zvobgo has called for a dramatic change in direction. "We have behaved
over the last few years as if the world owes us a living. It does not," Zvobgo
told parliament. "We have blamed other people for each and every ill that befell
us." Zvobgo said that the land invasions had "tainted what was a glorious
revolution, reducing it to some agrarian racist enterprise".
From The Daily News, 13
September
Zimbabwe Democracy Bill 2000 takes
centre stage
DEBATE on the Zimbabwe Democracy Bill 2000 took centre stage in
Parliament yesterday with Eddison Zvobgo (Masvingo South) saying the Bill was
unworthy and set to further damage the ailing economy and induce more political
turmoil. The MDC MPs strongly supported the Bill, saying it was not asking the
Zanu PF government to do the impossible but simply respect its own constitution
by restoring the rule of law and order. Zvobgo introduced the motion, seconded
by Kumbirai Kangai (Buhera South), with a plea to the US Congress and the
Clinton administration to withdraw the proposed Bill or in the event of its
passage, for Clinton to veto it.
The Bill seeks to deny aid to Zimbabwe under the American
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. The country will be denied financing on any
terms under the Arms Export Control Act, the Agricultural Trade Development and
Assistance Act and under the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945. The only areas of
relief will be assistance for the treatment, prevention and control of HIV/Aids
and for democratic governance and the rule of law. The Bill also seeks to make
funds available to "individuals and democratic institutions challenging
restrictions to free speech and association, challenging the results of the
recent elections" and provides US$6 million (about $30 million) for political
parties to start campaigning for the 2002 presidential election. About 864
million would be made available for the land reform programme if the government
restored the rule of law and embarked on a transparent land reform programme,
which Zvobgo said was an inducement of treason.
Comparing the pre-election violence with American history,
Zvobgo said: "Ours was a temporary lapse, theirs were inhumanities which have
lasted nearly three centuries." This attracted the wrath of MDC MPs with David
Coltart (Bulawayo South) tabling a picture of his missing election agent whom he
said was kidnapped by government officials just before the election. "This
proposed so-called Zimbabwe Democracy Bill poses a lethal, clear and present
danger to us all, MDC, Zanu PF, civil society and the unborn," said Zvobgo.
"There may be some here who may succumb to the temptation of supporting it on
the mistaken view that it is the quickest way to get rid of Zanu PF or more
specifically, of President Mugabe." Zvobgo said the country’s economy was
already on its knees "but can quickly be salvaged". "If Americans and their
powerful allies proceed to strangulate it to death, there will be nothing for
anyone to inherit," he said to unmoved MDC benches who shouted him down all the
way, saying his party was responsible for the Bill and should solve its own
problems.
MDC’s Learnmore Jongwe (Kuwadzana), Job Sikhala (St Mary’s),
Mike Auret (Harare Central), Tendai Biti (Harare East) and Coltart strongly
supported the Bill saying the government should restore the rule of law and
order. The MDC, they said, would not send any representatives to the US to lobby
against the Bill and attacked Zvobgo for referring to the pre-election violence
at some stage as "spurious". "The families of all those who were killed should
take comfort in the fact that the tree of liberty grows faster when watered by
the blood of martyrs," said Jongwe. "We on this side of the benches are now
being referred to as honourable members but only a few weeks ago we were being
hunted down like stray dogs."
From News24 (SA), 13
September
No IMF aid unless there is
progress
Harare - Zimbabwe needs to reduce its deficit and improve
government practices over the next few months before the IMF will consider
resuming aid, the lender said on Tuesday in a statement. "Clear progress over
the next few months in reducing the fiscal deficit, implementing structural
reforms and improving governance could lay the groundwork for subsequent
resumption of programme discussions with the IMF staff," the statement said. The
IMF suspended credits to Zimbabwe last year, because of the military adventure
in the Democratic Republic of Congo and of the slow pace of economic reforms. A
team from the IMF and the World Bank finished a more than two-week visit here on
Tuesday to assess Zimbabwe's economy. Their meetings focused on ending foreign
currency shortages, reducing the government's debt payments, and battling
inflation - now running at about 60%, the statement said. "In light of these
considerations, the mission shares the view that land reform in Zimbabwe should
be implemented in an orderly and transparent manner to garner domestic and
international support," the statement said.
Zimbabwe's government has earmarked more than 2 000 white-owned
farms for seizure, with the goal of resettling the land with poor blacks before
the rainy season begins in November. But the programme is taking place against a
backdrop of widespread political violence, mostly linked to the invasions more
than 1 600 farms led by militant war veterans. The land reform programme has
sparked fears that Zimbabwe's agricultural production could plummet next year,
deepening unemployment and cutting into export earnings. Zimbabwe is already
suffering its worst economic crisis since independence 20 years ago, with
inflation, unemployment and interest rates all above 60%.
From The Financial Gazette, 14
September
Massive shakeup in CIO - Top spies
axed for lying to Mugabe
FIVE top directors of the CIO and several juniors will be axed
from the organisation next month under a major shakeup aimed at rejuvenating the
operations of the dreaded spy agency, authoritative sources said yesterday. They
said the forced retirement of the five directors and some of their juniors and
the reorganisation of the CIO had been precipitated by the agency’s failure to
correctly monitor and inform the government about the activities of the
opposition MDC prior to landmark general elections in June. The sources said the
CIO had predicted that the MDC would, at the most, win between 15 and 20 seats
but the opposition movement stole the thunder and nearly defeated the ruling
ZANU PF party by clinching 57 of the 120 contested seats.
"What we are seeing at the CIO now is the culmination of a
major shakeup of the organisation, which started with the removal of
long-serving Minister Sydney Sekeramayi and his replacement with Nicholas Goche
in July," one source said. "The feeling is that major changes are necessary to
give new impetus to the CIO." CIO director-general Elisha Muzonzini and his
deputy Happyton Bonyongwe will not, however, be affected by the shakeup. Both
Muzonzini and Goche could not be reached for comment this week. The Financial
Gazette has the names of the five affected directors but cannot name them for
professional and security reasons. Nearly all officers who joined the
organisation before 1985 and have served for more than 15 years will also be
retired from the organisation, the sources said.
The CIO is made up of nine key branches - internal, external,
counter-intelligence, military intelligence, training, close security unit,
technical, administration and another simply known as branch six. The directors,
who fall immediately under Muzonzini and Bonyongwe’s ranks, are in charge of
some of these branches and enjoy almost similar benefits to those of government
ministers. Some of the heads at times report directly to President Robert
Mugabe. Immediately under the directors are deputy directors, assistant
directors, provincial intelligence officers, district intelligence officers,
senior intelligence officers, assistant senior intelligence officers and
ordinary-level intelligence officers.
Under a new plan envisaged for the organisation, the nine
branches will be realigned and merged into four and run by senior intelligence
officers to simplify the organisation’s bureaucratic reporting process. Some of
the affected officers such as deputy directors and their assistants will be
re-deployed but many will be retired. For instance, the entire rank of
provincial intelligence officers will be abolished while the district
intelligence officers will be reduced from 77 to 34, among several changes. The
need to simplify the reporting structure was necessitated by inaccurate
information that the CIO allegedly conveyed to Mugabe prior to the June
elections, the sources said.
They said by the time that information reached Mugabe, most of
it had been doctored by more senior officials, possibly to appease the
President. For instance, some juniors in the CIO who are facing the axe told the
Financial Gazette that they made clear to their immediate bosses before the
elections that Zimbabweans were saying "they were now sick and tired of Mugabe
and wanted him to go. We correctly predicted that ZANU PF would lose to the MDC
in most urban centres because even some of the party’s hard-core supporters in
the towns were threatening to vote for the MDC unless Mugabe went public with
his retirement plans," one said. "But when the information reached the
President, he was only told that people wanted him to drop most of his old guard
like Vice President Muzenda and other long-serving ministers and inject new
blood into the system. The specifics on Mugabe were omitted in the final
reports."
Another operative said: "Our reports were doctored somewhere,
somehow along the reporting process. Maybe the top chefs did not want to annoy
the President but we now have to pay for something beyond our control." Although
juniors claim they reported that the MDC had the capacity to win up to 70 seats
unless ZANU PF put its act together, they said the figure was whittled down to
20 seats at the most by the time it reached Mugabe. The retirement packages of
most of the affected agents are being worked out and the sources said the top
five directors would get golden handshakes running into several million dollars.
The sources said that was why the President’s Office, which is in overall
command of the CIO, had requested a huge supplementary budget which was fiercely
resisted by MDC legislators last week. The legislators felt that it would be
used to finance the CIO’s "underhand activities". Of the $35,5 billion extra
budget requested by Finance Minister Simba Makoni last week, $616 million will
go to the President’s Office.
From The Daily News, 13
September
War vets threaten to burn all wheat
fields in Masvingo
Masvingo - War veterans occupying commercial farms since
February have threatened to set fire to all wheat fields in Masvingo province,
the CFU said yesterday. "These occupiers have become so daring that they have
threatened to burn all wheat fields in the province," Mike Clarke, the CFU
Masvingo regional boss, said yesterday. "Farmers are stranded since they have
nowhere to turn to for help." He said several commercial farmers in Masvingo had
been served with notices to vacate their premises before the end of the month.
Clarke said the notices were illegal since farmers have to be given about 90
days to vacate their properties in the event of a farm being acquired.
He blamed the government for employing devious tactics to
frustrate commercial farmers. He said he supported land redistribution but was
against the method being used by the government. Clarke said despite the
government’s tactics of intimidation, the commercial farmers would continue to
prepare land for the next planting season. "We are buying new tractors and we
are ready to farm despite all these dirty tactics to harass us. Pastures have
been burnt and this is part of harassment from the government," he said. Farmers
in Masvingo East yesterday said the number of illegal occupants in commercial
farms was increasing every day while more trees were being cut down
indiscriminately.
Just a little bit of news to let you know that the MDC is still
alive and kicking in Bulawayo. Two recent events.
First of all MDC
held a demonstration against Obert Mpofu who was thrust upon us along with
our fuel price increase. Initially it was a bit of a shambles because all
the Mukiwas were told that the starting point was at the car park and the
others had gathered at the MDC office in Herbert Chitepo Street. But it all
worked out in the end, and we set off brandishing banners and posters, red
cards and open hands; blowing soccer whistles and singing rude songs about
the government. Wonderful noise. The people on the street were delighted
and the commuter omnibuses held up by the march hooted and grinned and waved,
as the banners went over the top of their vehicles bridal-procession style.
The posters and banners were great. My favourite was a take-off of a Zanu PF
election slogan, "We will never be a colony again". It said "Matabeleland
will never be a colony of Zanu PF again". At the front of the procession was
a guy being pushed in a Scania (scotch-cart) with a sign saying "Pumula -
City $50". We went equipped with water just in case the police decided to
bless us with tear-gas but we only had to use it to lubricate hoarse
throats. Sarah thoroughly enjoyed herself and was up right at the front
holding one side of the banner. She brought Becky Hastings along who was a
bit over-whelmed by the experience having never been involved in anything
like that before but I think she was quite glad to have done so.
It is
amazing how much people enjoy doing things they would never normally do
unless they are thrown into to it. Just before the march Margie was tasked
to do a whole lot of posters for the march and she only had Sarah to help.
So when she went to the Hillside Shops to get some pens she spotted five
adolescent school-boys lolling around and bullied and cajoled them until they
agreed to be kidnapped and brought them here to help. She and Sarah wrote
out the posters and they coloured in. Afterwards they were terribly pleased
with themselves for having done something constructive (and for the country,
as Margie pointed out). I guess if she had done that in any other part of
the world she would have been had up.
The other event we had in Bulawayo
this week-end was a victory celebration for all those involved in getting our
candidate elected. Up until 11 o' clock it looked as though it was going to
be a total flop - there were only about 300 people and the majority being
organisers, entertainers and security. But as usual people dribbled in
Zimbabwe time and we eventually dished out 910 meal tickets having catered
for 1000. The entertainment was - well - entertaining, especially a song and
dance group of gogos (grandmothers). For their first act they danced with
amazing energy and for their second they outdid themselves as they came
dressed in bras and skirts (and ankle rattles). I wonder if I will be that
outrageous at 80?
Although the day was one of celebration one could not
miss the sense of frustration and desperation amongst the people. I was
chatting to a man I got to know during the elections. He and his friends
have got together as a group of skilled workers - fitters, mechanics,
builders and the like - and he wanted my advice on how to market their
skills. I had to tell him that I had no idea on how to promote them and then
felt as though I had let him down. It's so hard for these guys trying to
keep going when there is so little hope. And then I was talking to Debbie
York about how abandoned the farmers are feeling. The trouble being in MDC
is that everyone expects you to rescue them - it's like trying to empty a
swimming pool with a teaspoon. About all we can do as an opposition party is
to challenge the government's actions in parliament and in the courts, and
get money for community projects. Mind you there was one positive outcome
from the event. It was attended by the former governor of Matebeleland North
who was unceremoniously dumped for the above-mentioned Obert. That has
really set the cat among the pigeons or, in Zanu PF's case, the
roosters.
So there you have it. Just a drop in the ocean but it helps to
feel as though we are doing something as our beloved country crumbles around
us. At the end of the day I believe that the strategies of the ruling party
will be there downfall. Please continue to support us and pray for
us,
Interim Statement Issued Thursday 14th September 12:30pm
In a bizarre
response to Monday night's attack on the MDC's Fife Avenue Headquarters, the
police this morning raided the party's three Harare offices. In the early
hours of this morning, units of the Zimbabwe Republic Police and members of
the CID arrived at the MDC offices in Fife Ave, Eastgate and St. Martins with
warrants authorising them to search for "arms of war - grenades, pistols,
rifles and tearbombs".
No weapons of any type were found at the various
MDC premises and after a fruitless search of the Eastgate offices, CID
officials attempted to exceed the terms of their search warrant by seizing
documents dealing with party business. This move was resisted by lawyers
representing the MDC and at this time armed police are still at the Eastgate
offices while the CID applies for a new search warrant. In return the MDC has
lodged an urgent application to have the police removed from the MDC
premises.
The MDC's Secretary-General, Prof. Welshman Ncube, said he was
saddened by this morning's events but not surprised. "Over the past twenty
years Zanu PF has consistently abused its powers and used violent and
unlawful means to maintain its hold on power. The actions we have seen this
morning are almost identical to the strategy employed by the ruling party
against Joshua Nkomo and his ZAPU party in 1985," Prof. Ncube said.
He
added that the complicity of the Zimbabwe Republic Police was an indication
of the current partisan approach being displayed by the national police
force. "In a true democracy the police do not harass the victims of
a criminal attack while making no attempt to identify and apprehend the
real perpetrators of that crime", Prof. Ncube added.
Two members of
the MDC security team at Fife Avenue have been detained and the police are
also attempting to detain further MDC members at the party's Eastgate
offices.
MDC's Parliamentarians will call on Parliament this afternoon to
condemn the harassment of the MDC by the police. In addition they will demand
that the Zanu PF government brings an immediate end to its harassment of the
MDC and that the police stop acting as an arm of the ruling party.
The
MDC Information Department will update this press release as
events unfold.
Below is the Notice of Motion to be presented in
Parliament, Thursday afternoon 14th September 2000.
Notice of
Motion
Noting that offices of the MDC were bombed by assailants, whose
identity is at present unknown, on Monday night the 11th
September,2000;
Noting that Police officers armed with AK 47 assault
rifles raided three offices of the MDC on the 14th September, 2000, to search
for arms of war including rifles, grenades and tearsmoke canisters on
spurious and baseless grounds and found nothing of the sort;
Noting
that the MDC has since its inception committed itself to peaceful, non –
violent and democratic change in terms of the Zimbabwe Constitution and
remains so committed;
Noting that on the contrary ZANU(PF) in its 20
years in power has consistently used unlawful and violent means to perpetuate
its hold on power;
Remembering that ZANU(PF) used almost identical
strategies in 1985 against Joshua Nkomo and his ZAPU party as those now being
used against the MDC;
Cognisant that these strategies are designed to
undermine the MDC in the run up to the Presidential elections;
CALLS
UPON this Honourable House to:
(A) Condemn the harassment of the MDC by
the Police; (B) Demand that the ZANU(PF) government bring an immediate end to
the harassment of the MDC; (C) Demand that the Police not act as an arm of
ZANU(PF) and commence upholding the rule of law and protecting innocent, law
abiding Zimbabweans and institutions forthwith.
Mover of motion:
Professor Welshman Ncube M.P. Seconder : David Coltart
M.P.
Dated at Parliament this 14th day of September
2000.
COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION Farm Invasions Update - 13th September
2000
NATIONAL REPORT IN BRIEF: · Farmers in the Masvingo Region
continue to be subjected to intense pressure by war vets and illegal
occupiers. Widespread veld fires have destroyed large tracts of grazing -
one property owner alone is faced with having to find grazing for 2000 head
of cattle. Irreversible environmental damage has been caused through
indiscriminate tree-cutting and wildlife is being decimated through
poaching. The police indicate that they are not able to intervene and there
are sinister undertones that some of these activities have official sanction.
The Masvingo report is carried in detail to give readers a clear impression
of the severity of the problem. · The rising tension of farm workers, whose
job security is threatened by the mass take-over of farms was demonstrated on
Grand Parade Farm in Karoi when workers went on the rampage after the owner
informed them that he would have to retrench most of his workforce due to
ongoing work stoppages. When the police failed to react for two hours, the
workers blocked traffic along the main Harare - Chirundu road. The situation
was finally defused. · In Chegutu/Chakari, settlers from Chikanga Farm, which
was resettled only last year, have occupied neighbouring Lowood Farm. In the
same area, there was a tense situation over the weekend when 180 people
surrounded the homestead on Mendrick Farm, demanding land to plough. · In
Kadoma, occupiers on Milverton Farm attempted to evict the manager's wife and
the farm workers. Police responded decisively to resolve the issue. · In
Macheke/Virginia, the saga on Castledene Pines continues. War vets
and illegal occupiers became aggressive after the owner defied their demand
for him to vacate the farm and started planting tobacco. No regional
reports were received from Mashonaland West (North), Manicaland, Midlands and
Matabeleland.
REGIONAL REPORTS:
Mashonaland
Central: Centenary: Occupiers caused a work stoppage on Mutua Estate, but
police responded well and the situation was resolved. Horseshoe: Rungudzi
Farm has been re-invaded by approximately 25 invaders. Mazowe: The owner of
Amatola Farm has reported building of huts, extensive tree-cutting and
continual verbal abuse by invaders to the police, who have taken no decisive
action. Harare West/Nyabira: An unoccupied cottage on a small-holding in
Christon Bank was occupied by war vets last night. Police have been informed
but are awaiting instructions from Senior Officers.
Mashonaland West
(North): (No regional report received) Karoi: On Monday 11th September there
was a potentially volatile situation on Grand Parade Farm when the owner
informed labourers that he would be forced to retrench them due to continuing
work stoppages. The workers went on the rampage in search of the occupiers
and blocked traffic along the main Harare - Chirundu road after police failed
to respond for two hours.
Mashonaland West (South): Norton: The owner
of Idaho Farm continues to be subjected to continual harassment. Occupiers
are building a brick structure on Saffron Walden Farm. War vet Lovejoy, who
has already been resettled on Beverly Farm, is pegging new plots on Carolina
Extension, where cement and bricks have been dropped off for the construction
of houses. Field work is still at a standstill on Carolina. Occupiers have
damaged a night storage dam on Serui Source. Villagers have been dismantling
abandoned war vet huts on Blandford Farm for firewood. Chakari:
Correction: The threats reported to have occurred on Milanwood Farm actually
occurred on Mopani Park. The owner of Rodnor Farm was instructed by war vets
to stop farming. Chegutu / Suri Suri: Donkeys were driven through an onion
crop on San Fernando Farm. Over the weekend a crowd of 180 people surrounded
the homestead on Mendick Farm, demanding land to plough. 60 huts have
recently been built on Lowood Sub-division "A", apparently by settlers who
were resettled on Chikanga Farm only last year. Kadoma: Occupiers on
Queensdale Farm are stumping lands and building huts. On Milverton Farm, war
veterans attempted to evict the manager's wife from her home and also told
the workers to vacate their houses. Police responded decisively. On Alabama
Farm, occupiers chased labourers away from their work and threatened to burn
tractors. They have instructed the farmer to cease operations on the
incorrect assumption that the property has been listed for acquisition. On
the same farm, ten new houses have been built in the last few
days. Selous: There is new hut building on Spencer Farm.
Mashonaland
East: Beatrice: There were two large meetings in the district, presumably
to campaign for the forthcoming bye-election to be held for Marondera West.
A delegation in a government landrover and a pick-up visited two farms,
but their intention was unclear. Harare South: On Marirangwe Farm,
invaders are digging sand from the dam-wall to sell. About 100 invaders have
returned to Dunnotar Farm, most likely in response to the fact that the owner
has started ridging again. Enterprise: The war vet base commanders are having
a meeting at Oribi farm today. Macheke/Virginia: The owner of Castledene
Pines started planting tobacco today but was prevented by the war vets who
were very aggressive. They insisted that the owner and his labour should have
vacated the farm. Police are reacting. Ridging was stopped at Fairview Farm
yesterday but the police have intervened.
Masvingo: Farmers in the
province are being subjected to extreme pressure, with ongoing poaching,
fence-cutting, hut building, land clearing and deliberate veld fires. Police
are not intervening and it appears that these actions may be officially
sanctioned. Masvingo East and Central: Tree and fence-cutting continues on
Lamotte Farm. This appears to be opportunistic action from neighbouring
Mucheke Township. On Yettom Farm, war vet "Muzenda" is intimidating and
threatening towards the owner and the labourers. This war vet has instigated
work stoppages and instructed labourers to vacate their houses. He has
occupied staff quarters and moved 15 head of cattle onto the property. The
Officer-in-Charge reports that he can take no action without the assistance
of the provincial war vet leadership. On Dromore Farm, invaders are suspected
of continuing theft of wire. Approximately 25 head of cattle are forced onto
the property daily, tree-cutting continues and half the property has been
burnt out. The whole of Lothian Farm has been burnt out and tree-cutting
continues unabated. On Chidza Farm, the property has been partially burnt
out, huts are being erected and tree-cutting continues. The owner of
Southwill Estates will have to relocate 2000 head of cattle as the grazing
has been burnt out. On this same property, snaring, poaching and tree-cutting
continues and more invaders are arriving daily. The police are not
assisting. Chiredzi: On Buffalo Range, there has been no progress and
widespread veld fires continue. Police are not assisting. Mwenezi : On
Rienette Ranch tree-cutting, hut building and land clearing continues and
certain sections of the property have been closed off by invaders. Police
have been informed. On Quagga Pan Ranch, invaders have cleared an area the
size of 2 rugby fields, removing all trees and shrubs. Poaching is on the
increase. Gutu / Chatsworth: On Badsa Farm, invaders continue to steal
fencing - $47 000 worth of replaced fencing was stolen again. The owner is
constantly verbally abused, there have been work stoppages and occupiers
have restricted the movement of cattle. War vets and the Veterinary
Officer instructed the owner to vacate. (Perhaps the veterinary officer has
become confused between the words veteran and veterinary). Last week, the
owner reported 45 head of cattle missing, this week about 24 have gone
missing. All of these incidents have been reported to the police, but there
has been minimal reaction.
For feedback and comments on the content
and format of the CFU Farm Invasions Update, contact Malcolm Vowles (Deputy
Director - Admin and Projects) on Harare 309800 or e-mail ddap@cfu.co.zw
I have posted this before - but for those that might have missed it, it is worth repeating - K
DESPERATE
A certain calmness has returned Day to day chores are
carried out The mind strays little from work Every so often a thought or
two Disturbs the tranquility of school But stays only for a short
while.
Seldom is there anything worthwhile One just drifts through
time Hoping and being ever patient. Coping is the hardest goal to
achieve. Never offer a glimpse of sadness As it will only dissolve what
little happiness there is left to enjoy.
Like adrenalin injected
straight into the heart So the feeling of violence erupts The desperate
desire to punish The ultimate goal is to annihilate the perpetrators without
remorse
If only there was reason A pure understandable meaning to the
chaos but there isn't Every man to his own? UNITY is the way
forward But not everyone wants to stand together.
Solutions emerge for
a situation Then a new situation arises and clouds that solution. Nothing
is ever fixed or amended Instead it is thrown back into the revolving
pandemonium of recurring problems.
Who is to be trusted? Who is and
who is not? The good men or the bad confused are the good because even they
cannot trust each other Has unity gone forever?
The idle winds are
left alone Intellectuals and profferers of truth are relentlessly pursued and
attacked The story of life according to God those who stand up for what is
right will always be persecuted Even though it is right.
The world
is nothing but a revolving wheel of madness Why can't the wrong see they are
wrong? Why do the good commit evil when they know it is
wrong?
Perseverance, courage, forgiveness Their abundance in every
person are only qualities of a perfect being. I have numerous faults, cracks
in my character.
These cracks are continuously being widened Driving
me to one point The point of no return Soon I will commit murder The
murder of myself or my enemies Some turn to alcohol, some to God And some
disappear into a world of fantasies Eventually madness.
Why? because
the mind cannot cope It is confused to a point A place where it has no
solutions You may think the solution is waiting for things to be done
lawfully When there is no law.
Yes the country must UNITE To bring
peace, stability and law But individual interpretations are different The
ultimate goal should be LOVE Love is the only rational act.
How does
one unite different religions Different levels of literacy and
intellectuality? One does it by using love. How do you love someone who
has disrupted your life, stolen your home Beaten your loved ones to
death All in the name of land and politics.
The devil has blown
through your life Like a wild fire, consuming what little good you had ever
grown in your heart Some may say he and the Lord do not exist If this is
so then why do you feel, touch, think, fight, love, hate, live, die and then
live again?
Your home is where your heart is And my heart is in
ZIMBABWE. When someone threatens my home they threaten my heart My
existence I want to exist therefore I will fight.
Focus, don't let it
disrupt your work the less affected say They don't and can't feel what I am
feeling Keep drumming into my head Conciously I am alive Subconciously
I am dying.
The time has come to rid this country of evil, to speak
freely Our thoughts on everything that concern our lives, our future To
denounce political wrong doing To repel evil and those who perpetrate
it There will need to be sacrifices but be not afraid.
I feel alone
and isolated from people from those around me They do not understand my
pain How do I make them understand? I am cornered and slipping down the
wall and falling to my knees I am fighting with myself And drowning in my
own thoughts And in so doing losing my loved ones.
Being
temperamental, impatient and volatile inhibits communication Trivial matters
become monstrosities and I turn on those who care Slowly my courage and
strengths are being consumed and I am retreating into darkness Quitters
are losers I guess by giving up I am quitting If so, I have
lost.
Clive Kay.
*********************************** The above
is a poem written by Clive Kay (18), an A-level pupil at Peterhouse School,
rural area outside Harare on Tuesday this week - a day when he was at his
lowest, when the prospects for returning to his home on the farm, after four
months away, seemed impossible, and where it seemed that there was no
hope.....
Iain and Kerry Kay work relentlessly for the people of Zimbabwe
both in AIDS awareness and other humanitarian good works - Kerry heads the
Commercial Farmers' Union, internationally acclaimed, AIDS awareness
programme. They have worked on this programme with Jane Souchon, and it's
consequent Farm Orphan problems for the last decade and Kerry's input has
been way beyond the limits of the average farmer's wife. Iain has given
her his undivided support as have her three sons - they have two adopted
children - one an adult male and the other the orphaned teenage daughter of
great friends who were killed in an aircrash two years ago.
Sadly for
Kerry, Iain and their family their farm borders a politically diverse
communal area - one of the constituencies presently being contested by the
Movement for Democratic Change. From the moment the build up to elections
commenced in Zimbabwe the Kay farm became one of the target areas for
thugs/squatters/war veterans, culminating in Iain being badly beaten up on
his farm in March this year and got away with his life intact by
swimming across the farm dam where he was rescued by his son, David. Since
that time Iain and Kerry have been in hiding because of death threats - their
home has been ransacked and they have generally had a nightmare of a life not
knowing what to expect next and still waiting to return home. Iain is a
fluent shona linguist and a very gentle, quietly spoken and lovable
character. Iain's now deceased father, Jock Kay, was a ZANU PF member of
parliament at Independence in 1980.
Clive's poem gives us an
insight into what effects the present situation is having on our future
adults.
With thanks to Clive Kay, Jane Souchon and Kudu Safaris for
sharing this with us.
BBC:
Thursday, 14 September, 2000, 17:10 GMT 18:10 UK
Zimbabwean police have detained four officials of the
main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), following
Monday's grenade attack on the party's headquarters.
The arrests come after a police raid on the offices earlier on
Thursday.
Those held for questioning
include Nelson Chamisa, the head of the party's youth wing, and Gandhi
Madzingwa, the personal assistant of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Our correspondent in Harare says the police action has been
greeted with anger and contempt by the opposition.
"In a true democracy, the police do not harrass the victims of
a criminal attack while making no attempt to identify and apprehend the real
perpetrators of that crime," party secretary general Welshman Ncube said.
The fact that well-known opposition figures are among those
being held has raised real fears.
Human rights activists say they view the detentions with
extreme concern, giving the authorities' unenviable record of maltreating
suspects in political cases.
Earlier, three of the party's offices in Harare were searched
for what the police search warrant described as "weapons of war", including guns
and grenades.
Dozens of police, armed with pistols, rifles and shotguns,
conducted the search.
Explosion
The explosion outside the MDC headquarters on Monday night
shattered windows but injured no one.
An opposition spokesman said the explosion was caused by a
grenade and accused the government of being behind the attack.
Mr Ncube said the explosion was a continuation of the terror
tactics used against the opposition during the recent parliamentary election
campaign, in which more than 30 people were killed.
President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party won a narrow victory
in that election, but now faces a strong opposition challenge in parliament for
the first time since independence.
Another explosion occurred in April outside the offices of the
main, privately-owned newspaper, the Daily News.
Subject: Police Search MDC Offices
From: MDC Webmaster
Sent: 14 September 2000 15:44
Interim Statement Issued Thursday 14th September
12:30pm
In a bizarre response to Monday night's attack on the MDC's Fife
Avenue Headquarters, the police this morning raided the party's three Harare
offices. In the early hours of this morning, units of the Zimbabwe Republic
Police and members of the CID arrived at the MDC offices in Fife Ave, Eastgate
and St. Martins with warrants authorising them to search for "arms of war -
grenades, pistols, rifles and tearbombs".
No weapons of any type were
found at the various MDC premises and after a fruitless search of the Eastgate
offices, CID officials attempted to exceed the terms of their search warrant by
seizing documents dealing with party business. This move was resisted by lawyers
representing the MDC and at this time armed police are still at the Eastgate
offices while the CID applies for a new search warrant. In return the MDC has
lodged an urgent application to have the police removed from the MDC
premises.
The MDC's Secretary-General, Prof. Welshman Ncube, said he was
saddened by this morning's events but not surprised. "Over the past twenty years
Zanu PF has consistently abused its powers and used violent and unlawful means
to maintain its hold on power. The actions we have seen this morning are almost
identical to the strategy employed by the ruling party against Joshua Nkomo and
his ZAPU party in 1985," Prof. Ncube said.
He added that the complicity
of the Zimbabwe Republic Police was an indication of the current partisan
approach being displayed by the national police force. "In a true democracy the
police do not harass the victims of a criminal attack while making no attempt to
identify and apprehend the real perpetrators of that crime", Prof. Ncube
added.
Two members of the MDC security team at Fife Avenue have been
detained and the police are also attempting to detain further MDC members at the
party's Eastgate offices.
MDC's Parliamentarians will call on Parliament
this afternoon to condemn the harassment of the MDC by the police. In addition
they will demand that the Zanu PF government brings an immediate end to its
harassment of the MDC and that the police stop acting as an arm of the ruling
party.
The MDC Information Department will update this press release as
events unfold.
Below is the Notice of Motion to be presented in
Parliament, Thursday afternoon 14th September 2000.
Notice of
Motion
Noting that offices of the MDC were bombed by assailants, whose
identity is at present unknown, on Monday night the 11th
September,2000;
Noting that Police officers armed with AK 47 assault
rifles raided three offices of the MDC on the 14th September, 2000, to search
for arms of war including rifles, grenades and tearsmoke canisters on spurious
and baseless grounds and found nothing of the sort;
Noting that the MDC
has since its inception committed itself to peaceful, non – violent and
democratic change in terms of the Zimbabwe Constitution and remains so
committed;
Noting that on the contrary ZANU(PF) in its 20 years in power
has consistently used unlawful and violent means to perpetuate its hold on
power;
Remembering that ZANU(PF) used almost identical strategies in 1985
against Joshua Nkomo and his ZAPU party as those now being used against the
MDC;
Cognisant that these strategies are designed to undermine the MDC in
the run up to the Presidential elections;
CALLS UPON this Honourable
House to:
(A) Condemn the harassment of the MDC by the Police; (B)
Demand that the ZANU(PF) government bring an immediate end to the harassment of
the MDC; (C) Demand that the Police not act as an arm of ZANU(PF) and
commence upholding the rule of law and protecting innocent, law abiding
Zimbabweans and institutions forthwith.
Mover of motion: Professor
Welshman Ncube M.P. Seconder : David Coltart M.P.
Dated
at Parliament this 14th day of September 2000
