“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” – United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Not long ago, a young friend of mine went walking around a quiet upscale neighborhood with a video camera, filming the area, capturing images of insects in the grass, a newspaper sign and the people lazing about. He was hardly engaged in anything dangerous or political. But within five minutes, the police had rounded him up and threatened to charge him with the dastardly crime of Practicing Journalism without a License. “After all,” the officer in charge said, “there’s nowhere in the world that you can just go out and photograph things!”

The officer’s ignorance was not surprising since he had clearly never been anywhere else in the world. But, in truth, very few countries prevent ordinary citizens from wandering around filming or journalists from doing their jobs without the permission and control of the authorities. Zimbabwe is on a short distinguished list of nations that includes Yemen, Sudan, China, and North Korea.

That’s not the only abnormality in Zimbabwe’s media landscape. Little about it conforms to the way things are done across the globe – or to global or African standards.

The month of November 2011 has been little different to so many before in Zimbabwe's recent history - violence remains unchecked despite an agreement reached at a meeting by the principals of the GPA to have their supporters restrain themselves. A number of senior Zanu-PF cadres openly indulge in hate speechwhile there are media reports of their supporters running riot riot in high density suburbs. There is news too that war veterans, militia and the army are continuing to terrorise people living in rural areas.

Members of "opposition" parties (i.e the MDC-T and MDC parties) continue to suffer legal harassment, whilst political and apolitical rallies, marches and demonstrations continue to be banned or blocked by police, even if pre-approved by the courts.

Freedom of speech remains restricted, or abused through the state media, whilst journalists and their media houses are still being hounded and harassed.

During the month of November 2011 a total of 60 media articles were recorded for ZIG Watch. The bulk of the violations reflected in these media articles (constituting breaches of the GPA) was made up of incidences of violence, intimidation, hate speech, threats, abductions and brutalityArticles highlighting legal harassment of perceived opposition politicians contributed a large number of breaches in November, while cases of denial of the right to freedom of speech, or abuse of freedom of speech Also featured prominently, along with stories highlighting violations of the GPSA hrough the subversion of legal processes.

Ten sample articles provided at the end of this report represent this month's media coverage of events in relation to the GPA.

The full range of articles logged in November is available at http://www.sokwanele.com/zigwatch . 

[Full report can be downloaded here]

Last year on 10^th & 11^th September 2010 a fly over of Hwange National Park (HNP)   revealed  increased mining activity inand around the Sinamatella area.  In addition to the mining carried out by Hwange Colliery Company Limited there are now at least 3 other coal mining developments, two adjoining HNP and one actually within the Park.

This mining activity is of grave concern.  The associated building of roads and increased human activity is bound to lead to an increase in poaching as the area is opened up, access becomes easier, and there are more people in the area to carry out the poaching and to buy the poached meat.

Further Sinamatella is a rhino intensive protection zone (IPZ). The survival of rhino throughout southern Africa is in doubt due to the ongoing slaughter of these animals for their horn.  The IPZs have proved successful but it will be extremely difficult for the Parks & Wildlife Management Authority (PWMA) to monitor and protect the rhino in the Sinamatella IPZ with all the additional traffic and activity resulting from these various mining operations both within the IPZ and on its boundaries.