Links ~ 3 June 2008
Top Zimbabwe opposition figure bailed (The Times – SA)
Arthur Mutambara, top official of the MDC has been released on bail of SW$20 billion. Mutambara has to report to the police every Friday until June 17, when he will appear in court in Harare. After the bail hearing, Mutambara said to reporters: “What has happened to me is nothing compared to what the people of Zimbabwe are experiencing,†he said. “Mugabe is violating the human rights of our people but no amount of human rights violations will succeed. We will triumph over evil.â€
Mugabe bans aid group from feeding hungry villagers (ZimOnline)
Mugabe has banned Care International from feeding hungry villagers. Social Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche said to ZimOnline that Care International is being probed with regard to allegedly using aid to campaign for the MDC and would not be allowed to assist needy communities in the Masvingo province. Goche said that several other NGOs would also be asked to cease their operations.
An official of Care International said: “What could have angered the government is our insistence on assisting people across the political divide . . . our assistance is non-political and non-religious.” Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa had on a previous occasion blamed Care International and another aid group, Plan International for Mugabe’s loss during the March elections. The National Association of NGOs has rejected allegations that relief agencies were politically involved with the MDC and said that the Zimbabwean government is moving to prevent assistance to anybody, even those people who had received aid before the election.
Zimbabwe’s Manicaland Province Latest Hot Spot For Political Violence (VOA News)
Zanu-PF militia and war veterans assaulted villagers at the Jori business centre on Saturday. Some MDC supporters are now seeking refuge in the MDC offices in Mutare, the capital of Manicaland. According to sources, so-called command centres of torture bases has been re-established at the Jori and Mutiusinazita business centres. In Mashonaland East province, it is alleged that state agents had shot and injured 4 MDC activists in the town of Mudzi. Getting help to the injured is extremely difficult as the area is “no-go†at present.
Zimbabwe: Detained Activists Face Possible Torture (AI)
Amnesty International appealed for action with regard to the 14 WOZA members – 13 women and 1 man – who remain in police custody since their arrest on May 28. The women are being held in the Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison and the man is being held at Harare Central Remand Prison. Reports indicate that some of the members were beaten when police arrested them. Amnesty International believes the WOZA members may be in grave danger of torture or other ill treatment.
Plight of teachers worsens in Zimbabwe (zimbabwejournalists.com)
The harassment of teachers is directly affecting the quality of education in Zimbabwe. Zanu-PF militia and war veterans assault and humiliate teachers in front of students and rural communities. Certain schools have been turned into torture bases or Zanu-PF meetings are convened at schools during working hours. Teachers are targeted by Zanu-PF for allegedly working with the MDC because they acted as polling agents during the March elections, which was lost by Zanu-PF. PTUZ has expressed disappointment with the stance of the SADC and the AU which both seem to rather express solidarity with the leadership, than solidarity with the people. “When our nationalist leaders say they are reclaiming land from the white community we take it that the land is needed for farming and not to bury us when we die of hunger and politically motivated violence.” said Raymond Majongwe, secretary-general of PTUZ.
His Rallies Blocked, Zimbabwe’s Tsvangirai Courts Voters One At A Time (VOA News)
Morgan Tsvangirai Leader of the MDC staged a walkabout in Bulawayo on Monday. Zanu-PF has prevented the MDC from holding rallies ahead of the run-off for the presidential poll. Tsvangirai is taking the campaign on foot to the voters; during the weekend, he did walkabouts in Hwange and Victoria Falls. Tsvangirai said that he felt energized by the enthusiastic response of voters he had met along the way.
Germany condemns Zimbabwe opposition arrests (AFP)
Germany has condemned the arrest of senior MDC officials in Zimbabwe. Andreas Peschke spokesperson for the foreign ministry in Germany said that the arrests were “unacceptable†and said that it was an attempt to intimidate voters ahead of the run-off for the presidential poll. “That is absolutely unacceptable. We call on the leadership in Harare to liberate these political prisoners immediately and stop attempts to intimidate the opposition and the population,” said Peschke.
Bush Appeals for Close Foreign Monitoring of Zimbabwe Run-Off (VOA News)
President George Bush of the USA had appealed to African countries to “blanket†Zimbabwe with election monitors as Mugabe is using increasingly tough tactics against the MDC. Bush said in a written statement that he deplored (Zanu-PF’s) use of violence, unwarranted arrests, and intimidation to prevent the MDC from campaigning freely. Bush, having noted Mugabe’s presence at the UN food summit, said that the US as a major food aid contributor would continue efforts to prevent “government-induced starvation†in Zimbabwe.
EU condemns political violence in Zimbabwe (ZimOnline)
The European Union has condemned the state-sponsored campaign of violence and intimidation against Zimbabweans and has called “for an immediate end to the beatings, tortures, killings and other human rights abuses.†The EU said that the Zimbabwean government must ensure a level playing field and a secure environment for the run-off presidential election, so that the results may reflect the free and democratic will of the Zimbabwean people.
Mugabe snubs UN request to send envoy to Zimbabwe: report (africasia)
ZTV has reported that Mugabe has snubbed a request made by UN Chief Ban Ki-Moon to send a special envoy to Zimbabwe to check on security ahead of the run-off for the presidential vote. Mugabe allegedly told Ban Ki-Moon that he was over-influenced by the West and completely blind to what effect Western sanctions had had on Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe / IFJ Fears More Media Repression Ahead of Presidential Run-Off in Zimbabwe (IFJ)
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) fears that the media could experience more repression ahead of the run-off for the presidential poll. IFJ condemned attacks on media workers and said that Robert Mugabe must understand that the media will find a way to report on events and therefore restrictions should be dropped.
June 4th, 2008 11:16
Did you see this on http://www.zimbabwesituation.com
Action needed… is there someone who can hack the website?
Vote check fraud
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 9:34 PM
Subject: Vote check fraud
http://www.zimvoter.com/
THOSE EAGER TO CHECK THE VOTERS ROLL WILL SURELY HAND ZANU PF A MAJORITY WIN ON THE 27TH OF JUNE. THAT SITE WAS CREATED 2 WEEKS AGO, THE DOMAIN NAME IS REGISTERED UNDER MINISTRY OF INFORMATION ZIMBABWE. WHEN HAS THE GOVT FREELY VOLUNTEERED INFOMATION? I WORK FOR THE COMPANY THAT SOLD THEM THE DOMAIN NAME, AMONG THE PRODUCTS THEY REQUESTED IS A DATA CAPTURE PRODUCT. WHAT IS HAPPENING IS INQUIRIES ARE BEING LOGGED BASED ON IP ADRESS, SIMPLE “EVERYONE INPUTING THEIR ID-CARD ARE VOTING FOR MUGABE. GOODLUCK. IF YOU NEED MORE INFO VISIT “GO DADDY.COM”
June 4th, 2008 13:55
Millions of dollars of aid to Zimbabwe from many so-called imperialist countries, including Australia, goes nowhere. My guess a lot of it ends up on the black market, and in the pockets of Mugabe & company, and their families. Do we know where these top cronies live? (never mind about Mugabe, we all know where he lives) Maybe we can show the world what kind of mansions their aid has bought them.
June 4th, 2008 14:26
Hello, I am a college student in Japan. Right now, I am doing research on Zimbabwe. To be specific, I am doing research on its economics and people’s lifestyles. I found out that one of the things Zimbabwe is suffering from hyperinflation and I am curious to find out how in the world people can ever manage to live in such country under terrible conditions. I’ve been searching and searching, but I haven’t been able to find much resource on lifestyles in Zimbabwe, or what life in Zimbabwe is like from an actual Zimbabwean person. Just then, I came across your page. If you could, I’d love for you to tell me briefly what it’s like, what their daily life is like since you seem to be really connected with Zimbabwe. I look forward to hearing from you.
(e-mail: peachy_hunnygurl1518@yahoo.com)
June 4th, 2008 14:57
Please can someone get the UN to take action now, this situation is needing outside interference. How can this carry on, people abused, starving, killed and so it goes on.This dictatorship must come to an end now, people cannot suffer like this.Let the people of Zimbabwe stand up for their rights now and let their voices be heard and save this country from total destruction.Don’t let fear be an obstacle.Let the people feel what real democracy is, after all that is what they wanted since 1980.May racism not play a role in their lives, as we all are humans and entitled to a decent living and we need each other to survive. South Africa is no example as they have taken out their government’s inadequate service delivery on the foreigners here. Fortunately a new president is on its way and hopefully will support the new Zimbabwe and live peacefully next to each other.My prayers are that all this suffering ends soon and that we can all prevent this to be repeated and that the other African countries will also realize where they went wrong and serve the people as they should.
June 4th, 2008 15:55
I checked the whois.com domain checker and see that zimvoter.com it is hosted by Bluehost and was created only on the 30th May (ie 6 days ago), not 2 weeks ago. I suspect the that the piece in zimsituation is a load of nonsense in that this is a government website (perhaps BM is a Zanu stoog?), and the email to zimsit is obviously a Zanupf ruse to stop people checking the roll. However, maybe what we need is someone to say who did the site and is it legit…i agree at the moment that people would be reluctnat to use it. It does seem to work though and give the ward you should be voting in!