Action Alert (Updated 14.55 – MT released): Morgan Tsvangirai detained for the second time this week
June 6th, 2008
First Posted ~ 13.15pm
Earlier this week Morgan Tsvangirai was detained in Lupane; he has been detained for a second time, this time in Esigodini:
This information via an MDC Press Statement just received:
News Alert
12.50hrsIn yet another shameless and desperate act by the Mugabe regime to frustrate President Tsvangirai’s campaign for the 27 June election, police and members of the Central Intelligence Organisation have again detained President Tsvangirai. President Tsvangirai was on his way to a rally in Umzingwane from Bulawayo when he was stopped at a roadblock at Esigodini. At the roadblock, they detained the President and have taken him to Esigodini police station.
The MDC demands the unconditional release of President Tsvangirai. The regime must let the President do that which the people of Zimbabwe have mandated him and the MDC, to help restore the dignity of the people of Zimbabwe. No amount of harassment can change the fact the the time for change, and change that the people of Zimbabwe can trust, has arrived.
It is clear that the regime is determined to do everything to try and subvert the will of the people of Zimbabwe and disregard SADC.
Your efforts to help him earlier this week yielded results and we are repeating the appeal below. The only change to text is the location and the telephone numbers.
Does calling a rural police station really help? This comment was left by Senator David Coltart on our blog earlier this week in response to the Lupane appeal:
Dear Sokwanele,
I just want to congratulate you for the superb work done yesterday in alerting the world and in giving them such fast, practical advice. If only we had had this type of expertise and technology during the Gukurahundi – we would no doubt have saved the lives of thousands. I am confident that Morgan Tsvangirai’s relatively early release happened becausse the regime became aware of how the world was watching. Because of your fine work the regime now knows that there is indeed no place to hide.
Best wishes,
Senator David Coltart
Phone Esigodini Police Station
According to the MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai is currently being detained in Esigodini Police Station. Please call the police station and alert them to the fact that the world is watching.
Telephone number for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) – ESIGODINI
+263 (0)88 599
+263 (0)88 577
+263 (0)88 433
+263 (0)88 327
Please communicate with the police politely
Remind them that Tsvangirai won the majority of the Presidential Vote on March 29th. Ask them to keep in mind that the votes cast on the 29th clearly showed that person they have in their charge is extremely popular among the people of Zimbabwe appears destined to be the next leader of the country.
Warn them to consider everything they do very carefully: they must be careful that they are not one day held accountable for crimes committed by their seniors. Advise them that under International Law, the excuse “I was just following orders” is not accepted and will not protect them.
Tell them that we have every confidence that the police in Zimbabwe can act professionally, and that the rest of the world sympathises with the fact that their jobs have been corrupted by politics and difficult for them to do and that they work under terrible pressure. But ask that they stand strong and stay extremely professional with regards to the man they have in their custody. He must be treated with respect and fairness and given full access to legal respresentation as is his human right.
Tell them them that the world will not tolerate a repeat of the abuse and ill treatment Morgan Tsvangirai received while in Police Custody in March 2007. If they are being manipulated by senior officers to do things that violate the law and human rights, they must do all they can to communicate this to the outside world.
Tell them that they and Morgan Tsvangirai and all of Zimbabwe are in your prayers.
Email SADC
Please email the National Contact people for SADC and tell them that this sort of thing is unacceptable and a message must be sent to the Zanu PF regime to release Morgan Tsvangirai immediately, and he must be allowed to campaign freely and fairly, and the Zimbabwean people must be allowed their right to vote and listen to representatives of their choice.
Email addresses for SADC National Contact people (their full names and addresses available on our Action Contact Database)
differmu@nkwazi.gov.zm;
tmothae@sadc.int;
registry@sadc.int;
bmorias@minplan.gov.ao;
learao13@yahoo.com;
foreign@malawi.net;
fernandes@consadc.co.mz;
dasadc@minec.gov.mz;
ndishishi@mti.gov.na;
johanna@mti.gov.na;
duartej@foreign.gov.za;
madumanem@foreign.gov.za;
mamabolol@foreign.gov.za;
directorj@sadchrd.org.sz;
mcusis@yahoo.com;
zjmasanja@yahoo.com;
foreignlsk@zamtel.zm;
fmaonera@mweb.co.zw;
sadczim@yahoo.com;
gumbezererata@yahoo.com;
wmandlebe@gov.bw;
amadikwe@gov.bw;
rdcongo@lantic.net;
plannoff@dec.planning.gov.ls;
mrakhoba@finance.gov.ls;
angelanirina@yahoo.com
Spread the word
Ask people everywhere to take action and add their voices and emails to this. It must be made abundantly clear to this regime and to regional leaders that we are all running out of patience. They must know that harrassing, arresting, or generally trying to obstruct a democratically elected senior politician will not be allowed to happen without comment from ordinary people around the world. They must not think they can get away with lawlessness and they must be made aware that they are being watched very very closely.
Use the ‘share this’ button below; get ‘Twittering’; write up comment on your blogs; make as much cyber-noise as you can.
Please do all you can to help keep Morgan Tsvangirai safe.
This alert sent out on our Twitter account. Create your own Twitter account and link to ours to receive alerts via cell phones.
June 6th, 2008 13:45
dear hope, very sorry to say that the numbers appear to be incorrect.
263 is Zimbabwe.
Instead of 0, you need a city code. It is not 9, I tried. Can you get the numbers, please? Thanks!
Mike
June 6th, 2008 13:52
I understood that Mugabe was due to return to Zimbabwe today to resume his election campaign.
It would certainly look ridiculous if, upon his return, his sole political opponent was in police custody, and being treated as a criminal. He can’t possibly blame the West for the conduct of his own police officers. And what are the other SADC countries doing to protect Morgan and the MDC from one-party state tactics?
June 6th, 2008 14:02
This is trully madness. I think all peace loving people of the world are running out of ideas. How can this be justifiable even by any stretch of imagination?
Just praying that he survives this.
June 6th, 2008 14:05
Hi Mike,
I think it varies from where people are calling form around the world – some need the zero and some don’t. It might be useful if people explained how they called the numbers where ever they are.
Has anyone else had problems?
Try dropping the zero – dial: 263 88 599 (changing last three digits if you don’t get through)
I think 88 is the ‘city code’ (Esigodini is actually a tiny little farming area just outside Bulawayo).
Best
Hope
June 6th, 2008 14:07
Just leave out the (0)
so +263 88 599
Or from the UK 0026388599
The numbers seem to be working – actually busy, hehehe, or unanswered – definitely worth carrying on trying. The world is watching.
June 6th, 2008 14:13
I am confirming 088 is the area code for Esigodini. Depending on where you are, you’ll need to dial 088 or 88 for the area followed by the rest of the number.
June 6th, 2008 14:22
useful dialling codes database here:
http://www.numberingplans.com/?page=dialling&sub=areacodes
Esigodini:(0)88 + 3/6 digit number
from US I assume 011 263 88599 ?
June 6th, 2008 14:28
oh, btw – all lines were engaged! Maybe just as well as I was on my mobile!
Lines are red hot…keep trying and hassling…
thanks to David Coltart’s comments I now feel I am having an effect…thanks…we need reverse feedback sometimes!
June 6th, 2008 16:54
This story appeared in FinGaz. It is saying that talks on a GNU are well advanced.
Link is http://www.fingaz.co.zw/story.aspx?stid=291
I don’t know how old this story is but it has just appeared..Needs checking:
Short Text is:-
Run-off doubtful
Clemence Manyukwe Senior Political Reporter
…as GNU talks gather momentum
THE protagonists in the country’s political crisis have taken the first step that could lead to a government of national unity (GNU) with a meeting between President Robert Mugabe and Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, likely before the end of next week.
Last Friday, representatives of the two feuding parties met secretly in South Africa to work out the modalities for the first ever meeting between the former trade unionist and President Mugabe, as part of the talks being brokered by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) point-man on the Zimbabwe crisis, President Thabo Mbeki.
Sources privy to the talks, which are being kept a closely guarded secret told The Financial Gazette that a breakthrough in the delicate discussions could result in the June 27 run-off being scrapped in favour of a power sharing arrangement.
June 6th, 2008 19:06
Thank you again for this information. Senator Coltart is right – you are alerting the world and calling it to immediate action. There was a significantly long news clip today that ran on CNN re: Zimbabwe. In my opinion, it painted Mugabe a fool.
The world is watching and will act thanks to your efforts.
June 6th, 2008 21:47
Posted today, 6/6 on the internet -
A minister in the Presidency of South Africa,
Aziz Pahad, has said that SADC observers in both the run-up to the Run-off, and the Run-off itself, will not only be observing the voting, but also intervening where there are acts of violence in an attempt to disrupt a free and fair election process.
SADC observers will ensure that conditions are created where “even the opposition would be happy”, according to Mr Pahad.
June 6th, 2008 22:13
Well done for this and thanks for all the information.
June 7th, 2008 01:56
Please give us in similar cases also the adress of southafrican Mbeki, that we can write him and mention his responsibility to act against this dictator-friend of him. He must be aware that the olympic games in his own country are in danger.
It might be also helpful to write to the China government which supports Mugabe, that we can tell them how the world sees their support of such morders.