Links ~ 6 June 2008

Police ban Tsvangirai rallies (PA)
The Zimbabwean police have told Morgan Tsvangirai leader of the MDC that his party’s rallies have been banned indefinitely, throughout the country. Tsvangirai was stopped at a roadblock on his way to a rally and was told to return to Bulawayo. He was taken to Bulawayo under police escort. The police in Bulawayo questioned Tsvangirai for 25 minutes and then told him that all MDC rallies have been banned indefinitely. The police said that the rallies were banned out of fear for Tsvangirai and other leaders safety.

An MDC Press Release relayed news about the ban this way:

The police have virtually banned MDC rallies, further crippling our campaign ahead of the run-off scheduled for 28 June 2008.

The police today banned rallies that were scheduled to be held in Harare’s high density townships of Glen Norah, Kambuzuma and Mufakose. Another rally that was scheduled for Chitungwiza at the Tennis Court has also been turned down, even though the police had earlier indicated it could go ahead.

Today, the police wrote to the MDC, saying our rallies cannot go ahead because the party has said that its leaders face elimination. The rallies, the police said, cannot proceed for the safety of the MDC leaders who have said Zanu PF thugs want to eliminate them.

This is rank madness. Coupled with the arrest today of President Morgan Tsvangirai in Esigodini in Matabeleland South, the latest act by the police shows that some of them have become complicit with the regime.

The MDC has no access to the public media and the only interaction we have with our members and supporters is through rallies. The latest act to ban our rallies is also unconstitutional as it infringes on people’s basic and inalienable freedoms of association and assembly.

The police have brazenly decided to side with Zanu PF. We have seen Robert Mugabe, his wife Grace and the dictator’s dwindling coterie of bootlickers addressing rallies in several parts of the country while those of the MDC are being curtailed.

Whatever the antics of this regime, the end is nigh. Come 27 June, the people of Zimbabwe will reconfirm their vote. They will vote again for change, for food, for jobs and for the return of their dignity.

On 27 June, the people of Zimbabwe will finish it off.

Zimbabwe suspends work by all aid groups (Reuters)
The Zimbabwe government has suspended all work by aid groups and NGOs for an indefinite period. The government accuses these groups of breaching their terms and conditions of registration. The previous week, the Zimbabwean government had banned some aid groups for distributing food and accused them of campaigning for the MDC.

Zimbabwean generals have ‘taken Robert Mugabe’s power’ (Telegraph –UK)
A senior Western diplomat has said that Mugabe’s generals have mounted a “military coup by stealth” and that Robert Mugabe is now nothing but a “figurehead”. The Joint Operations Command (JOC) is believed to be in charge of running Zimbabwe. Mugabe has some use for them as he is connected to other African leaders, such as President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa.

Zambia protests against Zim (24.com / AFP)
The Zambian government has lodged a formal complaint with the Zimbabwean government over the continued accusations that Zambia is in league with the West to overthrow Robert Mugabe’s government. Kabinga Pande Foreign Minister of Zambia has said that they protest against the sustained and malicious campaign which Zimbabwe has launched at Zambia through its state-run newspaper, The Herald.

Zim cops re-arrest Tsvangirai (24.com / SAPA)
Morgan Tsvangirai leader of the MDC has been re-arrested for the second time this week. Tsvangirai was scheduled to attend a rally in Umzimgwane and was on his way to the venue, when police at a roadblock detained him. George Sibotshiwe spokesman for the MDC said that they had notified the police of the rally and that the police had no objection to it. Tsvangirai was detained on Wednesday for 8 hours before the police let him go, after having confiscated the vehicle he was travelling in.

Zim cops release Tsvangirai (AFP)
Morgan Tsvangirai leader of the MDC has been freed without being charged after being detained by the Zimbabwean police for two hours. He was not charged with anything. Lovemore Moyo, chairperson of the MDC has said that they were instructed by the police to return to Bulawayo.

Mbeki urged to speak out on Zimbabwe (The Times)
South Africa – Helen Zille leader of the Democratic Alliance has urged President Thabo Mbeki to act on Zimbabwe before it is too late to do something. In an open letter published on the DA website, Zille asked “What will it take for you to acknowledge what is happening in Zimbabwe? How many more people must be detained, tortured or killed?” Zille said that the time for quiet diplomacy is well and truly over as it has only served to prop up a dictator (Mugabe) and has prevented real change in Zimbabwe.

Bishop finds flock tormented in Zimbabwe (Boston.com)
Massachusetts Epicostal Bishop M. Thomas Shaw said that Anglican worshippers in Zimbabwe ‘are being routinely arrested and beaten, churches are padlocked by police, diocesan bank accounts have been frozen and clergy vehicles have been seized.’

Shaw has returned from a secret mission in Zimbabwe to ascertain the circumstances of Anglicans there.

U.N. bodies warn of suffering over Zimbabwe aid ban (Reuters)
Officials of the United Nations said that if the Zimbabwean government persists in its ban on work by independent aid groups the suffering of Zimbabweans would increase. Louise Arbour the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights said that the move by Harare authorities was an “unconscionable act”. Elizabeth Byrs spokesperson for the UN Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that it could have “dramatic consequences” for Zimbabweans if assistance could not be given. UNICEF said that if the government prevents aid to children it was a violation of child rights and international treaties.

Zimbabwe: Misa Denounces Purging of Journalists At State Broadcaster for the Purposes of ‘Partisan Political Expediency’ (MISA)
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) has denounced the suspension of 8 Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) journalists. The journalists have been sent on paid leave for two months by the ZBC. The journalists had to surrender their ZBC identity cards and other items belonging to the company, they have also been forbidden to interact with other staff members and may not enter ZBCs premises. MISA Zimbabwe said that it seemed that the deliberate purging of journalists at ZBC was done for the purposes of partisan political expediency.

Zanu PF Papers Not In Order – ZEC (ZI) (The Zimbabwean)

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has said that Zanu-PF was wrongly cited as the respondent in some of the 53 electoral petitions which the party has lodged with the Electoral Court. In a preliminary court hearing, it was said that some Zanu-PF petitioners have failed to serve court papers within the prescribed period and that papers were served at wrong addresses.

Armed militia committing robberies with impunity (SW Radio Africa)
Members of the Zanu-PF youth militia are using the vehicles and weapons they have been issued with to commit crimes in the urban areas. House robberies and looting have increased in Harare. Some of the militia wore police uniforms to gain access to properties. It has been reported that they steal foreign currency and mobile phones from citizens in broad daylight. A junior police officer said that whenever they have arrested the militia they were ordered by senior police officers to release them without laying charges.

. . . As Divisions Rock Mutambara MDC (The Zimbabwe Independent)
It is alleged that serious divisions within its own ranks are threatening the Mutambara MDC formation. Sources said that newly elected legislators were unhappy that the party has fielded candidates in Gwanda South, Redcliff and Pelandaba-Mpopoma by-elections, which would run against the candidates of MDC-T. The legislators said that the move was against the recent parliamentary pact where it was agreed that they would support Morgan Tsvangirai in the run-off for the presidential election.

ZANU-PF plans to take over parliament and stop run-off (Afrik.com)
A group of war veterans called the Revolutionary Council (RC), with war veteran Chris Pasipamire as the leader, threaten war in Zimbabwe should their demands not be met. The RC demands that the run-off presidential election is stopped until the West has lifted all sanctions against Robert Mugabe’s government. They also demand that the old parliament is reconstituted, with Robert Mugabe remaining the president. The RC blames the sanctions for the economic collapse of Zimbabwe. Pasipamire said that Grace Mugabe was the patron of the group.

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