Links ~7 June 2008
Zimbabwe opposition can hold Harare rallies: court (Africasia)
A Zimbabwe court ruled Saturday that the opposition can hold a series of rallies in Harare, overturning a police ban on them ahead of a presidential run-off, an opposition lawyer said.
“The judge ordered the rallies be allowed and that the police should not interrupt the rallies,” said Charles Kwaramba, a lawyer for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
Zimbabwe police arrest another opposition lawmaker (Reuters)
People claiming to be the police have arrested Eric Matinenga MDC MP for Buhera West on Saturday for a second time. Matinenga was freed on Thursday after he was wrongly charged for allegedly inciting public violence in his constituency.
Zimbabwe’s Stark Choice: Vote for Mugabe or Starve (ABC)
James McGee US Ambassador to Zimbabwe said that he has solid evidence that Zimbabweans have to show Zanu-PF registration cards in order to receive food aid from the Zimbabwean government. MDC supporters have to turn over their national identification cards in order to receive food aid and will not be able to vote if they do so. McGee said it was a case of “Vote for President Robert Mugabe in the upcoming election — or starveâ€.
Tsvangirai did send letter to Mbeki – MDC
In a statement issued by the MDC on Saturday the party confirms that Morgan Tsvangirai leader of the MDC has sent a letter to President Thabo Mbeki on 13 May 2008. The letter was intended to be private and confidential and was not meant for public dissemination. The MDC is concerned that President Mbeki stated that he has not received the letter and another copy is being sent to him via South Africa’s embassy in Harare. The SADC gave assurances on April 12 that the electoral conditions of the run-off would be free and fair, the conditions in Zimbabwe do not however reflect the conditions promised. It is hoped that the imminent arrival of SADC observers would correct this “dire†situation. The MDC remains committed to participate in the run-off for the presidential election on June 27.
Zimbabwe Prison Service in terror campaign (The Zimbabwean)
Senior prison officers of the Zimbabwe Prison Service (ZPS) have been sent throughout the country to oversee Operation Makavhotera Papi, a state-sponsored terror campaign. A source within the ZPS alleges that the officers, some of which are also war veterans, have been using prison resources in a bid to ‘re-educate’ voters into voting for Mugabe. Promotions within the ZPS ranks are now tied to participation in acts of brutality against MDC supporters. Senior Assistant Commissioner Chiobvu allegedly took a register of all officers at the Harare Remand Prison and informed them that they will be voting by postal ballot under his personal supervision.
Zimbabwe’s currency “becoming unusable” (Reuters)
Callisto Jokonya president of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) has accused the Zimbabwean government of printing money thus boosting inflation and undermining the currency. Jokonya said that by injecting massive amounts of liquidity into the economy, it further depreciates the local currency and a point could be reached where the currency becomes unusable. The local currency is now being rejected increasingly by traders. The currency traded at 1.2 billion dollars against the US dollar on Friday.
Zimbabwean Civic Group Reports Political Violence Penetrating Harare (VOA)
The Combined Harare Residents Association said that it has received reports that Zanu-PF militia are now harassing residents of Harare and that the militia has established bases close to the capital. It is alleged that torture bases were set up at Lewisham, the Caledonia informal settlement in the Mabvuku-Tafara constituency and in Epworth.
SA calls for stability ahead of Zimbabwe run-off (SABC)
South Africa has called on all political parties in Zimbabwe to ‘desist from any action’ which may prevent a free and fair presidential run-off election in Zimbabwe. The South African government in its role as facilitator wish to ensure that the election takes place in ‘optimal conditions’ and ‘will enable the will of the Zimbabwean people to be expressed’.
Mugabe slaps import duty on the press (AFP)
The Zimbabwean government has imposed import duty on the foreign press in an attempt to limit the access to “hostile†and “foreign†publications in the country. The state-sponsored newspaper The Herald said that it was done to protect Zimbabwean media space. Foreign publications, such as newspapers, journals, magazines and periodicals are now classed as luxury goods and will be taxed at 40% of the total cost per kilogram.
June 8th, 2008 13:55
Re: Vote for Mugabe, or starve, 8/6 -
The UK’s International Development Secretary, Douglas Alexander, has posted a few comments:
“Up to 4 million people in Zimbabwe rely on food aid supplied by international aid agencies. By ordering those agencies to suspend their operations Mugabe is putting lives at risk. He is quite simply using hunger as a political weapon as he tries desperately to cling to power. This deliberate decision to target the poorest and most vulnerable people is beyond contempt.”
“If Mugabe wins the run-off I fear for his people, they are the real victims of his political manoeuvring. Britain and the International Community will do all we can to keep aid flowing…As he has become more despotic Mugabe has shown even greater disregard for his citizens. It doesn’t have to be this way. We are not walking on the other side - yet Mugabe seeks to push us aside. Our aid is not for him, but for the Zimbabweans he makes suffer. But he will find our path is straight and our resolve will not be deflected”
This, surely, is the clearest indication by anyone in authority in the West that, should the aid situation not be resolved, and the hungry people not adequately supplied with aid, and disregarding actual party politics, the EU and the UN will see to it that the aid in sufficient quntities is distributed to all sufferers, and with armed guard protection forces if need be.
Mugabe, you have been warned!
June 9th, 2008 09:28
Not even in war is it acceptable to starve POW to death but in Zimbabwe Mugabe seems free to starve political opponents to death without direct international military intervention. Surely this is a transgression that calls for immediate international intervention. Does the international community want another failure to respond to crisis like in Rwanda ?