Links ~ 12 June 2008
Mugabe, al-Qaida links uncovered (worldnetdaily)
Analyst confirms junta’s generals met with terror campaign factions (G2 Bulletin / WND)
British intelligence agents working for M16 in Africa alleged that Robert Mugabe’s top generals have met with 2 extremist terror groups linked to al-Qaida. It is said while Mugabe was in Rome; he had daily contact with his generals to discuss details of the meetings with the PAGAD and Qibla groups. Both these groups are regarded as the most dangerous terror organisations operating on the African continent. The military junta in Zimbabwe met with the groups in a government safe house in Bulawayo. The purpose of the meetings was to procure weapons, as the Chinese consignment could not be delivered to Zimbabwe. The junta’s links with these 2 groups have raised serious concerns that Zimbabwe may soon face a full-scale bloodbath.
Zimbabwe campaign: Secret documents (BBC)
The BBC has obtained evidence of plans by Zanu-PF to harass and drive out MDC supporters. The documents outline Zanu-PF campaign in the Midlands Province. JOC is in control; war veterans Jabulani Sibanda and Joseph Chinotimba will take leading roles in the Zanu-PF campaigns.
Covert operations include:
- Harassing MDC activists and driving MDC supporters out of Zanu-PF strongholds.
- Declaring no go areas in the rural areas for the MDC.
- Writing letters to resettled farmers on behalf of the MDC and harass them in MDC T-shirts so that they vote to defend their land.
Maintaining control over the distribution of food, ensuring that Zanu-PF supporters have access to maize and basic commodities, which will be sold at either, people’s shops or pro-Zanu-PF shops? [Sections of the documents can be viewed at this link.]
American Aid Is Seized in Zimbabwe (NYT)
American food aid destined for poor schoolchildren was confiscated by a group of police officers and war veterans, who were led by an army colonel. An order was given that part of the cargo must be distributed amongst Zanu-PF supporters at one of Mugabe’s political rallies. The cargo consisting of wheat, pinto beans and vegetable oil was intended for 26 primary schools as part of a program to provide hungry children with one solid meal a day. CARE, Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, and USAID sponsored the aid. Tinaye Chigudu governor of Manicaland Province was responsible for the order to confiscate the food aid and for the order to redistribute the food at a rally especially organised for this reason, near the Bambazonke police station, near Mutare.
Zim bars relief agencies from moving food stocks to Zambia (The Zimbabwean)
The Zimbabwean government has barred a coalition of relief agencies, known as C-Safe, from moving a stockpile of food to neighbouring Zambia. This follows a recent ban from the Zimbabwean government on all humanitarian assistance to Zimbabweans. C-Safe is a coalition of Care International, Catholic Relief Services, and World Vision International. The National Association of Non-governmental Organisations (NANGO) has expressed fear that the government will seize the stockpiled food to distribute amongst Zanu-PF supporters. On Tuesday, police have seized tonnes of food aid from a private warehouse in Harare. The stockpile of food allegedly belonged to the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development.
Zimbabwe Political Violence Claims Another Victim in Rural Bindura (VOA)
MDC activist, Chenierai Kahari was shot dead by war veterans in Bindura South in Mashonaland Central province. Zanu-PF militia and war veterans have set up a torture base at a Chireka primary school. Villagers were forced to attend a Zanu-PF meeting at the Chireka shopping center on June 10 and Kahari was shot later that same day. Police refused to take the body to the mortuary, leaving Kahari’s body lying in a pool of blood, in a store.
In Bindura, Mashonaland Central Zanu-PF supporters attacked the homes of 4 MDC members and allegedly assaulted a married couple. Sources said that some 200 youth militia have arrived in Bindura in preparation for other attacks to be launched in the area.
Zimbabwe crisis: Robert Mugabe accused of bringing war to Harare (Telegraph – UK)
Epworth, a poor township of Harare, was raided by hundreds of Zanu-PF’s youth militia. The militia claiming to be war veterans has set up base near Epworth. Many houses have been burned or destroyed after being looted by the militia. Hundreds of residents had to flee the area and seek refuge from the militia.
Top UN official to visit Zimbabwe ahead of polls (AFP)
Haile Menkerios UN assistant secretary-general for political affairs will arrive in Zimbabwe on Monday, June 23 to discuss the political situation and the upcoming presidential run-off election. Menkerios will be in the country for a week.
Zimbabwe: ZEC Recruits Polling Officers (The Herald)
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is recruiting more than 64 000 polling officers to monitor the June 27 presidential run-off election and the 3 House of Assembly by-elections. 7 polling officers will man each polling station, which is less than the number of polling officers allocated to each polling station in the previous election. There will be 9 231 polling stations, the same that was used for the March 29 elections. The SADC and AU are expected to send between 300 – 400 observers.
COSATU condemns attack on Zim teachers union (Politicsweb / Cosatu)
South Africa – In a statement issued on June 11 the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has strongly condemned the attack on the offices of the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) on 9 June 2008 in Gokwe. COSATU demands that the SADC and AU send election observers to Zimbabwe immediately and in much greater numbers than the March elections. The election observers must not only monitor the election but the violence and intimidation preceding the election. COSATU demands that the governments of Africa refuse to recognise the illegal despot (Robert Mugabe) and stop inviting him to meetings of the SADC or the AU.
June 13th, 2008 13:10
PAGAD, which stands for People Against Gangsterism and Drugs, and its Islamic ally Qibla, are based in South Africa. These terrorist organizations apparently view the South African Government as a threat to Islamic values. That is to say, they don’t chop peoples’ hands off for stealing, or behead them in public, or bury women up to their necks and then stone them to death for adultery, or hang homosexuals etc. etc.
PAGAD also uses several other front names when launching anti-Western campaigns. They have masterminded several bombings in South Africa.
Their current operational strength is largely unknown, but PAGADS G-force probably contains fewer than 50 members. However, they will almost certainly have ties to other Islamic organizations in the Middle East.
Mugabe and his cronies must be desperate indeed to even contemplate getting into bed with these intifadic miscreants, and then even to talk about their help whilst residing in a Christian city like Rome. Now we know for sure that he will join Judas and the others in the deepest recesses of Hell.
June 13th, 2008 14:33
I sent emails using your contact database to Pres Of Zambia, and Pres of South Africa and his media people, regarding the arrest of MDC Secretary General, Tendai Biti and the awful state of affairs in Zimbabwe, including this latest news of an al-Qaida link up with Mugabe’s regime.
None of them have bounced back, so presumably they were received.
Hopefully enough of these comments from ordinary concerned people around the world will have an impression. It is these countries, and others bordering Zimbabwe that will have a huge problem on their hands if they don’t intervene very soon.