Links ~ 18 June 2008
U.N. council to discuss Zimbabwe crisis (Reuters)
The US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will chair an informal Security Council meeting on Thursday to discuss the crisis in Zimbabwe. The United States holds the rotating council presidency for this month. The UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios is currently in Zimbabwe to evaluate the political situation and to discuss the upcoming presidential run-off election with the Zimbabwean government.
Zimbabwe expels senior UN rights official: commissioner (AFP)
The Zimbabwean government has expelled a senior UN human rights official on Tuesday. The official arrived in Zimbabwe on Sunday. Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that the move on the part of the Zimbabwean government was “uncooperative” and “untimely”.
Mugabe-Mbeki meeting amid UN ‘alarm’ over Zimbabwe violence (AFP)
While South African President Thabo Mbeki was meeting with Robert Mugabe in Bulawayo on Wednesday, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed his “profound alarm” over the escalating violence in Zimbabwe. “The current violence, intimidation and arrest of opposition leaders are not conducive to credible elections,” Ki-moon is quoted as saying. Mbeki declined to answer questions from reporters after arriving in Zimbabwe.
Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga called for the deployment of an international peacekeeping force to ensure that the presidential run-off election would be free and fair. Odinga was meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Rice said that the time has come for African leaders to tell Mugabe that he must stop intimidating his opponents, and must hold free and fair elections.
The blanket suspension of all aid work in Zimbabwe has allegedly been lifted, according to the state-sponsored newspaper The Herald. A spokesperson of CARE, Kenneth Walker said on Wednesday that the news applied to only 2 groups that deliver HIV medicines to clinics. “All field operations of all NGOs remain suspended,” said Walker. The statement is echoed by Sarah Jacobs of Save the Children UK, who said that in theory they would be allowed to carry on with HIV-related work in the Binga area, but they have been ordered by the Zimbabwean government not to drive there.
U.N.’s Ban says Zimbabwe violence threatens election (Reuters)
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said to an informal session of the General Assembly, “I know you share my profound alarm at the situation in Zimbabwe.” Ki-moon said, “The current violence, intimidation and the arrest of opposition leaders are not conducive to credible elections.” He said that, “It is of utmost importance that the violence is stopped immediately, and that humanitarian assistance is facilitated, not prevented.”
Zimbabwe’s ‘criminal cabal’ means vote cannot be fair: British PM (AFP)
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Wednesday that a “criminal cabal” was running Zimbabwe and that the presidential run-off election could not be free and fair. Brown demanded that international observers, and not only those from Africa, should be allowed to monitor the run-off election. He urged Robert Mugabe to allow a UN human rights envoy into Zimbabwe.
Brown said that he had a discussion with South African ANC president Jacob Zuma on Sunday and that they both had agreed that 1000 monitors from the ANC would be offered to Zimbabwe. [The ANC has since released a statement saying that it is a misrepresentation of the conversation and that ‘The ANC wishes to correct this report. The ANC will be sending observers as part of the 400-strong SADC observer mission. The ANC’s contribution to this mission includes 14 Members of Parliament and 15 others.’ http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/zuma12.18351.html ]
Observer teams say it is government’s duty to stop violence (SWRadio)
Marwick Khumalo, the head of Pan African observer mission in Zimbabwe, has said that it was the Zimbabwean government’s responsibility to stop the violence in the country. Khumalo said that they have heard ‘horrendous’ reports of attacks and that the political climate was not conducive to free and fair elections.
Zim to bar local vote observers (AFP)
The Zimbabwe government said that local observers will be screened to ensure that they have “no preconceived” ideas with regard to the presidential run-off election. Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said that, “We are going to assess the status in respect to their independence and neutrality. We are going to invite those with no pre-conceived ideas about the outcome of the elections. We have evidence that some of the observers went and stayed in the polling stations corrupting election officials.” Voters with extensions of “foreign interests would not be allowed”.
A police spokesperson said that authorities were looking for Ignatius Mushangwe the director of polling and training of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). Mushangwe is suspected of having failed to distribute postal ballots to collection centres in time.
Zimbabwe lifts ban on NGOs: state media (AFP)
The state-sponsored newspaper The Herald has reported that the Zimbabwean government has lifted a ban on charities involved in food distribution and AIDS treatment. According to Sydney Mhishi, the acting welfare secretary, food programs will be allowed to continue, as they do not “entail community mobilisation by NGOs. The ban on all aid work would also not prevent AIDS patients from “accessing drugs and therapeutic feeding from clinics and hospitals.” [The lifting of the ban allegedly only allows 2 groups to deliver HIV medicines to clinics. Apparently, all field operations of all NGOs remain suspended.]
Cases of systematic violent assault and torture overwhelm health professionals (Kubatana)
The Zimbabwean Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) is deeply concerned with the continuing violent trauma inflicted on the Zimbabwean population. As violence escalates, the sheer numbers and severity of cases have at times overwhelmed the capacity of health workers to respond.
During the month of May 1007, patients were treated, of which 119 patients had sustained fractures. Cases with fractures have increased three-fold in number from April to May. Many of the fractures were sustained during attempts by victims to defend their faces or upper bodies from violent blows dealt with weapons such as heavy sticks or iron bars. Some of the cases presented with fractures of the small bones of the hands or feet, this type of injury was inflicted when attackers pounded their hands or feet with a pestle in a mortar. There were 312 cases of severe soft tissue injury; these are usually sustained when victims are beaten systematically on the back and buttocks. Over 53 violent deaths have been reported. 300 Displaced patients were seen and treated for medical conditions such as pneumonia or psychiatric diagnoses, in particular anxiety and depression. Many of the displaced patients had lost their medication for chronic conditions when their homes were burnt or they were forced to flee. Visit the ZADHR fact sheet
‘Zim vote won’t be fair’ (Reuters)
South Africa – ANC president Jacob Zuma said that he did not expect the presidential run-off election to be fair. Zuma said “I think we’ll be lucky if we have a free election,” Zuma told Reuters. When asked if he thought the vote would be fair, Zuma replied, “I don’t think so.” Zuma has taken a tougher stance on Zimbabwe than South African president Thabo Mbeki. Zuma defeated Mbeki for the ANC leadership last December.
Meanwhile, the head of the Pan African Parliament observer mission, Marwick Khumalo has said that the group has heard “horrendous” reports of violence.
Zimbabwe: wife of Harare’s MDC mayor killed (Telegraph –UK)
The body of Abigail Chiroto (27) wife of Harare’s mayor, Emmanuel Chiroto, has been found hours after she was abducted, together with her 4-year old son, by a group of armed men. The child was later found abandoned near a police station in Harare. Ms Chiroto’s blindfolded body was found later near the couple’s house. Emmanuel Chiroto said that his son, Ashley keeps on asking him ‘Daddy, go and get mummy from the forest, go and get her and bring her home.’
“I have not told him his mummy is dead,” Chiroto said.
MDC Mayor’s wife found dead and ZESN observer murdered (SW Radio)
[Abigail Chiroto’s tragic death and brutal murder is discussed above.]
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has reported the “brutal, calculated and cold blooded” murder of Elliot Machipisa, a ZESN observer in Karuru in Hurungwe. Machipisa and his family were attacked on Tuesday morning. Machipisa’s wife sustained severe injuries and her condition is critical.
Wilson Mabhoko, councillor for ward 10 of Bikita, near Masvingo, was attacked on June 9. Mabhoko’s legs and ears were cut off. He survived the attack and is being treated in hospital.
John Ngorima, a 74-year old man, was abducted and severely beaten for allegedly voting for the MDC. Ngorima could not vote in the March elections, as his name was absent on the voters’ role.
Takalani Matibe, MDC MP for Chegutu West has reported that dynamite was thrown into his house and that he is receiving death threats.
Kenyan football fans chant ‘Mugabe must go’ (SWRadio)
More than 36 000 Kenyan football fans chanted ‘Mugabe must go’ as the Zimbabwean national soccer team walked onto the pitch for a World Cup qualifying match on Saturday.
June 19th, 2008 17:55
Is it true that the teachers and other civil servants who were the polling officers on March 29th have now largely been dispensed with, and that ZEC has now only recruited
war veterans and Zanu-PF militiamen to be polling agents on June 27th?
These are the very people who have brutalised the populace. So, if this is the case, how can the ZEC possibly deny that the electoral body is intent upon rigging the election?
June 20th, 2008 09:03
President Mugabe keeps on talking about going back to the bush to fight, if the truth be told, the man was never on the frontline, never experienced what the ordinary guerilla experienced. How dare he cheapen the lives of those who knew the experiences of being a guerilla fighter. Those who were in the frontline dont even talk about it because they know exactly what tha meant. In respect of the dead and living Zipra and Zanla forces we should never make light of these men and women,s experiences. He has actually betrayed what these men and women fought and died for. Mr president you were not there when Chimoio was bombed. Its time to honour the people who respected you enought to let you lead them after they shed their own blood for the country. You were safely tucked away in Ghana.
Think hard and see how much your people have suffered under your rule.
May the good Lord have mercy on your soul.