Links ~ 6 July 2008

Zimbabwe: More Die in Political Violence After Run-Off (Zimbabwe Standard)
The MDC says that 12 of its supporters have died since the June 27 presidential run-off election. The latest murders raise the death toll amongst MDC supporters to 103 deaths. Suspected Zanu-PF supporters have allegedly beaten the victims to death.

Teenage girls raped at Robert Mugabe’s torture camps (TimesOnline)
Dozens of teenage girls in the area of Mudzi, northeast of Harare, are now pregnant after being raped by Zanu-PF youth militia operating in the area. With violence in many rural areas continuing it is unclear what the extent of the problem is, but it may be assumed that many more cases will be reported in due course. There is a high possibility that some of the girls would have contracted HIV-Aids as the disease has ravaged Zimbabwe for years. The life expectancy of women in Zimbabwe is 34, the lowest in the world.

The stigma and shame of rape have silenced these girls effectively, making them the silent victims of Mugabe’s stolen election. Said, an unnamed human rights worker, “It is a particularly brutal and disturbing element of the months of violence, and its after effects will be felt by these girls and their families long after the rest of the terror sweeping the country has died away. Some of the girls will never recover.”

Tsvangirai snubs Mbeki (Cape Argus)
South African President Thabo Mbeki had met with Mugabe at the State House, on Saturday, for discussions that lasted more than an hour. They left the State House for Mugabe’s office where Mbeki had a meeting set up with Morgan Tsvangirai President of the MDC and Arthur Mutambara of the breakaway faction of the MDC. Tsvangirai had however decided not to attend the meeting and Mbeki had to return to South Africa.

Sources close to the mediation process blamed “non-African” influences for allegedly advising Tsvangirai not to attend the meeting. They said that, even if Tsvangirai did not like Mbeki to be the mediator, Mbeki has delivered on what Tsvangirai had always insisted upon. Sources close to the MDC said however, that Tsvangirai had not attended the meeting as he (Tsvangirai) insists that any mediation effort must and should include the African Union.

MDC spokesperson George Sibotshiswe said, “A meeting designed to recognise Mugabe as president will not solve anything. We had no reason to go to a meeting at State House and stand on the lawn while Mbeki is still the sole mediator.”

“We are of the view that President Mbeki needs to be assisted and believe that the AU must appoint a permanent mediator to work with him.

“We are also concerned with the timing of the meeting, coming as it did before the G-8 summit. We are concerned that people might have wanted to use the meeting to show the G-8 that progress was being made in Zimbabwe when there is no progress,” said Sibotshiswe.

As soon as Mbeki had arrived back in South Africa, he had to leave again for the G8 summit. Had he been able to secure a face-to-face meeting with Tsvangirai and Mugabe, it would have been a major political breakthrough for him as the appointed mediator.

Hundreds of MDC supporters languish in Zimbabwe’s prisons (Harare Tribune)
Over 1 500 MDC activists, among which there are 20 MDC MPs and parliamentary candidates, are being detained in police custody in Zimbabwe. Most of the detainees are held on trumped-up charges related to the incitement of political violence. 103 MDC supporters have been murdered by Zanu-PF supporters. There has not been a single arrest of suspects in these cases. 5000 MDC supporters are missing, many of which were polling agents or council candidates and who were abducted by Zanu-PF militia and State security agents in unmarked vehicles. Thousands of MDC supporters are hiding in the mountains to escape the attacks of Zanu-PF, while others are in hospital as a result of the injuries sustained in the attacks.

Statistics for those in prison or in police custody may be seen at the above link.

Refugees defy crocodiles to cross border (The Guardian – UK)
More than a week after Mugabe has re-elected himself as president, Zimbabweans are increasingly fleeing the country. Hundreds of Zimbabweans are crossing the crocodile-infested waters of the Limpopo river and cutting their way through 3 razor-wire fences on the border, to get to South Africa. Ronnie a human trafficker told a reporter that no less than 400 people cross the border every 24 hours. Criminals prey on the newcomers, scouring the length of the border fence to rob them of their few possessions and often raping the women. Those that flee the violence in Zimbabwe however are desperate enough to take the chance. ‘We have heard all the stories. But if I have to die, I might as well die in South Africa,’ said a Zimbabwean man.

South African official records show that 20 397 Zimbabweans were deported in the first five months of the year. The International Organisation for Migration however say that according to their estimates South Africa may be deporting as many as 17 000 Zimbabweans every month.

Starving Villagers Swap Livestock To Stay Afloat (Zimbabwe Standard)
Faced with starvation, small-scale farmers have begun to exchange cattle for maize. The dismal harvest this past season have left few farmers with any maize surplus and supplies are running out fast. Those who have maize have been quick to take advantage of the situation and in some deals have swapped 10 bags of maize for a single beast. Farmers say that those who have grain do not want to sell it for money as the currency has become useless. Should the farmers dispose of most of their cattle there will be no draught animals for the next farming season.

In some areas, such as Chirumhanzu and Chiundura, people have to travel long distances to try and find grain to buy. In Chirumhanzu in particular many villagers are dependent on food aid from relief organisations. The government’s total ban field operations of these organisations has left the villagers in a desperate plight for survival.

G8 leaders likely to strongly condemn Zimbabwe: US (AFP)
Dennis Wilder senior director of the US National Security Council for Asia affairs said that there is reason to believe that the G8 leaders will condemn Zimbabwe as part of their official statement. Wilder said, “I think the G8 will strongly condemn what Mugabe has done. It will strongly question the legitimacy of his government.”

The G8 consists of the leaders of the eight major industrial powers – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United States. The summit starts on Monday, at the Hokkaido resort of Toyako in Japan.

Kikwete to meet with UN boss over ‘alternative solution’ (The East African)
Tanzania’s President and African Union chairperson, Jakaya Kikwete, is expected to hold talks with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon over the crisis in Zimbabwe. The East African reports that a discussion about the possible replacement of South African President Thabo Mbeki as mediator in the crisis would be on the agenda. Diplomats have suggested that there are other candidates who could serve as mediator and who would be more acceptable, in terms of their neutrality. Top diplomats allegedly feel that Robert Mugabe has frequently manipulated Mbeki, but that Mugabe would have difficulty in doing so with teams led by either the United Nations (UN) or African Union (AU).

Miliband arrives in S.Africa as Zimbabwe rift widens (AFP)
UK Foreign Minister David Miliband has arrived in South Africa on Sunday for crisis talks on Zimbabwe. Miliband will meet with his South African counterpart Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma on Tuesday in Pretoria, South Africa. The meeting forms part of the South Africa-UK Bilateral Summit. BBC has quoted Miliband as saying that the crisis in Zimbabwe was “infecting the whole of Southern Africa,” and that the Mugabe regime had no legitimacy. Miliband told reporters during a visit to refugees from Zimbabwe in South Africa that he has seen “the human toll and face of the catastrophe that is taking place in Zimbabwe.” Miliband said that, “The international community needs to rally behind the United Nations Security Council resolution that is being discussed over the next few days in New York.”

Decisions of Caricom summit (Nation News)
Leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have ended their 29th summit in Antigua and Barbuda on Friday evening. As part of their official statement, Caricom has said that they acknowledge the “complexity and sensitivity of the situation in Zimbabwe”. They however call on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) “to use their best efforts to find a negotiated outcome to this flawed election in order to avoid a further deepening of the social, economic and political crisis for the people of Zimbabwe, and its harmful effects on neighbouring states . . . “.

Shell may pull out of Zim (Sapa-AFP)
Royal Dutch Shell may decide to pull out of operations in Zimbabwe. Shell is a shareholder in a small retail joint venture that is operated by its rival BP. The oil giant has released a statement stating that Shell is “reviewing” their position in Zimbabwe. Shell is headquartered in the Netherlands. Shell and BP are reportedly suppliers for some 74 petrol stations in Zimbabwe.

Northern Rock accused of seeking funds in Harare (Independent – UK)
The newly nationalised bank Northern Rock is allegedly involved in efforts to attract funds from investors in Zimbabwe. UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband came under fire in the House of Commons, on Thursday, when he was confronted with Northern Rock’s alleged business dealings in Zimbabwe. The Conservatives wanted to know if Northern Rock has received any money from Mugabe or the 131 top officials of Zanu-PF, who are on the banned list under the “smart sanctions” endorsed by the European Union. The UK government is now scouring Northern Rock’s records for details of any such dealings with Zimbabwe.

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