Links ~ 22 July 2008

Zanu PF, MDC negotiators begin talks (AFP)
Negotiators of the MDC factions and Zanu-PF are expected to begin the first round of substantive talks to resolve the political crisis in Zimbabwe, on Tuesday, July 22. South African President Thabo Mbeki, SADC-appointed mediator, will oversee the talks. Mukoni Ratshitanga spokesperson for Mbeki said that talks would begin on Tuesday afternoon at an undisclosed venue. Edwin Mushoriwa spokesperson for the MDC confirmed that the venue is situated in Pretoria, South Africa. Another MDC source said that top MDC negotiator, Tendai Biti and MDC national chairperson Lovemore Moyo were flying to South Africa. A source from Zanu-PF said that Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Labour Minister Nicolas Goche were also flying to South Africa.

SA govt savours rare diplomatic victory for Mbeki (Afrique en ligne / PANA)
The South African government in a statement said about the signing of a MoU between Zimbabwean political parties, ”The memorandum represents a positive step forward in the ongoing dialogue among the parties as facilitated by President Mbeki, acting on behalf of SADC”. The agreement has provided Mbeki with a rare diplomatic victory as the SADC-appointed mediator in the political crisis of Zimbabwe.

Western countries are said to have pledged substantial funds to assist Zimbabwe with a rescue plan.

Doubts linger over Zimbabwe deal (BBC)
For those people directly affected by state-sponsored violence in Zimbabwe there is little joy over the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between political parties in Zimbabwe. Leslie Madamombe has lost 3 brothers a week before the June 27 presidential runoff elections. One brother was shot point-blank and the other two were forced by Zanu-PF militias to drink a lethal Chinese paraquat herbicide. Leslie’s mother and his elder brother are both in hospital and have to be guarded by armed police, as there are fears for their safety. Leslie says he is bitter, but he looks forward with hope. Now that the MoU has been signed, it is expected that Zanu-PF militias will disband their bases and preach peace.

“Will they ever do that, let’s wait and see, I am very sceptical,” says Leslie.

“Are people now able to walk freely with their party T-shirts without risking their limbs?” he asked.

EU agrees more sanctions against Zimbabwe’s Mugabe (AP)
Foreign Ministers of the European Union (EU) have agreed to expand sanctions against Mugabe’s regime. Sources within the EU said that their sanctions blacklist of people linked with the regime would be expanded.

Zimbabwe Ruling Party Militia Demand Cash For Mugabe Victory Fetes (VOA)
Sources within several provinces in Zimbabwe said that Zanu-PF militia and war veterans have been pressurising citizens to fund celebrations of Mugabe’s ‘win’ in the June 27 presidential runoff election. In Gokwe, Midlands province the militia and war veterans were forcing people to donate Z$300 billion (US$4) each and livestock in celebration of Mugabe’s victory as the only active candidate in the runoff. Reportedly, people are threatened with eviction from their homes if they do not comply with the demands of the militia. In Mashonaland, people must donate Z$200 billion and 5 kg of Maize meal. Teachers have to donate Z$ 200 billion while they earn about Z$150 billion per month. In Mashonaland East, people are also forced to donate cash and food for local celebrations.

Impala Cooperating With Zimbabwe Bank After Audit (Update1) (Bloomberg.com)
Zimplats Holdings Ltd, a unit of Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd, said that it refutes the allegations made in an audit that was done on behalf of Zimbabwe’s government. The group refrained from giving any details about the nature of the allegations and would only say that they believed that there were no problems. Alex Stewart International LLC conducted the audit. Zimbabwe has the world’s second-biggest platinum deposits. Central African Mining and Exploration Company (CAMEC) plan to mine platinum in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabweans share their ordeals online (SAPA / AP)
As Mugabe’s regime attempts to silence the independent media, Zimbabweans have increasingly made use of the Internet and cell phone text messages to share information and stories. Most of the reporters from the international media have been denied access to the country. On the website of This is Zimbabwe, photographs of the victims are displayed. A network of non-profit organisations runs a blogging forum called Kubatana.net. These underground networks may generate some unsubstantiated rumours, but they also provide valuable independent information and can even make news. The This is Zimbabwe blog had started a campaign against a German firm supplying paper to the regime for printing money. Within a week, the media had picked up the story and the company announced that it would stop doing business deals with Zimbabwe.

ZANU PF Loses Parliament again (Zimbabwe Metro)
The Electoral court has again thrown out 16 petitions of Zanu-PF, dashing their hopes to overturn the MDC majority in parliament. One of the reasons for the dismissal was that Zanu-PF had failed to file the petitions within 10 days, as prescribed by law. Zanu-PF had also withdrawn 10 cases before the court could deliberate on them. Eight Zanu-PF cases were dismissed after Zanu-PF failed to serve the petitions at the respondents’ residential or business addresses.

Moyo slams claims he ‘engineered’ Mugabe’s victory (NewZimbabwe.com)
Professor Jonathan Moyo Zanu-PF MP for Tsholotsho North has vehemently denied allegations that he “engineered” Mugabe’s victory in the June 27 presidential runoff election. Moyo said that although the allegations were “flattering”, the allegations were “false”. “The people who were behind Mugabe’s media campaign deserve credit for a job well done, and the credit is not mine. I would have no qualms taking credit for it if I had engineered it as it is being said, but I do not deserve the credit, so I won’t take it,” Moyo said.

Moyo scraps plan to write memoirs (NewZimbabwe.com)
Former Zimbabwean Information Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo said that he has scrapped plans to write a book about his time in government. Moyo said that he was reminded of a Leninist truism and that it has led to his decision not to write the book. “I got a kind of historical reminder from Lenin who was writing a book about the Russian Revolution and decided to permanently abandon it in favour of participating in the revolution,” said Moyo.

“I took a decision that I should remain in politics rather than write about it. I have remained an active participant on the political landscape, at the very least as a Member of Parliament, and that is a basic forum for participating in our national politics.”

SA Home Affairs acknowledges violence (The Zimbabwe Times)
The South African Department for Home Affairs has admitted, for the first time, that there is serious political violence in Zimbabwe.

Home Affairs minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said, “I am not dumb,” Mapisa-Nqakula said. “We can all appreciate the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe. I mean, we have seen pictures of people who have been beaten up, women who have been burnt. I don’t want to attribute the violence to a particular group of people, or the state … there could be intra-party violence. It doesn’t matter, but the point is, there is clear violence”.

“I cannot continue blindly to behave as though nothing is happening across the Limpopo and how could anyone believe that I would be happy to deport people to a country where there is violence and unrest? It is not as though we are insensitive to what is happening on the ground”.

Nqakula said that she has given the UNHCR’s call to stop the deportation of Zimbabweans in South Africa and to give them amnesty “very, very serious consideration”. The minister has asked her officials to report to her on how the recommendations could be implemented.

Australia denies Zimbabwe uses Australian air space for illicit trade with China (AP)
The Australian government has denied allegations that Mugabe has regularly commandeered Air Zimbabwe flights through Australian air space – over the Indian Ocean – for illegal trade with China. The newspaper The Age said that according to unnamed sources, contraband such as ivory was swapped for weapons and luxury goods. In a joint statement, Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said that Air Zimbabwe flights do not enter Australian air space. The ministers said that Australia had no jurisdiction of international air space.

Mugabe must be given safe exit – Kenya’s Odinga (Reuters)
Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga said on Tuesday that negotiating political parties in Zimbabwe must ensure that Mugabe has a safe exit from office. “Then be flexible enough to reach a compromise which will give Mr Mugabe a place to exit… For the sake of the people in Zimbabwe, we must give Mr Mugabe a safe exit,” said Odinga. He said that the signing of the MoU was “ a window of hope”.

This entry was posted by Link Round-up on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 at 7:04 am. You can follow any comments on this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.