Links ~ 18 - 19 August 2008
SADC failure to reinstate Zim NGO’s slammed (The Star)
Activists, unionists and others slammed the failure of the SADC summit at the weekend to deal with worldwide demands to have the Mugabe regime’s restrictions on humanitarian agencies lifted. In the final communique from the body there is no mention of the call made in the days before the summit by United Nations officials, NGO forums and the Zimbabwe opposition. Zimbabwean Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche banned field work by the NGOs during the campaign for the June 27 presidential run-off election. He accused them of having provided campaign support for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change during the March 29 elections, which the MDC won.
President Mbeki’s remarks following SADC summit August 17 (Politicsweb)
Remarks by South African President Thabo Mbeki on the conclusion of the 28th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit, Sandton, August 17 2008
Tsvangirai looks past Mbeki to end logjam (Business Day)
Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is again turning to regional leaders to help break the deadlock in power-sharing talks, after the failure to clinch a deal at the weekend summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) raised fresh doubts over the progress of the negotiations. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday headed off on a 10-day tour to consult regional leaders in an apparent bid to bring greater pressure to bear on President Robert Mugabe, and the SADC-mandated mediator, President Thabo Mbeki.
Mutambara holds parliamentary key (Daily Dispatch Online)
Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says convening the country’s parliament before a political compromise is reached would be contrary to the spirit of the ongoing dialogue. [...] As a power-sharing deal continues to elude negotiators, Mutambara may soon be called upon to decide whether to take part in parliament without Tsvangirai on board.
Extended Political Turmoil Puts Zimbabwe’s HIV/AIDS Gains At Risk (VOA News)
Zimbabwean non-governmental organizations focused on HIV/AIDS say their treatment and support programs aimed at people struggling to live with with HIV/AIDS remain significantly scaled back despite government promises to allow them to resume such activities. Representatives of two NGOs spoke with VOA on condition of anonymity, saying that a state ban on NGO distribution of humanitarian aid has obliged them to stop distributing food aid meant for people living with HIV/AIDS, despite recent assurances from Health Minister David Parirenyatwa that the government would lift the ban where HIV/AIDS was concerned.
Zimbabwe farmer victim of latest Mugabe land eviction (The Telegraph)
Kobus Joubert, who is in his 70s, is a former president of the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association, whose members used to earn 40 per cent of the country’s export earnings before Mr Mugabe destroyed commercial agriculture with the seizure of white-owned land. He once farmed 1,200 acres, but he and his wife Maryanna have been left sleeping in a lorry, loaded with a few meagre possessions they have been able to salvage. Some of his workers have also taken refuge alongside him. His farm, Scotsdale, about 60 miles west of Harare, was seized at the weekend.
Botswana denies giving Tsvangirai passport (SABC)
There have been reports that the Zimbabwean government is refusing to renew his passport. Last week the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader’s emergency travelling documents were confiscated at Harare airport. They were later handed back to him. However, foreign affairs spokesperson Cliff Maribe says Botswana cannot give a foreign national such a passport.
Bacossi already collapsing (ZimDaily)
Barely a month after launching what was meant to strike the world as a programme aimed at helping people out of its self-created humanitarian crisis, the Zanu (PF) regime has already hit a brick wall with its Basic Commodities Supply Side Intervention (BACOSSI) programme, Zimdaily can exclusively reveal. [...] Confidential information obtained from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), which has been funding and administering BACOSSI, shows that the central bank-grappling with a long list of requirements by the regime has been forced to suspend imports of basic commodities from mainly South Africa and that means the death of Bacossi.
Zanu PF Chefs Loot Tractors (RadioVop)
ZANU PF bigwigs are grabbing the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)-bankrolled tractors and other farming implements at the expense of well deserving beneficiaries. First Lady Grace Mugabe last month commissioned the tractors, numbering to 100, soon after the re-run of the Presidential polls on June 27. Other farming equipment availed also includes 1000 knap sack sprayers, disc harrows, ploughs and scorch carts. Some of the equipment, gathered at Hwiru grounds in the sprawling growth point, is slowly disappearing in the dead of the night amid reports that some senior ruling party officials-who already have two or more tractors-are snatching away the equipment while leaving genuine farmers without benefiting.
Zimbabwe hit England with late backtrack - Cricket (The Guardian)
Just when England imagined that the Zimbabwe issue had been settled, it has reared its head again. Peter Chingoka, Zimbabwe Cricket’s chairman, has been summoned to Dubai for talks with the ICC president, David Morgan, after the Zimbabwe board failed to endorse his agreement that the country would exclude itself from the World Twenty20 in England next year.
August 19th, 2008 11:15
In “The Star” article
Elinor Sisulu, chairperson of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, said the summit showed the SADC’s “undemocratic governments were not geared to handle” crises.
“Mbeki’s handling of the process is one of the most painful things I have experienced in my life,” she said.
Well said Elinor!
Meanwhile, I guess the Russian/Georgian debacle will take the spotlight off Mugabe, so he and his JOC (or is it the JOC and he)can go and create more mayhem and destruction in Zimbabwe.
August 19th, 2008 13:31
Re: President Mbeki’s remarks following SADC summit -
In his answers to questions about Zimbabwe Mbeki was certainly beating about the bush as far as conclusions to the ‘talks’ are concerned. But he did say one important thing. With reference to the formation of the inclusive government to which the negotiations are supposed to agree, he said,
“Lets really allow the people of Zimbabwe to determine their future.” In this simple statement he is confirming that at the end of the day, and having regard to the full negotiating process which began last year and not just its culmination of recent weeks, the results of the March 29th Elections must be respected by all political parties.
This means, in effect, that when parliament re-convenes the MDC will, according to the peoples decision of March 29th, become the ruling party, and Zanu-PF will become the opposition. An inclusive government does not mean a coalition government in Zimbabwe’s case because its constitution does not recognize a system of proportional representation.
August 20th, 2008 19:30
Like stale TOBACCO breath, Mbeki’s seemingly academic but shallow response in his SUMMIT CONCLUSION statement, showed how lacking he is as a mediator in the Zimbabwean impasse.
What we hear is wind with no life, a statesman who has little perception of the plight and mayhem occuring in a neighbouring country to which he purports to be commited.
He can hide behind academic and diplomatic jargon, but the key issue is he has failed.
Failed to mediate.
Like the air filled with tobacco smoke is tainted with acrid toxins. The SADC like Mbeki need a big health hazard warning sign that reads:
‘DEALING AND TRUSTING MBEKI/SADC/AU IS A POLITICAL RISK AND A DEADLY HARZARD TO ANY NATION’