Links ~ 5 September 2008

Zimbabwe opposition appeals for talks to be ‘unlocked’ (Africasia)
Zimbabwe’s main opposition party appealed Friday for help from regional bloc SADC to unlock stalled power-sharing talks as President Robert Mugabe threatened to form a new cabinet. “It is very clear that the deadlock in the current dialogue has to be unlocked,” Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change, told SA FM radio. “And to be unlocked we need the help of SADC (Southern African Development Community) and the helping hand of the mediator, (South African) President Thabo Mbeki,” he said. “It is better to be talking than fighting. Our country is so important, so precious. We need to resolve all our differences through dialogue for prosperity and stability in the country,” he added.

Mbeki now due next week (The Herald - state controlled media)
South African President Thabo Mbeki is now scheduled to visit Zimbabwe next week as he tries to make MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai sign a power-sharing deal agreed to by the other main political parties, Zanu-PF principal negotiator Cde Patrick Chinamasa said yesterday. He said the Sadc-appointed facilitator in the dialogue between Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC had rescheduled the trip after failing to make it to Harare yesterday. [...] A Sadc summit in South Africa last month endorsed the power-sharing agreement, but Tsvangirai refused to sign it before embarking on a 10-nation tour of the region as part of his “consultations”. However, the regional summit gave President Mugabe the green light to convene Parliament, which he did last Tuesday.

Mbeki cancels trip as Tsvangirai spurns ‘hopeless’ meeting (Business Day)
President Thabo Mbeki was forced to cancel his trip to Zimbabwe to try to break the power-sharing talks deadlock after opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangiari told him he would not attend. Sources said yesterday Tsvangiari wrote a letter to Mbeki on Tuesday telling him he would not be in Harare to attend the talks , compelling Mbeki to cancel his visit scheduled for yesterday. “Tsvangirai did not want to attend what he thought would be a hopeless meeting that would not result in any progress,” the source said.

Aziz Pahad on the latest developments in Zimbabwe (PoliticsWeb - 2 September 2008)
South Africa will continue to facilitate dialogue between the ZANU-PF and MDC factions, within the framework of the SADC mandate and AU Summit Resolution in an effort to reach an inclusive political settlement. In addition, there is a need to deal with the humanitarian situation and to start work on the economic rescue package for Zimbabwe. Reports that talks will resume today. The Head of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, reported to have said that all parties had agreed at the SADC Summit “that all Zimbabwe stakeholders should go and sit and finalise all outstanding issues, which will pave the way for establishing a stable and peaceful government. All parties concerned must abide by all the agreements”.

UN to explore avenues to end Zimbabwe crisis (ZimDiaspora.com)
The Zimbabwe crisis returns to the United Nations Security Council this month with members seeking to explore other avenues of pushing the power sharing talks to conclusion. [...] The United Kingdom suggests the best way of dealing with this situation in Zimbabwe is to punish President Robert Mugabe with sanctions. However, the Africa bloc and its allies say, not when the African leaders are still handling the crisis in search of a negotiated political settlement. With the power sharing talks still showing little progress, the Security Council has now asked the UN Special Envoy to Zimbabwe, Haile Menkerios to present a detailed report on the status of these Zimbabwe talks.

At Least Nine Die In Cholera Outbreak In Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe (VOA News)
An outbreak of cholera has claimed at least nine lives in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe, and another 30 people have been admitted to the central hospital in the Harare satellite town. Unconfirmed reports said as many as 19 people had died at the hospital since Tuesday. The worst affected areas of Chitungwiza were said to Units O and Unit K where burst sewer pipes have long been a common sight. Local sources added that residents are drawing water from unprotected wells because the local water supply system has broken down.

Children Silent Victims Of Political Impasse (The Zimbabwe Independent)
[...] The boy is 14-year old Tichaona Mubako, an orphan in Ward 19 in the Sedze area of Nyanga, who has been staying by himself since the age of 12. A Form 2 pupil at Nyajeza Secondary School, Tichaona began looking after himself after his parents succumbed to HIV and Aids-related diseases. Living by himself, doing the house chores, tilling the fields, maintaining the garden and protecting his late parents’ property has become a normal way of life for Tichaona. “Sometimes I am scared of staying alone,” Tichaona said. “When night falls, I get my friend who stays close by to come and spend the night with me, but most of the times I am by myself.” [...] Tichaona is one of many beneficiaries of aid provided by humanitarian agencies in the country. He had been receiving aid in the form of food, school fees, clothes and moral support. But since the ban of the NGOs on June 4 by the government on allegations that they were using humanitarian aid to campaign for the opposition MDC, Tichaona’s normal supply of basic goods was cut.

Chiefs to Screen NGOs (RadioVop)
The number of food aid organisations that might resume operations could fall amid revelations that chiefs will further screen the organisations before they can distribute aid. The government last week lifted the ban imposed on aid organisations prior to the June 27 runoff vote. Requirements for registration have been further tightened following a demand that Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) should first seek chiefs’ clearance before resuming operations. Fortune Charumbira, the president of the chiefs’ council said NGOs would be screened by chiefs before resuming operations, despite being registered.

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