Roy Bennett visits limited; no bail hearing set – MDC
February 20th, 2009
MDC Press Release – In what is clearly a vindictive move and an attempt to punish Roy Bennett, MDC Treasurer General and Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate, wardens at Mutare Prison say they have been instructed to limit Roy Bennett’s visits to one visit per week. Since yesterday, Roy Bennett lawyers have attempted to lodge an urgent bail application in the High Court but have been sent from pillar to post and told there was no judge to attend to their application.
The treatment of Roy Bennett is clearly vindictive, an attempt to punish him, and pressure him into submission. Roy Bennett has consistently rejected to be horse traded in any underlying political deal or negotiation. His commitment to a just political settlement remains unchanged, and it is inconceivable that it will change. He emphasized that there can never be a shortcut to national healing. The healing process has to be fair, just, democratic and inspired by the need to create a sustainable foundation for a democratic Zimbabwe. The healing process must satisfy the ‘weak’ in voice, in the most remote part of the country, and should be people driven rather than be an elite pact.
MDC Mutare Mayor Brian James saw Roy Bennett in the morning today. The conditions in the prison are so deplorable that one person in Roy Bennett’s cell died yesterday and the body is still to be removed. Prisoners are literally starving to death. MDC Mutare Mayor Brian James will ask Red Cross to intervene in the desperate situation.
We demand that the Inclusive government takes the issue of human rights seriously and creates conditions for the restoration of people’s freedoms and dignity. It can not be business as usual when political activists are in detention for politically motivated charges. We demand that they be released immediately and unharmed.
Via MDC Press Release
February 20th, 2009 14:44
I despair.
This agreement is clearly not going to work unless Motlanthe imposes himself as the guarantor of fair play and impartial justice.
February 20th, 2009 16:20
Do we have any way of getting messages of support through to Roy?
February 20th, 2009 17:08
Yes, perhaps we should extend the phone/email/letter campaign of pressure to the SADC(Montlanthe), AU and other African nations particularly calling on those African leaders who are moving towards democracy and respect for human rights to speak up against the oppression/injustice in Zimbabwe for the sake of democracy in Africa.
February 21st, 2009 08:53
This comment by Gwynne Dyer in thezimbabweindependent.com says it all…
“Tsvangirai’s vision… seems to be that his presence in the government will unleash a flood of foreign aid that will rescue Zimbabweans from their desperate plight. Then
his grateful fellow-citizens will vote for him in such overwhelming numbers in the election that SADC has mandated for two years hence that even Mugabe’s vote-counters cannot invalidate it.
“It isn’t going to happen. Western aid donors have been giving Zimbabwe nothing except food relief (two-thirds of the population depends on foreign food aid) because they assume that Mugabe’s cronies will steal anything else – and they see no reason to change their minds.
“But if the aid doesn’t flow, Tsvangirai will have nothing to show for his desperate gamble. Game, set and match to Mugabe. Pity about Zimbabwe.”
February 21st, 2009 11:37
Back in the mists of time during my military training days, if a member of our squad had to do punishment for something, it was automatic for the rest of us to insist on doing the punishment for or with him, even if we had to go out and commit a similar offence for which he was being punished, in order to ensure we were included in sharing the punsihment equally with him.
Might I suggest every MDC Parliamentarian and Cabinet member, including Tsvangirai, boycott all future sittings of Parliament and/or Cabinet and absolutely refuse / prevent any of their ZANU PF counterparts entering the venue/s concerned, [or better still, accelerate the issue by immediately marching as a group to State House] with a view to insisting on getting themselves ALL arrested and imprisoned en masse, in solidarity with Roy Bennett’s insistence in refusing to be “horsetraded” over ZANU PF’s fear of prosecution, etc, blah, blah!!!
What a handy tool this move might be in accelerating the changes MDC so much desire.
Imagine the likely and seriously useful resultant World Media headline / breaking news :
“MUGABE IMPRISONS PRIME MINISTER AND ENTIRE MDC PARLIAMENT AND CABINET !”
Surely in this event, even the cowardly Motlanthe would tend to have to become just a tad more
pro-active, especially with the final World Cup venue decision deadlline now being just around the proverbial corner with tickets already selling?
February 21st, 2009 12:02
As a p.s. to my recent suggestion that our entire MDC Leadership should insist on sharing a cell with their beleagured colleague, Roy Bennett, the fact that he is innocent of any real offence/s and thus real punishment deserving, would make this action powerfully effective.
February 21st, 2009 18:24
THE POWER OF ONE
Dear Reader,
I’ve always believed in “the Power of One”, the power of an unwavering individual who takes a stand on matters of principle and who refuses to buckle under pressure to compromise on those principles for which he or she stands. Nelson Mandela was one such person, more recently it seems that Vusi Pikoli, our embattled and now ex head of Public Prosecutions makes the cut as he refused a substantial golden handshake from the ANC government to play along & disappear quietly, and now Roy Bennett (MDC Deputy Minister of Agriculture Designate), a man of principle and a true African, languishes in a Zimbabwe prison, there on trumped up charges, with little hope of justice being served in a totally corrupt judicial system in the quagmire, we know as Zimbabwe.
Roy Bennett is a friend of mine, and from the first day I met him I was struck by his strength and humility. I was also deeply impressed by his faith in God and unswerving hope for a Zimbabwe with a bright future, free of oppression and corruption for all. You just know that Roy can’t be bought and he walks his talk. I remember speaking to Roy the day before his departure for Zimbabwe, the day before Morgan Tsvangirai was to be sworn in as Prime Minister in the SADC and South Africa government pressured Government of National Unity (GNU). I asked him if he didn’t think it was a bit premature going back now, what if he was arrested. He looked at me and said, “Ryan, this is a litmus test for the way forward, to test the sincerity of Zanu PF, and SADC’s commitment to make this union work. Besides, I’ve been given an assurance on my safety from the South African Government”.
Well Roy, I guess you proved two things. Zanu PF & Mugabe are not sincere in there desire to turn Zimbabwe back from the abyss and are as corrupt and destructive as ever. Furthermore, you certainly can’t trust the word of our President Kgalema Motlanthe, and his predecessor Thabo Mbeki. They are so far up Mugabe’s backside they don’t know which side is up. I can just imagine what the reaction would have been if the same thing happened in South Africa, prior to 1994, if someone like Chris Hani, returning from exile to South Africa was summarily arrested by the South African Police for crimes allegedly committed against the Apartheid regime. There would have been an international outcry, the ANC would have thrown down the gauntlet and refused to negotiate any further until he, and others were released unconditionally, there would have been rioting in the streets, a call to arms… The word is that the Zanu PF hawks are trying to use Roy as a bargaining tool to get a blanket amnesty for the atrocities they’ve committed while in power. Roy would rather remain incarcerated then get his freedom like that.
The manner in which Roy was abducted, then hastily driven at high speed by extremely nervous lower level inspectors 300km east to obscure Mutare, the delay in charging him, then the charging & subsequent withdrawal & changing of charges. Then a second round of withdrawal of charges & then recharging again… and the obvious fact that there is no way that he will get a free and fair trial under a constitution that has been changed so many times it may as well be the Zanu PF party manifesto. On top of this Zim has a judiciary that is so corrupted that it would be akin to the fairness of a Nazi Judge presiding over a Jewish claim to injustice during World War II.
Now here comes the best part, guess what the public reaction is from President Motlanthe and SADC? You guessed it… nothing, in fact worse than nothing. Prior to SADC forcing the MDC to get into bed with Zanu PF, and the MDC resisting due to several issues not being resolved, one being the illegal abductions, they(SADC) insisted that “once the MDC was signed into government with Zanu, then the issue of the abducted and detained prisoners of conscience, like Jestina Mukoko, would immediately be addressed and never fear South Africa and SADC will be the guarantors of the GNU. What an utter load of hogwash… how sad that Africans don’t deserve true democracy, it is disguised with words like “an African Solution”, or “a Political Solution”, or “Government of National Unity”, or the most famous one “Quiet Diplomacy”, which we all know is code for “my policy to protect Mugabe and his corrupt bunch of goons until the country is so completely destroyed that after looting it of all its resources, no-one will want it anyway”.
Nobody cares how nice Mugabe was to the ANC during the “struggle” 25 years ago, the fact is he is now a demented, despotic, dictator who has destroyed an entire country and is responsible for the death of tens of thousands of his countrymen while South Africa’s Leaders smiled stood next to him and held his blood drenched hand. Our leaders can’t just throw the MDC into a pit of lions and say “it’s not for us to step in… let the GNU sort it out”, while Mugabe controls the Army, Intelligence, Judiciary and even the Police. There must be no financial assistance until all detainees are released. Farm invasions must stop (at least 40 in the past week have taken place). Unless there is a real commitment to the GNU from Zanu and a move towards real democracy then the MDC should bail now and call for elections or they will be in the situation where they are hamstrung, can’t effect change and yet will be apportioned the blame for failure to perform.
Most of us have heard that famous saying that “evil prevails when good people stand around complacently and do nothing”. Well as I said at the beginning of this letter, I really do believe in the “Power of One”, in fact we had better all have registered to vote in our upcoming elections here in South Africa as it is the accumulated effect of lots of single votes that will decide our future and the future of our children. Today you can make a difference for Roy too, write a letter, or simply go to http://www.mypetition.co.za , type “Roy”in the search block and take the 2 minutes it will require to make your voice heard on the expanding petition for his release. Do it, do it now.
Kind regards
Ryan van Heerden
February 22nd, 2009 10:25
Well Mr.van Heerden you have knocked the nail on the head,and said it all as it is,we here in S.A. need to open our eyes wide and make a real effort to vote as to the north is a perfect example if we sit and do nothing.So sad if Zim never ever experience true democracy, and the next generation is left with nothing.
February 22nd, 2009 17:31
thanks for your comment. please make sure you add your voice at http://www.mypetition.co.za. Everyone counts. The problem arises when certain people count more than others.
February 23rd, 2009 23:12
I certainly will add my voice, the only way forward is to be pro active and I encourage everyone to do so for the sake of all who wishes to live in a true democratic society.