Comments on: Disgraceful responses from Paradzai Zimondi and Patrick Chinamasa http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3910 This is Zimbabwe is Sokwanele's pro-democracy activist blog. It provides grassroots news and views from Zimbabwe. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:20:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Joe http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3910/comment-page-1#comment-273851 Joe Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:57:11 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=3910#comment-273851 Zimbabwe guards bust over prisons film
Sapa Published:Apr 05, 2009

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Film exposes Zim jail horror
VIDEO: Starved and jailed in Zimbabwe

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Three prisons officers in Zimbabwe have been arrest on allegations that they helped film the shocking conditions in two of the country’s prisons for a documentary that was screened to international outrage last week.

Film exposes Zim jail horror

VIDEO: Starved and jailed in Zimbabwe

The television documentary, Hell Hole, produced by the South African Broadcasting Corporation, on Wednesday showed scores of skeletal prisoners dressed in rags and reportedly dying of malnutrition and HIV-AIDS in filthy institutions without food, medication or basic cleaning materials.

The SABC team said sympathetic warders had been supplied with secret cameras to film conditions in two institutions, Khami prison in the western city of Bulawayo, and one in the southern border town of Beitbridge. The documentary took three months to produce.

A senior police officer in Beitbridge was quoted Sunday in the independent weekly Standard newspaper as saying that warders Thabiso Nyathi, Siyai Muchechedzi and Thembinkosi Nkomo were arrested on Friday on charges under the Official Secrets Act, which prescribes lengthy jail terms for government employees who leak “state secrets.”

The film’s screening was greeted with uproar from human rights groups around the world and highlighted the situation of severe neglect of prisoners, many of them political detainees, that the new coalition government has inherited from the former regime of President Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe and pro-democracy leader Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change formed a coalition government recently, with Mugabe staying on as president and Tsvangirai appointed prime minister.

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, who is in charge of the country’s prisons, last week denied the documentary had anything to do with Zimbabwean prisons. “The SABC is lying,” he said. “We don’t allow cameras in our prisons. We have made our investigations and found that the footage is not of Zimbabwe but other countries.”

Prison support groups report that 20 of the country’s 14,000 inmates die each day.

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]]> By: David Wheeler http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3910/comment-page-1#comment-273845 David Wheeler Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:28:12 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=3910#comment-273845 Until the cancer of ZanuPf has been cut completely out of Zimbabwe these horrors will continue..<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('273845','David Wheeler'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('273845','David Wheeler','Until the cancer of ZanuPf has been cut completely out of Zimbabwe these horrors will continue..'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> Until the cancer of ZanuPf has been cut completely out of Zimbabwe these horrors will continue..
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]]> By: Marere http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3910/comment-page-1#comment-273844 Marere Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:10:09 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=3910#comment-273844 We must know that these ZPF Ministers are just like that,they deny what they know and they don't want the truth to come out.They have been doing this using ZBC and their Herald.As for Chinamasa,he is a long time Minister of Justice but he don't even visit those Prisons to see how the situation is like.For six years I worked in the Prison Service,he never visited any Prison thus he don't know what is inside the four conners of Chawagona Hapana Prison and others.I think it needs a new Gvt to take action not this GNU in which ZPF is still controlling.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('273844','Marere'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('273844','Marere','We must know that these ZPF Ministers are just like that,they deny what they know and they don\'t want the truth to come out.They have been doing this using ZBC and their Herald.As for Chinamasa,he is a long time Minister of Justice but he don\'t even visit those Prisons to see how the situation is like.For six years I worked in the Prison Service,he never visited any Prison thus he don\'t know what is inside the four conners of Chawagona Hapana Prison and others.I think it needs a new Gvt to take action not this GNU in which ZPF is still controlling.'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> We must know that these ZPF Ministers are just like that,they deny what they know and they don’t want the truth to come out.They have been doing this using ZBC and their Herald.As for Chinamasa,he is a long time Minister of Justice but he don’t even visit those Prisons to see how the situation is like.For six years I worked in the Prison Service,he never visited any Prison thus he don’t know what is inside the four conners of Chawagona Hapana Prison and others.I think it needs a new Gvt to take action not this GNU in which ZPF is still controlling.
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]]> By: kathy http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3910/comment-page-1#comment-273843 kathy Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:45:07 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=3910#comment-273843 @ Bryony There is an effort going on behind the scenes to get Food, and other aid into the Zim Prisons. Sokwanele is busy investigating this at the moment along with missionary groups in Zim and South Africa. They're creating a central point where funds can be easily donated by individuals. When the infrastructure is in place, Sokwanele will send out an appeal for donations via this site. The difficulty lies in ensuring that the supplies actually get into the prisons.... What YOU can do to help: Watch this space for those details. When the link is available, pass it on to as many people as you possibly can. Even $10 donations will help. I've worked out that 1 kg of mielie meal costs about 40 US cents. If we all contribute something we CAN make a difference. The trick is to make as many people aware of this site as you possibly can.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('273843','kathy'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('273843','kathy','@ Bryony\r\n\r\nThere is an effort going on behind the scenes to get Food, and other aid into the Zim Prisons. Sokwanele is busy investigating this at the moment along with missionary groups in Zim and South Africa. \r\n\r\nThey\'re creating a central point where funds can be easily donated by individuals. When the infrastructure is in place, Sokwanele will send out an appeal for donations via this site.\r\n\r\nThe difficulty lies in ensuring that the supplies actually get into the prisons....\r\n\r\nWhat YOU can do to help:\r\n\r\nWatch this space for those details. When the link is available, pass it on to as many people as you possibly can. Even $10 donations will help. I\'ve worked out that 1 kg of mielie meal costs about 40 US cents. If we all contribute something we CAN make a difference.\r\n\r\nThe trick is to make as many people aware of this site as you possibly can.'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> @ Bryony

There is an effort going on behind the scenes to get Food, and other aid into the Zim Prisons. Sokwanele is busy investigating this at the moment along with missionary groups in Zim and South Africa.

They’re creating a central point where funds can be easily donated by individuals. When the infrastructure is in place, Sokwanele will send out an appeal for donations via this site.

The difficulty lies in ensuring that the supplies actually get into the prisons….

What YOU can do to help:

Watch this space for those details. When the link is available, pass it on to as many people as you possibly can. Even $10 donations will help. I’ve worked out that 1 kg of mielie meal costs about 40 US cents. If we all contribute something we CAN make a difference.

The trick is to make as many people aware of this site as you possibly can.

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]]> By: Peter Ravenscroft http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3910/comment-page-1#comment-273842 Peter Ravenscroft Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:10:35 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=3910#comment-273842 This from Australia. If the government of Zimbabwe cannot feed its prisoners, it should let them go. Those photos are truly shocking and will brand the country for a very long time otherwise. Photos of black people in chains, in custody here, but in a far better physical state than the folk in the Zimbabwe photos, still haunt Australia a hundred years on.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('273842','Peter Ravenscroft'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('273842','Peter Ravenscroft','This from Australia. If the government of Zimbabwe cannot feed its prisoners, it should let them go. Those photos are truly shocking and will brand the country for a very long time otherwise. Photos of black people in chains, in custody here, but in a far better physical state than the folk in the Zimbabwe photos, still haunt Australia a hundred years on.'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> This from Australia. If the government of Zimbabwe cannot feed its prisoners, it should let them go. Those photos are truly shocking and will brand the country for a very long time otherwise. Photos of black people in chains, in custody here, but in a far better physical state than the folk in the Zimbabwe photos, still haunt Australia a hundred years on.
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]]> By: Bryony http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3910/comment-page-1#comment-273841 Bryony Sat, 04 Apr 2009 12:47:30 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=3910#comment-273841 As a British person who lived in Botswana and Malawi for many years, and visited Zimbabwe when it was a less troubled, but no less beautiful or interesting country than it is today, I am deeply concerned about the plight of Zimbabweans under Mugabe. In particular I was extremely upset by the footage recorded by Godknows Nare (presumably at personal danger)of conditions inside Zimbabwes prisons.What I want to know is: what can I do to help? I have sent an appeal to the Zimbabwean authorities following instructions from Amnesty International, but wonder how effective this action is, given that Mugabe particularly objects to people from the UK (the colonial oppressors)and is unlikely to be swayed by opinions from the UK. I am grateful every day that I live in a country that is politically stable and that I have the freedom to challenge my government without being incarcerated.Please advise me as to what I could do that would really help Bryony, UK<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('273841','Bryony'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('273841','Bryony','As a British person who lived in Botswana and Malawi for many years, and visited Zimbabwe when it was a less troubled, but no less beautiful or interesting country than it is today, I am deeply concerned about the plight of Zimbabweans under Mugabe. In particular I was extremely upset by the footage recorded by Godknows Nare (presumably at personal danger)of conditions inside Zimbabwes prisons.What I want to know is: what can I do to help? I have sent an appeal to the Zimbabwean authorities following instructions from Amnesty International, but wonder how effective this action is, given that Mugabe particularly objects to people from the UK (the colonial oppressors)and is unlikely to be swayed by opinions from the UK. I am grateful every day that I live in a country that is politically stable and that I have the freedom to challenge my government without being incarcerated.Please advise me as to what I could do that would really help\r\n\r\nBryony, UK'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> As a British person who lived in Botswana and Malawi for many years, and visited Zimbabwe when it was a less troubled, but no less beautiful or interesting country than it is today, I am deeply concerned about the plight of Zimbabweans under Mugabe. In particular I was extremely upset by the footage recorded by Godknows Nare (presumably at personal danger)of conditions inside Zimbabwes prisons.What I want to know is: what can I do to help? I have sent an appeal to the Zimbabwean authorities following instructions from Amnesty International, but wonder how effective this action is, given that Mugabe particularly objects to people from the UK (the colonial oppressors)and is unlikely to be swayed by opinions from the UK. I am grateful every day that I live in a country that is politically stable and that I have the freedom to challenge my government without being incarcerated.Please advise me as to what I could do that would really help

Bryony, UK

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]]> By: Joe http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3910/comment-page-1#comment-273839 Joe Sat, 04 Apr 2009 08:17:19 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=3910#comment-273839 I am afraid that here in South Africa it is just the same.There is even "whistle blower legislation " in place to protect those people who expose wrondoing, but in every case that I have heard of, the wrondoers ( usually government departments ) spend more time and money chasing the whistle blowers rather than correcting the faults exposed.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('273839','Joe'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('273839','Joe','I am afraid that here in South Africa it is just the same.There is even \"whistle blower legislation \" in place to protect those people who expose wrondoing, but in every case that I have heard of, the wrondoers ( usually government departments ) spend more time and money chasing the whistle blowers rather than correcting the faults exposed.'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> I am afraid that here in South Africa it is just the same.There is even “whistle blower legislation ” in place to protect those people who expose wrondoing, but in every case that I have heard of, the wrondoers ( usually government departments ) spend more time and money chasing the whistle blowers rather than correcting the faults exposed.
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]]> By: Faraway http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3910/comment-page-1#comment-273832 Faraway Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:27:59 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=3910#comment-273832 Evil, inhumane, pompous asses, that's all they are. Let's hope these two idiots will meet the same fate when it's their turn for prison.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('273832','Faraway'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('273832','Faraway','Evil, inhumane, pompous asses, that\'s all they are. Let\'s hope these two idiots will meet the same fate when it\'s their turn for prison.'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> Evil, inhumane, pompous asses, that’s all they are. Let’s hope these two idiots will meet the same fate when it’s their turn for prison.
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]]> By: Fish Eagle http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3910/comment-page-1#comment-273827 Fish Eagle Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:40:08 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=3910#comment-273827 Hi Hope. This is going to "Run" and "Run". Zimondi relies on the reserve bank for remittances to buy food, wages, pay backhanders to the CIO etc. Now this has dried up he's between a rock and a hard place. Good..he's now in the spotlight.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('273827','Fish Eagle'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('273827','Fish Eagle','Hi Hope.\r\n\r\nThis is going to \"Run\" and \"Run\".\r\n\r\nZimondi relies on the reserve bank for remittances to buy food, wages, pay backhanders to the CIO etc. Now this has dried up he\'s between a rock and a hard place. \r\n\r\nGood..he\'s now in the spotlight.'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> Hi Hope.

This is going to “Run” and “Run”.

Zimondi relies on the reserve bank for remittances to buy food, wages, pay backhanders to the CIO etc. Now this has dried up he’s between a rock and a hard place.

Good..he’s now in the spotlight.

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