We call them guns; Mugabe calls them ‘campaign materials’
It seems that despite the fantastic news that Satawu workers are refusing to offload or transport Mugabe’s consignment of Chinese weapons, the South African government has been unbending in its stance. The Times (UK) reports that,
January Masilela, the South African Defence Secretary, said yesterday that the shipment had been approved this week by the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), which he chairs. “This is a normal transaction between two sovereign states and we don’t have to interfere,” he said.
Can a transaction in arms ever be considered ‘normal’ during abnormal times?
I’m nothing more than a confused Zimbabwean, but I want to know what happens when the postman arrives at the door of Zimbabwe’s State House asking for the President to sign for the delivery… who signs for it?
We voted three weeks ago and we still don’t (officially) know who our President is?
I haven’t seen the parade of elected MPs walking into Parliament ready to take control of our nation’s affairs, so this confused Zimbabwean would really like January Masilela to define normal for me and offer me and the others (who are likely to be on the receiving end of those bullets) some guarentee that he is very sure it is the elected government of Zimbabwe who is about to receive the weapons, and not a gang of potential thugs who will use them to create a civil war when things don’t go their way.
How can he possibly know who has been elected when we haven’t even been told?
If I understand it correctly, one of the duties of NCACC (which he chairs) is to “ensure that arms trade and transfer policies conform to internationally accepted practice”.
There’s a policy document buried deep on the South Africa Department of Defence’s website in a Policy for the Control of Trade in Conventional Arms (link to pdf file). It’s peppered with noble sentiments like these:
South Africa is a responsible member of the international community and contributes towards bringing about international peace and security through maintaining integrity in the trade in conventional arms.
Wouldn’t it be a lot smarter for a South African government that claims to care about things like ‘peace’ and ‘international security’ to hold off for a bit on this delivery, and wait and see what happens?
I don’t think holding off would be a big problem because a little later in the document, arms traders are warned of a few things that will be taken into account by the NCACC when making decisions on trade in conventional arms. Section 4.a.ii (page 8 ) includes this consideration:
National policy decisions not to trade in conventional arms and military equipment [...] with [...] countries involved in the systematic violation or suppression of humanitarian rights and fundamental freedoms;
There’s the ‘get out of jail free’ card for the South African government right there.
On the international side of things, apparently there are a range of agreements which are on the brink of being violated, including the 1996 Wassenaar Arrangement. The Wassenaar Arrangement website explains one of the principles behind the agreement:
The Participating States seek through their national policies to ensure that transfers of arms and dual-use goods and technologies do not contribute to the development or enhancement of military capabilities that undermine international and regional security and stability and are not diverted to support such capabilities.
If the South African government held back on authorising the transfer of this particular consignment, I expect the majority of freedom loving countries in the world would support them in this sensible stance.
With this is mind, I am left in complete agreement with the comment made by the South African Institute of Race Relations which said that if the shipment goes ahead, “South Africa’s culpability in the Zimbabwe crisis would then be without question.”
This afternoon, Anglican bishop Rubin Phillips arrived at the Durban High Court “in a bid to obtain an urgent interdict to prevent the unloading of a Chinese ship carrying arms and weapons destined for Zimbabwe”. He has the backing of the SA Litigation Centre (Salc) whose Director, Nicole Fritz said:
“Given the current situation in Zimbabwe, with increasing attacks on Zimbabwe’s civilian population by government forces, it is hard to imagine clearer circumstances in which South African authorities were obliged to refuse the grants of any conveyance permit” (link).
The result of this action - for which I am so grateful for - is that the High Court has,
granted an interim order that the controversial arms shipment on board the Chinese cargo vessel, the An Yue Jiang, be placed under the curatorship of the Sheriff of the Court. This effectively means that once the ship is docked the cargo will be seized by the court.(via SABC news)
It’s another incredible step taken by South African civil society on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe and we thank them with all our heart.
But what happens next is something we all need to consider. I may be just a confused Zimbabwean, but experience as a Zimbabwean has educated me in the vicious ruthless relentless ways of dictators and despots; the fact is, I don’t think it will end here.
My fear here is that the ship simply won’t dock and may instead go to Mozambique or Angola where the consignment may silently arrive and be dispatched forthwith.
We need to prepare, well in advance, to lobby these governments and civil society in those countries to follow the example set by South African civil society and Satawu before the next ships arrive there.
My hope is that the rest of the cargo on board that ship poses too much of financial loss to whoever owns the An Yue Jiang to do that. I really hope the ship will dock, offload all their cargo, including the weapons, and then return to China with the captain giving a fatalistic ‘not my problem’ shrug of the shoulders.
This is one financial loss that I, a Zimbabwean taxpayer, am happy to just write off.
I hope that people following this story have their eyebrows raised to hairline level in China’s complicity in the Mugabe’s violent treatment of the Zimbabean people. If you remember, we started following this story because we’d learned of the presence of Chinese military in Mutare. This is all utterly unacceptable. The idea that China is hosting the Olympics is just too incredible for me to comprehend.
My mind is turning to ways we can lobby against them in that quarter.
Let’s be realistic about this: even if the weapons don’t get to Zimbabwe this time, the existing presence of the Chinese military in Zimbabwe indicates that China already has a vested interest in aiding and abetting human rights violation in our country. That has to be stopped.
Update: Less than a few minutes after posting this, we got a call telling us that the ship had left the port and was in international waters. That’s the rumour anyway. I guess it’s on its way to Beira..?
April 18th, 2008 20:49
Yeah, I’ve been wondering about those advisers in Mutare. What are they doing there? And knowing the old man’s ability to distract attention from what he is really doing, we should look there too. What is happening in Beira? What is happening in Chimoyi?
I think we must keep up the pressure. South African civil society has been fantastic. Now we must follow their lead.
We should remember too that if those bullets cross South Africa, their reputation falls too. The chances of keeping the football are slim - and so it goes on. It is in all of our interests to keep those bullets out. It is in China’s interests to keep the bullets out. The Olympics mean a lot to them - a lot more than R9m and whatever else we have promised them.
I also think it is brave of the South Africans to let that shipment in. Normally it would have entered via Beira and go quietly by train into Zim. To go by road through South Africa is an open invitation to bandits. Imagine 3m rounds available to organized crime in Johannesburg.
Lets push on. And have as good a weekend as you can.
April 18th, 2008 21:03
The NEW ANC will prevent these arms from reaching Beit Bridge.
Believe!!
April 18th, 2008 21:16
I am not surprised that President Mbeki could say that all is o.k in Zim,afterall he does not believe that h.I.v causes aids
I pat Satawu on the back and pray the Good Lord gives them courage in this fight against man’s inhumanity to man.
BRAVO Satawu
April 18th, 2008 21:42
This story really amazes me. If the SA government allows this to be transported through their country just as the at least 26 Water Canons were at the beginning of last year they are just as culpable as the regime themselves. Also disappointing was the Popes failure to mention the Zim situation in his address to the UN. Maybe as Bob is a Catholic he might take cognaissence of this. Great Website.
April 18th, 2008 22:17
One would think that they will try Mozambique. Whoever ordered that shipment will want to get hold of it. What about the Maputo harbour? A lot of eyes and ears will be needed.
April 19th, 2008 03:56
Is this true… have the arms really been turned around? The Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) have reported the folowing:
“A ship carrying arms to Zimbabwe left South African waters on Friday after a court refused to allow the weapons to be transported across South Africa, SAPA news agency said.
The An Yue Jiang, a Chinese ship, had been at anchor off Durban on South Africa’s Indian Ocean coast since Monday, turning into a flashpoint for trade unions and others critical of President Thabo Mbeki’s quiet diplomacy toward Zimbabwe.
The 300,000-strong South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) refused to unload the weapons because of concerns Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s Government might use them against opponents in the post-election stalemate.
Several hours after Durban High Court Judge Kate Pillay gave her ruling the ship lifted anchor and left, SAPA said, citing sources that requested anonymity.”
April 19th, 2008 07:48
News24.com is reporting that the ship is headed for Mozambique. shame on the mozambican government if they give it permission to dock
April 19th, 2008 08:08
BBC World Service announced the An Yue Jiang has left Durban with its cargo and they did not know where it is headed.
Apparently the courts backed up the Unions. Yeah for SA. Here is a report from NZ.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4488765a12.html
My guess is the ship will head for Maputo or Beira though it is strange it didn’t go to Beira first. Now what did President Chissano win that big prize for? What was his stand in Lusaka? The unions there? The churches? And the private sector? The railways are important this time.
Not forgetting the SADC meeting in Mauritius - where do the heads of state stay when they go there?
Even this delay is important. Those accessories were obviously meant to be available when the results of the recount were announced. So good on SA - they may have leveled the playing field.
Ideas - who knows the situation in Mozambique?
April 19th, 2008 09:36
Quote:
Durban - A ship that was carrying weapons and ammunition destined for Zimbabwe lifted anchor and sailed from Durban less than an hour after the Durban High Court ordered that its controversial cargo cannot be transported across South Africa to that country.
The An Yue Jiang lifted anchor between 18:00 and 19:00 on Friday evening.**
I believe they are going to try offload in maputo but I have it on good authority, its not going to happen.
April 19th, 2008 09:48
LOOKS LIKE ITS GOING BACK OUT TO SEA??? BUT WHRE IS IT HEADING NOW?
April 19th, 2008 10:01
Just read today that the ship has left Durban for Mozambique after the SA transport union refused to unload the cargo and the court issued a ban on unloading. How wonderful it is that individuals in SA can make a stand against something they think to be wrong. How unfortunate it is that we, in our own country, cannot do the same.
April 19th, 2008 10:15
Dear comrades.. I am a general worker at the Durban harbor (although i am a qualified Zim Engineer)…
I can confirm that the ship has left to Mozambique and the authorities there have offered no resistance in blocking the ship. I would like to however thank the people of SA (EXCLUDING THE POLITICIANS) for several protests that they made to oppose decisions by SA politicians. Lets also emulate their unity.. I wish there was democracy in Zim so that we also demonstrate against such issues but unfortunately a gun will be pointed on anyone who expresses freedom of speech.
April 19th, 2008 11:11
Good for the workers and people… and the court… in South Africa. Now the people and workers and… you never know, the government… of Mozambique to stand up for justice for the people in Zimbabwe.
Mozambique Organistation of Workers email: otmdis@teledata.mz.
Website: http://www.otm.org.mz/index.html
International confederation of free trade unions:
http://www.icftu.org/default.asp?Language=EN
Trade Unions Congress contact: http://www.tuc.org.uk/the_tuc/about_contact.cfm
April 19th, 2008 11:59
Thanks BM, we really need those contacts. We just hope the Mozambican govt will offer equal resistance. Lets not forget that the SA politicians aren’t interested in helping the people of Zim. They’re all (except Zuma) mUGABE Allies. Only the general people of SA have Zimbos at heart.
April 19th, 2008 12:26
Well done BM
April 19th, 2008 12:49
Here’s more: Emails for International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
internetpo@icftu.org, sburrow@actu.asn.au, michael.sommer@bundesvorstand.dgb.de,
jobs&justice@icftu.org, equality@icftu.org, turights@icftu.org, press@icftu.org, icftu.ge@geneva.icftu.org, wkgroup@ilo.org, icftumos@cq.ru, icftuny@igc.org, pbakvis@earthlink.net, icftubux@bih.net.ba, jasna.petrovic@zg.t-com.hr, ihlo@hkctu.org.hk, bainbridge_john@itf.org.uk,
April 19th, 2008 13:03
FOR BM
JUST TRIED SENDING E MAIL TO OTMDIS@TELEDATA.MZ BUT IT HAS BEEN RETURNED
April 19th, 2008 13:16
Mozambique emails:
membro@frelimo.org.mz, info@frelimo.org.mz, armando.guebuza@frelimo.org.mz, mobilizacaoepropaganda@frelimo.org.mz, edson.macuacua@frelimo.org.mz, ines.moiane@frelimo.org.mz, comissaopolitica@frelimo.org.mz
Frelimo contact page: http://www.frelimo.org.mz/
Human rights emails of Commonwealth, Mauritius, Malawi, Tanzania:
hru@commonwealth.int, avery@business-humanrights.org, mhrcdbs@intnet.mu, info@malawihrc.org, chragg@chragg.org, mjemmas@chragg.org
April 19th, 2008 13:53
Now we need Mozambique to say NO!! I always live in hope and maybe this shipment will make it even clearer to the world what is at stake. A major foreign power, China (surprise!!) is supplying an illegal regime with weapons (I mean campaign materials) to wage a civil war. I am also a realist; weapons are money and someone in Africa, not necessarily African, will get their hands on that cargo, break it up into smaller consignments and make a profit. We need the equivalent of Greenpeace to monitor the movements of vessel and cargo at every stage, on sea and land. We can do this for the whales-can we also do it for Zimbabweans?
April 19th, 2008 13:55
I want to say thank you for the campaign efforts and discussion in this thread.
You guys are ahead of us a bit on this one, but we are currently working on a system which we hope will be a valuable easily accessible tool that everyone can use and which you can all feed into.
I am assisting with that tool, but I am also doing a million others things that urgently need doing too.
I’m leaving this comment so you know for sure we are watching your progress, seriously pleased with your efforts, and will be jumping in and supporting you on it as soon as our heads stop spinning at 100km/hr.
You’ve all been amazing! Thank you.
Hope
April 19th, 2008 14:04
This is Sokwanele 2.0 - viral organizing!
Thanks BM - my Portuguese wasn’t up to the Moz sites.
BBC reports that Maputo Port says the ship hasn’t announced its arrival there. So we still have time to rally.
Does anyone have the address of the lawyers who brought this action in SA? I thought I saw a report saying they were going to pursue the matter in Moz too. They might have suggestions about where it is good to raise consciousness.
April 19th, 2008 14:32
Who thinks it might help to contact The Elders (Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, etc).
They have a page on their website where we can write in.
http://theelders.org/village/
Maybe someone good with words could draft an open letter to them that we could send to newspapers all over the world?
April 19th, 2008 15:26
Good effort guys… This ship should go back to Bejieng. We have a critical shortage of forex but Gono gives Mugabe R9,9Million to kill his people instead of feeding them. Where didi they get the forex. Does anyone has Gono’s contacts. He has to tell us where he got all that forex to buy arms.. Zimbabweans need food, not guns..
April 19th, 2008 15:31
I’m with you on tracking the whereabouts of the arms shipment for Mugabe aboard the An Yue Jiang. CNN reports today that the ship is headed for Angola but of course there are other ways to accurately track its whereabouts. Lot’s of open water between Durban and Luanda so I personally am hoping that rustbucket of a Chinese deathship never makes it to its final destination.
This should be a wakeup call for people all across the continent of Africa about Beijing’s real intentions for the future of African people___ bullets and repression, not bread and prosperity. It is absolutely outrageous!
April 19th, 2008 16:23
Possibility that the An Yue Jiang is going to Angola.
http://www.thewordwright.iblog.co.za/2008/04/19/new-destination-of-zimbabwe-arms-ship-angola/
April 19th, 2008 16:44
These are the people involved with the successful court appeal against the shipment:
The RT Bishop Rubin Phillip bishop@dionatal.org.za
Anglican Church of Durban
Mr. Paddy Kearney
Diakonia Council of Churches the.director@diakonia.org.za
Ceasefire Campaign – stopwar@mail.ngo.za
Arms shipment too dangerous to transport by road:
I am told that a newspaper reported that the International Maritime Organisation has designated codes for such shipments and that in this case the codes, as indicated on the documentation, were incorrect. It is debatable whether this is an administrative error. What it means is, that the shipment is in fact too dangerous to transport by road and should be transported by train. This is a safety measure to ensure minimum fatalities in case something goes wrong. It seems that Ceasefire Campaign may have this information. I’m trying to get hold of the article. Maybe somebody has seen it?
Destination of the ship: NEW!
http://www.24.com/news/?p=tsa&i=894708
Nicole Fritz, director of the Southern Africa Litigation Centre, which asked the court to intervene to stop the arms from being transported on to Zimbabwe, said they had been informed that the ship’s next scheduled stop was Luanda.
“But this doesn’t mean it will go there,” she said.
Fritz said the centre would do everything it could to prevent the weapons reaching Zimbabwe, including possible legal action or pursuing the matter through international diplomatic channels.
4th Chimurenga – you guys rock!
BM – thanks for all the valuable information. Great idea re letter – the Elders would not approve of what is happening.
April 19th, 2008 18:28
In the feudal state of Chu an old man survived by keeping monkeys in his service. The people of Chu called him “ju gong” (Monkey Master). Each morning, the old man would assemble the monkeys in his courtyard, and order the eldest one to lead the others to the mountains to father fruits from bushes and trees. It was the rule that each monkey had to give one-tenth of his collection to the old man. Those who failed to do so would be ruthlessly flogged. All the monkeys suffered bitterly, but dared not complain.
One day, a small monkey asked the other monkeys: “did the old man plan all the fruit trees and bushes?’ The others said ‘No, they grew naturally.” The small monkey further asked: “can’t we take the fruits without the old man’s permission?’ The others replied: “Yes, we can” The small monkey continued: “then, why should we depend on the old man; why must we all serve him?’
Before the small monkey was able to finish his statement all the monkeys suddenly became enlightened and awakened. On the same night, watching that old man had fallen asleep the monkeys tore down the barricades of the stockade in which they were confined and never returned to collect fruits for the master. The old man finally died of starvation.
Some men in the world rule their people by tricks and not by righteous principles. Aren’t they just like the monkey master? They are not aware of their muddle-headedness. As soon as their people become enlightened, their tricks no longer work.’
Question: Where did Mugabe get the Forex to buy the Ship load of weapons from?
Answer: Zimbabweans in the Diaspora and with money in FX accounts gave it to him… When will these monkeys learn that they keep him alive… Below is a link to the “The escape of the monkeys”… read it and pass on the link. If enough people refuse to continue cooperating long enough despite the repression, the oppressive system will be weakened and finally collapse.
http://mihd.net/qj2dzht
April 19th, 2008 19:19
I don’t agree with you Amos. The Zimbabwean economy is never run that way. If the monies were coming from generous donors then we could be having enough for us to use. The first alternative source for getting forex in Zim is to first print a lot of local currency and then buy the forex on the black market which subsequently leads to hyper-inflation. That effect is them blamed on speculators,western puppets,mdc,Blair,Brown,cash barons…… and all other ZANU PF PROPAGANDA VOCABULARY… If you want a good dictionary explaining these terms go buy the Herald and listen to Newshour
April 21st, 2008 12:41
Wonderful to hear that REAL democracy is alive and well in SA. Well done - to the Bishop, Unions and dockworkers of Durban for the ONLY principled stand taken by anyone, beyond the country’s borders, on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe -and that includes Presidents and Prime Ministers world wide, UN, EU and all the other empty figureheads of our supposed democracies.
The world needs your heart and your courage.
April 21st, 2008 13:01
“Real Democracy is alive and well in South Africa” ???? Good one,
April 22nd, 2008 15:21
hello everyone.I’m a Chinese.I admire your patriotity and willingness towards very much. But do you think those countries like Andola really have the so-called justies to stifle the shipment, which is totally normal and legal? All of them (SA, Mozambique,Angola or perhaps Namibia)are under press of the US. The US is trying to interfere your own issues, like it always trying to interfere the others’.
April 24th, 2008 20:21
[...] is harder than it looks. For a tense moment, the South African port workers found themselves standing up to three authoritarian forces at once—China, Zimbabwe, and their own president Jacob Zuma. And [...]
April 28th, 2008 14:55
[...] Hope questions the logic of buying weapons during “abnormal times”: Can a transaction in arms ever be considered ‘normal’ during abnormal times? I’m nothing more than a confused Zimbabwean, but I want to know what happens when the postman arrives at the door of Zimbabwe’s State House asking for the President to sign for the delivery… who signs for it? [...]
April 28th, 2008 17:38
[...] Hope questions the logic of buying weapons during “abnormal times”: Can a transaction in arms ever be considered ‘normal’ during abnormal times? I’m nothing more than a confused Zimbabwean, but I want to know what happens when the postman arrives at the door of Zimbabwe’s State House asking for the President to sign for the delivery… who signs for it? [...]