“Yes, we are all being armed; we are going back to war”
This man, above, is from UMP, Mashonaland East Province, the local ‘war vet’ and Zanu PF militia put plastic on his back and arms and burned it. He only managed to get to hospital four days later.
This man, above, is also from UMP area. He was tied to his hut door by militia and then set alight. This happened last week and he only managed to get to hospital last night.
The email accompanying the images echoes the message received yesterday from a different source.
We cannot get ambulances to go into that area as they are either turned back by Police or threatened by CIO. So we are borrowing fuel off anyone and everyone for our MDC guys vehicles to go in and find the injured.
The same person who sent us this message also advised us that someone he knows in the Macheke area saw two youngsters walking down the road with AKs slung over their shoulders. He asked another person - a war vet he had a friendly relationship with - what it was about:
The answer was, “Yes we are all being armed; we are going back to war”.
April 22nd, 2008 11:00
Ow. Sorry! That looks very painful. Please know that the world is thinking of you.
And good to the people with the spirit and courage to help them move to hospital.
I have been thinking, in addition to no more guns,we must also campaign against the bankers. No more money!
The money - the funny notes - are no longer a public service allowing people to do business more easily. They function to buy up forex coming in from the diaspora. It is also used to pay people and as it is not backed by a tax base, it is simple theft - it is stealing the goods it buys.
Stopping the notes will reduce the state to using electronic money. And we can pick that up at that time. Will the civilians suffer if there are no more funny notes - not really - Zimbabweans are innovative. They will find other methods of trading. People on the ground should comment though. We are just here to help.
Maybe economists and bankers would like to comment as well? The people printing the money are Giesecke & Devrient. They are a German company. I think EU nationals could put a lot of pressure on them to stop printing the notes. They are likely to comply as I doubt the profit they make will be worth the bad publicity.
April 22nd, 2008 11:44
Better still, why not order up a whole new set of currency on behalf of the rightful government and start using it. Ask any East German what happened when East Germany still had a government but no longer had its own currency.
I realise that idea is short on detail, but there are some principles to explore in the relationship between currency and political power, if we get our thinking caps on.
April 22nd, 2008 13:37
Definitely agree… no money to pay soldiers and police to brutalise people. Let’s email:
Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
Prinzregentenstraße 159
81677 Munich
Germany
Tel. +49 89 4119-0
Fax +49 89 4119-1535
press@gi-de.com, government@gi-de.com, banknote-printing@gi-de.com,
Management Board: Dr. Karsten Ottenberg (Chairman), Dr. Peter Zattler, Dr. Walter Schlebusch, Hans Wolfgang Kunz, Michael Kuemmerle
Chairman of the supervisory board: Peter Mihatsch
April 22nd, 2008 13:55
German government emails for the ‘No more money or bank-note paper to Mugabe campaign’: Does anyone speak German… could do us a letter?
German Banking Workers Union: lbz.hessen@verdi.de
German chancellor contact page: http://www.bundeskanzlerin.de/Webs/BK/EN/Service/Contact/contact.html__nnn=true
German Ministry of Foreign Affairs: poststelle@auswaertiges-amt.de
German Ministry of Finance: poststelle@bmf.bund.de
German Ministry of Economic Cooperation & Development: poststelle@bmz.bund.de
German Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Youth etc: info@bmfsfj.bund.de
German Federal Govt Press Office: InternetPost@bundesregierung.de
German Government press office contact page: http://www.bundesregierung.de/Webs/Breg/EN/Service/Email/email.html__nnn=true
April 22nd, 2008 13:58
The solution..is to act decisively rather than to intellectualise the issue ad nauseum..ACT. History shows the story of all genocide is one of different commissions and omissions of three typical groups… the blood thirsty perpetrators…the helpless victims and the global moral majority who watch the show from the sidelines offering their detached concern and risk free, academic solutions, while the deaths are taking place. 6 million jews and 800,000 Rwandans died…due to inaction.
After 10 years Zimbabweans are STILL the focus of aggressive right wing policies of brutality and failed left wing solutions based on blind pacifism and passivity. What a pornographic show… REPEATED from 2000…2002…2005 the same cycle…of wrong assessment, hope, fraud, violence and hand wringing. Who is questionning this?
All over Zimbabwe people are suffering and dying while two sides justify their wrong headed policies… Losing just one life because one side believed in ultra violent means and the other side solved that problem by pretending utopian principles mattered more than being realistic is the real crime.
…. yahoo.com…………………… [link removed]
April 22nd, 2008 14:33
You’ve shown a number of images such as the ones heading this post, and you have such a gallery on Flickr. You must be commended for maintaining this graphic record. However, both Sokwanele and Flickr have an impact only on those who are well aware of the situation in Zimbabwe and actively seek out anything we can find on the internet, often involving long hours of searching and following up leads. Can we trust that international politicians are as dedicated in their research. I recall one who could not comment on a politcal issue because he had not had time to watch CNN.
A thousand words can be said with one picture, so the maxim goes. With all the emailing activism that is evident, could you provide lower resolution images on your site for potential emailers to copy and transmit with their emails to the politicians and organisations they aim to lobby. Not everyone has the knowledge to render images of low resolution suitable for emailing and delivering the short, quick punch.
April 22nd, 2008 14:33
@anon
In many countries, to use the internet to incite violence is an offense and google and co will hand over your information to anyone with a warrant.
We are all entitled to our views but we should be clear - even if we were trying to
organize an armed struggle, which we are not, we wouldn’t be doing it in public view. So it is quite likely these people are amateurs at best, set ups at worst.
So please to anyone who has not lived through a war before, and who is new to all this, be careful of people on the internet trying to draw you into illegal activity.
As a rule of thumb, to check someone’s integrity, look at the pattern of their speech. Are they talking about what they are doing? Or are you the one has to go and get shot?
Are they discussing with you? Would they listen to you if you disagreed? If not, then are you any better off with them than you are with a dictator?
Stay safe people! Lets focus on what is good and true and bring Zimbabwe to a positive place with a joyous future.
If people don’t want to do the work being coordinated here, we can suggest organizing scholarships for children in the diaspora, working with Doctors without Frontiers and the churches to get medicine into Zimbabwe, providing mobile phones and phone cards so people can communicate, and so on. Practical concrete actions that we can do in easy steps right now with our own resources. Our destiny is ours and it is peaceful and joyous.
April 22nd, 2008 14:40
Malcolm: Most of the images on our Flickr gallery are low enough for emailing even at full size. We usually have the opposite problem: few high res images that the press can use for print. This is because it is very difficult for Zimbabweans to send out or upload images via dial-up connections.
Flickr also enables people to select which size they want to download to email out. We recommend choosing the ’small size’ to download if you want to keep things as quick as possible.
To do this, go to the flickr account: select ‘All sizes’ from the links above the picture you want to download, then select the ’small size’ option.
You make a good point though: we must make the directions clearer and more explicit.
We’ve also just sent out a press release with the latest batch of images to alert the press.
April 22nd, 2008 14:48
Quite right, scotchcart.
@BM: Do you still need a German letter?
On a different note (haha)
“German bank gets impound order for Chinese ship’s Zimbabwe-bound cargo”
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/22/europe/EU-GEN-Germany-Zimbabwe-Chinese-Ship.php
April 22nd, 2008 15:11
If somebody emails me a letter they want translated into german I will happily do so and post it here or email it back.
April 22nd, 2008 16:28
I must commend this blog, and all contributors.
There is not much that happens that is not reported here as soon it occurs, and even before the media get it sometimes. Sharp bunch of blokes and gals out there.
And I would think that you are making a measureable difference to how this debacle plays out.
Go for it!
April 22nd, 2008 16:59
As far as I am concerned. Any blood spilled or life taken from here on in is on Thabo Mbeki’s hands. Hope he is proud of his achievements.
April 22nd, 2008 17:27
Hi guys,I have just sent out emails to major cable news companies depicting the atrocities of Robert Mugabe. Thank you so much for keeping this site running,keep the images coming in. Someone will definitely notice them!
April 22nd, 2008 18:23
I hear the police have lost their will to support Mugabe - is this correct?
Ok when will the soldiers loose their will? Surely the people know many soldiers? Say to the soldiers : look at your country - why kill your neighbour when your neighbour is the same as you. We are all starving. Say to the soldiers: spread the word - put down your weapons! Enough is enough! Spread the word! Take courage! God bless Zim and all the good people.
April 22nd, 2008 19:44
Hi All….Sometimes things go very wrong very quickly. Zim’s situation is a case in point. I know that posts are very easily transfered from inside Zim (Albeit slowly) but if history teaches us anything, you need to be prepared for cut links and monitored traffic in the not too distant future. Google PSIPHON and ask friends and family to host it for those inside Zim. Don’t forget to give IP and password info to trusted contacts only.
TOR (the Onion Router is another high security web tool. Google EFF. org for info.
April 22nd, 2008 20:23
The photos - what can I say? It will only strengten our effort.
So, I will need a German letter too, please.
Here is also two links:
info@tutufoundation-usa.org and
International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (In Germany)
mail@bzfo.de or b.jenkins@bzfo.de
April 22nd, 2008 20:25
The ridiculous ‘recount’ is now a total shambles. The photos and reports of violence and torture are horrific. The so-called ‘international community’ simply cannot continue to stand by and watch.
The situation must be tackled by international leaders NOW, before it is too late to avoid countless innocent victims.
The formula articulated today by Morgan Tsvangirai is, surely, the only way forward: “Robert Mugabe is a liberation hero on our continent and he must be convinced to make a graceful exit”. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7360979.stm
April 22nd, 2008 21:17
I am not quite sure how to go on about translating something.
Could whoever runs this site forward an email to me?
Or just post what you would like translated here and I will post a german version.
I don’t really want to publish my email as it is the only one I got, I am not getting too much spam there and I’d like to keep it that way. On the other hand I would very much like to help as much as I can!
April 22nd, 2008 21:27
We need IT help fast. We are generating ideas and contacts so fast. Think of the young people in your family who could put together a website together quickly where we can all post. I think it can be done pretty much for free.
I didn’t understand the google post. Can someone spell it out in baby steps.
Also I notice people on SWRadioAfrica sound depressed. Is there someone who could summarise what is happening here for them to report. We have to get people in a positive frame of mind - hard I know. But when we are positive we have energy and we find points of leverage we don’t see when we have ‘had it’.
The smile campaign and the prayer campaign are still important.
IT guys - we need you lots. Lots!
April 22nd, 2008 21:29
A Famous Quote from MARTIN LUTHER KING.
Whatever your views…It resonates.
“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed”
April 22nd, 2008 22:10
Scotch cart: The contact information being suggested on this blog is, as I speak, being collated into an online database, organised, accessible and searchable to all. I haven’t actually seen a tool like this for Zimbabweans anywhere before.
Unfortunately, these things take a bit of time to set up, but once they are up, they fly. It’s up, and data is being entered. It will be live very soon.
In the meanwhile, please can everyone keep the contact information coming in.
May I suggest we focus on the ‘ENABLERS’ - China.
I do not believe this story ends with a shipment being turned away.
I do believe we need to take a precautionary approach and assume the worst. If the best happens - fantastic - but lets not be caught wrong-footed!
People are being killed in Zimbabwe. Today, I saw a picture of a murdered young man and we haven’t yet worked out whether it would be appropriate to publish it or not. It really broke my heart.
The fact is, Mugabe means business: his survival depends on whether he can bash or kill the opposition and democratic movements like ours into accepting his will.
Mugabe always has a plan. We need to anticpate that plan and work hard to undermine it. Always.
We must never celebrate too soon.
The task you are all engaged in is possibly bigger than you realise. The evil you are squaring up to is formidable, but I am already seeing evidence of Goliath wincing at the stones he is being pelted with.
Fantastic work. Well done.
As a group - we do not accept that terror is an acceptable way to cow a population so we ask people to keep thinking, keep working and do not feel downhearted if things don’t go our way - that’s the nature of things.
We’ve been doing this for ten years: you get the highs and the lows - you just have to ride through the lows and not be defeated by a bully.
But for the sake of the people who are being killed and tortured and cannot - CANNOT - speak for themselves, we do what we can.
p.s. (Scotchcart - I’ve been trying to email you privately, by the way, using the email address you submit with your comments.)
April 22nd, 2008 22:15
I have today asked friends in a development charity in German to raise awareness within their community and the German Government. Thank you all for these brilliant ideas. Each picture of my brutalised countryman is motivating me to do something. Keeping busy and feeling useful is helping deal with this nightmare. I would also like to give a talk at my University about the situation in Zimbabwe. Do I have Sokwanele’s permission to use the pictures. I will appropriately credit Sokwanele. Thank you
April 22nd, 2008 22:34
Yes we are all armed, we are going back to war. So speaks the war vets, strange how these war vets have discovered the fountain of youth. The war vets are mugabes criminals,
Scotchcart, why do you not open a web page…go to google, get yourself an e mail address and follow the directions, Or is this the talk the talk phase of this fantasy?
April 22nd, 2008 22:37
@ Scotch Cart
Less patronising please…The issue is the end of tyranny not the defensive expression of liberal umbarge …History will decide that we all played our part..
No one has advocated violence at any level …however…the point is that in life when mother nature seeks a new path evolution will provide a new way.
As the moderator of this site has stated …comments containing hate speech..expressions of violence etc will not be posted…
As they also stated …
We are all in this together…team mates so please dont see any offence where none exists. As mentioned the issue is with RGM no one else.
April 22nd, 2008 22:59
Sokwanele I have posted a comment on one of your blogs that you can action for us all.
We need to collate the best ideas and reaction them again a soon as possible. Can you do this for us Sokwanele?
I agree that there is a greta will on this site to act at whatever level we can but we need someone on the inside to give us a clue where it might hurt Bob most at present.
I’ve said before all Bob’s men need food and water and if with some intervention they need to spend all their time on the toilet forinstance it makes life difficult!
April 22nd, 2008 23:32
If the ‘war vets’ are all armed, and are being brainwashed by the homicidal maniac Mugabe into ‘going back to war’, the only answer must be that the forces of construction, decency and democracy will have to be armed too. The international community will have to see to it that supplies of arms are brought in and distributed into the hands of the resistance. Unfortunately, it is the way of the world that the forces of fanaticism can only be opposed by force.
April 23rd, 2008 00:19
@ True Grit / Nyonii and others…
At present a great deal of frustration exists with the pace of change and the methods used to achieve change..and the way the regime has used brute force to frustrate those efforts…
Sokwanele and its members are engaged in the important work of Humanitarian activism and social/political pressure that rejects the use of force / violence as a means to gain progress in Zimbabwe…(I and others may differ but respect their work as the destination sought is the same)
From what I can gather at present they are engaged in lobbying contributing to preventing the Chinese ship from delivering its cargo…
As the work of normalisation requires a unified front and minimal internal conflicts between the moderates and less moderate wings in the change movement…rather than have a to and fro as to whether one method is better than another may I suggest visiting
[... link removed in keeping with Sokwanele's principles of non violence]
It was set up as little outlet is given to Zimbabweans who are angry and frustrated with the failure of the democratic process and the regime brutality and want to express angry views which might seem to some to advocate force…though unlike some misinformed overly analytical people have claimed its aim is NOT so…
April 23rd, 2008 05:12
Photos: Although challenging to look at, Sokwanele, you are right for sharing these pictures. I see this guy’s back and he looks strong, and was willing to work for what he believes in. Now he’s suffering a lot of pain. What determination he and other Zimbabweans must have! He is a brave man and even more brave to share his pain with others. THANK YOU YOUNG MAN WITH BURNING PLASTIC INJURIES. Thank you Sokwanele sincerely for figuring out how to post these, which must have been a difficult decision.
Now when the churches say that brutality is on the upswing on a wide scale, it tends to resonate more.
Not my place to suggest — if showing that image of a person killed let’s people see what Mugabe is really doing, you might consider showing it. If it would spread fear and panic in the public, perhaps not, it is your call. What tare he implications of showing the image?
Just knowing a reliable source such as Sokwanele has the image conveys the reality of the lengths this military-inspired government is going to cling to power, and may help the resolve of neighbors whose “patience has worn thin” to wear out.
End the violence: Mugabe, military, green bombers, war vets, there is still time to stop. Each crime after March 29 is an act of politicide, a crime against humanity, whereas prior to the 29th there was a remarkable low amount of violence. Each killing will be found out as this government is nearing an end. Better late than never, to show your human, neighborly side. Perhaps you are confused from the wrong and hateful information that was given to you, and that is at least partly understandable. What about stopping, just try to stay away when asked to participate in something that is wrong.
On violence: True Grit, your heart may be in the right place but violence loses. The other side has “degrees in violence.” Rarely if ever has violence delivered on its promises, because it empowers the worst of your side to give results. To get out of a homicidal mess, you rather need the best side to show itself. Not lecturing anyone, no morality lesson, it is the only practical workable solution.
April 23rd, 2008 05:52
I am from America I wish that I could send my friends money to help them feed the families Also I come quarterly to buy art How can I do this now It lease the money I spend $4000.00 US help to fed many people
April 23rd, 2008 07:40
Do you really think that the ship might go back, since China knows that its actions are being watched because of the upcoming olympics? Darfur, Tibet and Zimbabwe…surely it cannot go on.
heres the article
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/23/africa/23zimbabwe.php
April 23rd, 2008 10:24
@ Beng
Thanks for that help in phrasing letters to China.
From my understanding gained in that part of the world and reading translations of what ‘Chinese netizens’ have to say on the matter, Beng is on the right path.
There are many people in China who believe that SA should be punished for blocking the shipment. When we talk with enablers we have to be savvy about all the pressures on them. Give then choices they can say yes to. And keep our discussions to the issue at hand. Declaring someone an enemy (as the netizens seem to do) when they have crossed you on one issue doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Thanks, Beng. I wouldn’t have known how to phrase that letter. If nothing else, we are grooming a set of people here who are knowledgeable about world trade and international diplomacy!
April 23rd, 2008 11:22
It is highly unlikely that a political party can petition the UN into any action on mediation or intervention fronts. I understand that as a Government in Exile the MDC could be afforded more of a legal standing at the UN (there are cases,albiet rare, of this happening.) I would imagine that MDC is somewhat reined-in, legally, until anouncement of the results. Should a Government in Exile status be declared I think we should gear-up in preparation. The voter rights denied to all in the diaspora may be reclaimed by showing our support at the UN. I know how difficult and risky it is to operate on the internet from Zimbabwe, and all of the externalised Zimbabweans must make a concerted effort to exercise the freedoms afforded to us on behalf of the less free citizens of Zimbabwe. Therefore any email contacts for the UN and its subsidiaries would help. Sokwanele, there have been many email address supplied in numerous comments. Could you reproduce them on your blog page side panel, for instance, so that we don’t have to search through all the comments?
April 23rd, 2008 11:53
Malcom. It’s a critical point, I agree. We have set up a proper searchable database to log and store information. Hoping to get it live very soon.
April 23rd, 2008 11:59
I have heard on UK Radio today that one of the recounted ballots has reversed the official count and now given the win to Bob. This is not good news as I suspect that this will happen throught Zim.
There is some great ideas exchanged on this site and positive action and support is all we can give you Sokwanele at present. However, be sure that we are circulating those two letters in German and English to as many contacts as we can.
I have noticed that during the last two days there are some Chinese bloggers trying to get their side of the arguement heard. Can anyone produce a letter such as the German one above in Madarin for us to use today?
April 23rd, 2008 12:14
Hi Sokwanele and CC, here’s a draft of a short letter for German emails: alter and improve as necessary. I left the links at the end blank… need to find them again.
Dear Sir, Dear Madam,
The German company Giesecke & Devrient GmbH (G & D) supplies money/bank-note paper to the brutal Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe.
G & D is helping Mugabe to pay his violent militia to beat and torture opposition voters and ordinary people.
G & D is directly responsible for Mugabe’s ability to pay for bullets, AK-47s and mortars used to keep power illegally.
The German government has spoken against Mugabe’s tyranny in the past. Zimbabwean people are very grateful for Germany’s support in their struggle for democracy and peace.
PLEASE HELP TO STOP GERMANY SUPPLYING MUGABE AND HIS ILLEGAL REGIME WITH PAPER TO PRINT MONEY.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Sincerely,
……….
Links to Further information:
April 23rd, 2008 12:26
@ scotchcart re Positive Frame of Mind:
I think when people look back the business with the ship will have proved an important turning point. Starting from a small place (did it start on this very blog?), the case was taken up by African Trades Unions, Churches, the courts, then the port authorities and government officials of Mozambique and Angola, and finally went all the way up to the President of Zambia and Chair of SADC Levy Mwanawasa.
All this happened before the Americans or anyone else in the West could think of it or lobby for it, so for once they can’t try and claim credit for telling Africans what to do in the patronising way they unfortunately often do (their “do as I say not as I do” approach gives Mugabe’s people massive propaganda points!). The speed of the Internet and the way the information got around meant that the victory, while a small one in material terms, was achieved by African people, African institutions and African governments.
From this point on, the idea that dictators can be propped up while the people and institutions of Africa remain powerless, is a thing of that past. We have seen that realisation at every level. That’s why I say that while it seems like one small thing, we may well find that history looks back on this business as a turning point.
So there is something to be upbeat about when so much else is so frustrating. It can be done!
April 23rd, 2008 12:38
In the Bible there is a line that says.. Am I my brothers keeper?.what does it mean?..The saddest thing about this whole tradegy unfolding in Zimbabwe is that it is not new … it is as preventable as it was predictable…
As with most social tradegies honest warnings were dismissed by insecure men and women within the civil liberties activist establishment who have turned, Zimbabwes suffering and other crisis into a fetish for their social conscience and a stepping stone for their ambitions..it is enough to care but not to sacrifice.
The current template of civil protest was lifted directly from the civil rights era of America and the FLOWER movements of Eastern Europe, and imposed as a method of change upon a vulnerable Zimbabwean public to oppose a vicious African regime.
The current crisis is a direct result of this imposition born of a lack of honest situational analysis, an inability to admit when ideas and methods are wrong and a lack of preparation…in the light of glaring past evidence. Its nteresting thinking if Hitler had been opposed with such methods, or Idi Amin or Pol Pot….
Forcing the Zimbabwean people into a meat grinder over unrealistic ‘civilized’ liberal principles.
Yet no one is wrong regardless of the evidence, the failure is justified because others are bearing the weight of the torture.
We know this because the pictures are spreading. There is so much liberal concern yet no liberal is that concerned that they are willing go to Zimbabwe any time soon and actually disarm the militias of their clubs and knives and AKs???
No offence but people like Scotch Cart can play internet activist god all day long on this site knowing that they have no intention of putting one foot inside present day crisis ridden Zimbabwe to protect those people they watch in your pictures.
I thought about your campaign regarding the ship, its commendable yet only one consignment out of many.and theres only one way to stop them all…so who is really their brothers keeper?
[link deleted in line with Sok principles of non violence]
April 23rd, 2008 13:05
Amazing, wonderful, proof that power IS in the hands of the people, and that governments are in fact the servants of the people!
It was Noseweek that spotted the arms shipment - showing the importance of people-level investigative journalism - and SATAWU’s immediate honourable response - the workers.
Then Bishop Rubin and SALC and decent courts - swift support of lawyers and churches.
And the outcry by the people of Africa and peoples of the world who are against arms and war and for peace and justice… making their voices heard and creating pressure on governments to act for the good of the ordinary people everywhere.
Workers of the world united for peace and justice! and, yes, hope for a better future.
April 23rd, 2008 13:19
@ Saidi, you gave me a fright there!
Goromonzi West has been upheld - NO CHANGE (no pun intended!). This was the seat callenged by MDC.
So, let me put it this way: nothing pamberi, nothing pasi!
April 23rd, 2008 13:39
I’ve sent a rough&ready translation of BMs letter to my mother in Germany who will try and contact some newspapers.
She might suggest a few alterations, I could post the my final german version here if there is any demand.
My mother had no idea that this is going on and was rightfully disgusted by the whole affair.
April 23rd, 2008 13:47
@ Mike
Yes, SATAWU will remain one of the stories of Africa for a long long time.
We must enjoy their boldness and then remember they can only be so bold because they have worked hard to organize and mobilize. And this is never ending.
It ain’t an event; it’s a process!
Surely we can make a ’sexier’ slogan?
The truth is we enjoyed it, not so much because they did it, though that was really important, but because we felt we were able to take part, each in a small way.
We’ve been missing that. Everyone want to be the one to score the goal. We can win this match with one or two goals only. To get those goals, we need good mid-fielders and good defenders too.
That is where Sokwanele and the people here have been fantastic. Building up the play so the strikers can finish!
Yebo! Damn - I have to go to work!
April 23rd, 2008 13:56
Ich tried to write a german letter for our purpose to say:
“no money to pay soldiers and police to brutalise people”.
‘No more money or bank-note paper to Mugabe campaign’:
translated for the subject line of your future e-mail for the following german institutions someone already gave us above:
subject-line:
“Kein Geld und keine Banknoten mehr für Mugabe’s aktuelle brutale Kampagne”
addresses:
German Banking Workers Union: lbz.hessen@verdi.de
German chancellor contact page: http://www.bundeskanzlerin.de/Webs/BK/EN/Service/Contact/contact.html__nnn=true
German Ministry of Foreign Affairs: poststelle@auswaertiges-amt.de
German Ministry of Finance: poststelle@bmf.bund.de
German Ministry of Economic Cooperation & Development: poststelle@bmz.bund.de
German Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Youth etc: info@bmfsfj.bund.de
German Federal Govt Press Office: InternetPost@bundesregierung.de
German Government press office contact page: http://www.bundesregierung.de/Webs/Breg/EN/Service/Email/email.html__nnn=true
to address the German Chancellor in German use:
Sehr geehrte Frau Bundeskanzlerin Dr. Merkel,
…
for the other institutions just use:
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
…
I vouch for the content of the letter. Anyone who needs a translation put it on the comments then I will try with my bad English. And now the letter, just copy it in your mail:
Ich möchte Sie dringendst darauf aufmerksam machen, dass die Münchener Firma Giesecke & Devrient (G&D GmbH) wöchentlich tausende frisch gedruckter Banknoten nach Zimbabwe einfliegen läßt und damit das brutale Vorgehen der Regierungspartei ZANU-PF nach den aktuellen Wahlen direkt unterstützt. Glaubwürdige journalistische Quellen im In- und Ausland belegen dies. Angesichts der jüngsten sich dramatisch verschlechternden humanitären Siutation vor Ort nach den Wahlen vom 29. März ist es unhaltbar, dass eine deutsche Firma eine jetzt de-facto illegale und undemokratische Militärregierung unterstützt. Mit diesem Geld wird nicht nur die derzeitige Weltrekord-Inflation drastisch verschlechtert, sondern gelangt vor allem in die Hände der Anhänger des Staatsapparates. Das bedeutet, dass diese Banknoten aktuell dazu dienen, Oppositionsanhänger, demokratische Aktivisten und viele einfache Leute, die gegen die Mugabe-Regierung kürzlich gewählt haben, brutal niederzuschlagen. Eine staatlich inszenierte Kampagne ist nachweislich (Siehe u.a. Human rights Watch)mit der beängstigenden Konsequenz eingeleitet worden, dass tausende Leute vor allem in den ländlichen Gebieten brutal zusammengeschlagen, gefoltert und in einigen Fällen sogar ermordet und ihre Häuser zerstört werden.Tausende von Menschen sind im eigenen Land auf der Flucht, weil die Regierungspartei unter Mugabe Krieg gegen seine eigenen Staatsbürger führt, die mehrheitlich gegen diese Regierung und für ein würdiges Überleben und Demokratie gestimmt haben. Giesecke & Devrient verweigern derzeit offizielle Kommentare. Als Grund geben sie an, dass ihre geschäftlichen Beziehungen als vertraulich angesehen werden sollen. Aber angesichts der sich anbahnenden humanitären Katastrophe kann eine solche Aussage nicht mehr hingenommen werden. Ich bitte Sie daher eindringlich, alle Ihnen zur Verfügung stehenden Mittel zu nutzen, den Druck von Banknoten durch G&D sofort zu stoppen und eine öffentliche Stellungnahme diesbezüglich zu formulieren.
Hochachtungsvoll,…. (submit your name here)
April 23rd, 2008 14:11
People power - see brilliant Cosatu statement:
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12301:cosatu-mobilises-against-illegal-zimbabwe-regime-&catid=31:top%20zimbabwe%20stories&Itemid=66
or lead story ‘Cosatu mobilises…’ on:
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
April 23rd, 2008 14:15
Sandra that is an excellent letter!
Substantially better then anything I could come up with anyway.
I will tell my mother to use yours when she contacts german papers and whoever else she can think of.
Thanks!
April 23rd, 2008 14:20
Please can someone translate the letter into English. Thanks!
April 23rd, 2008 14:22
Thanks for German letter, Sandra. Sent off to all including Deutsche Welle press in Germany:
info@dw-world.de
Also post on Der Spiegel contact page
With no arms and no money, Mugabe will be sunk.
April 23rd, 2008 15:09
Thanks BM both for the COSATU link and the link to Gilnert Muponda.
Muponda’s article is pretty thoughtful.
COSATU are amazing. I am truly humbled. They take my breath away.
April 23rd, 2008 15:26
Sandras letter in english:
I would like to draw urgent attention to the fact that the munich company of G&D GmbH is sending thousands of freshly printed money to Zimbabwe on a weekly basis and is therefore supporting the brutal clampdown by the ruling ZANU-PF party.
Reliable journalistic sources at home and abroad support this.
In view of the dramatically deteriorating humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe since the election on the 29th of march it is unacceptable that a german company is supporting an effectively illegal and undemocratic military regime. This money is not only worsening the hyperinflation but it also ends up in the hands of the local supporters of this regime. This means that these banknotes are actually used to brutally suppress opposition supporters, democratic activists and the general population which recently voted against the Mugabe government.A state-organized campaign of terror has led to thousands of people, mostly in rural areas, being beaten, tortured and in some cases murdered and their homes destroyed. Thousands are refugees in their own country because the Mugabe regime has declared war on its own population. A population which voted against this government and for a life of dignity and democracy. G&D currently refuse to comment claiming their business activities are a private matter.
In view of the approaching human catastrophe this point of view is not acceptable anymore. I sincerely ask you to do all you can to stop G&D printing immediately and to relaes a public statement regarding their activities.
Sincerely…
PS my mother sent this to Spiegel, taz, Tagesspegel und Berliner Zeitung.
April 23rd, 2008 15:57
Miko said: 23/4, 05.12
“Violence loses”
BM said: 23/4, 13.05
“power is in the hands of the people…governments are the servants of the people”
There is an old saying: ‘An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile - hoping that it will eat him last’.
The reason why the American Constitution contains (and hopefully always will) the right of the individual to bear arms is because, ultimately, it is not the government that rules the people, but the people who rule themselves. Remember also, that as well as having a roar, a lion also has claws.
April 23rd, 2008 16:46
True Grit and anon: Sokwanele is a non violent organisation and we do not advocate or support violence as a solution at all.
Violence really does not work.
If violence DID work, then Robert Mugabe would not be scrabbling to stay in power right now. He has bashed and beaten the people of Zimbabwe for decades, and still they vote against him.
The calls for violence on this blog need to factor in the reality of our country.
We are not a country which is being invaded by a foreign nation. We are a civilian population - and the fact is we are one which has our strongest and most able-bodied people being forced to work in the diaspora (3-4 million people). It’s about BASIC survival.
Unemployment is over 80%. This means people have to worry about feeding their families every day. Basic survival is a major, major factor in our country. People, every day, need to think about how to feed their starving children, elderly relatives, or sick relatives.
The burdon of individual responsiblity on people in Zimbabwe is MASSIVE and far beyond the imaginations of many in the rest of the world. They are unlikely to abandon their desperate families to certain starvation to take up arms.
Wjhat we would see is even more people crawling under the wire to get to South Africa so their families can eat AND escape a war.
We have a life expectancy of 34 for women and 37 for men. Our people are weakened by hunger and many of them are ill (among the highest HIV/AIDS stats in the world).
The good news is that although our bodies are tired and weak, our intellectual belief in democracy and freedom is strong - as evidenced by our votes and the fact we are still standing and still working against this dictator despite everything.
This small fact is a source of incredible pride for me.
Finally, practically speaking, the Zimbabwean civilians are not armed and there is no country in the world that would arm them even if they could afford to buy weapons or wanted to buy weapons. It is not going to happen.
We need food, not guns.
Anyone who advocates this as a solution needs to understand - from their safe places in the world - that what is being talked about is unarmed people facing real bullets that WILL be used to kill them. I expect Mugabe would like that as a quick end to all his problems and in fact we believe the incredible violence from HIM is an attempt to provoke just such a reaction.