Links ~ 15 May 2008
May 15th, 2008
Tsvangirai to return home
MDC Leader Morgan Tsvangirai will address his supporters at an opposition rally to be held in Bulawayo on Sunday. This will be the start of a nationwide campaign for the presidential vote in a run-off against President Robert Mugabe.
Violence `Shocks` SA generals
According to sources, the delegation of SA generals has uncovered “shocking levels†of state-sponsored violence. Their findings reflect that most of the violence was sponsored by the state, even though there were incidents of opposition supporters taking defensive or retaliatory action.
Mbeki mulls action on Zimbabwe
South Africa – Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad indicates that a report from the SANDF Generals, may lead to action by the South Africa to address violence in Zimbabwe. Any action taken however would be subject to the discretion of President Mbeki as facilitator.
US Ambassador Says Zimbabwe Government Doing Nothing to Stop Post-Election Violence
“The degree of the violence is brutality like I’ve never seen before. I’ve even been in war zones. I served in Vietnam for four years… What I’m seeing here I did not even see that type of brutality in a war zone.†US Ambassador James McGee reacts to criticism from the state-run media and accuses them of “less than factual†reporting (see Herald responses here). He shares some of his impressions and experiences during a diplomatic fact-finding mission to Mashonaland central.
Disaster officials ready for asylum seekers
Botswana is preparing for an influx of Zimbabwean asylum seekers and has set up temporary receiving centres at Selebi-Phikwe and Bobonong. Asylum seekers will be screened at these centres before they are transferred to the Dukwi Refuge Camp.
Chinese arms ship might be headed for home
According to the International Transport Workers Federation, the ‘An Yue Jiang’ is currently travelling south of Port Elizabeth (South Africa) and keeping to international waters. There is a possibility that it may dock at a Mozambican port.
South Africa: Poisoned Fruits of an Uneven Regional Economy
Business Day argues that the xenophobic attacks which occurred in South Africa is symptomatic of the country’s failure to realistically assess its position within the regional economy.
Zim grocery import duty suspended to boost supplies
The Zimbabwe government waives import duties on basic commodities in a bid to alleviate critical shortages of supplies throughout the country. According to analysts sanctions are not to blame for the shortages as it is only aimed at about 200 senior ruling party officials.
Zimbabwe: Confusion Surrounds RBZ Payments (14/05/2008)
Confusion reigns as conflicting statements are issued to the media with regard to RBZ’s alleged payment of $700m to AfDB.
May 15th, 2008 15:34
I am worried, after readin yesterday’s news, that the SA government – under advice from their generals – might support that zpf loyal organisation yesterday that recommended Bob went for a ‘state of emergency’.
Is that where this is heading do you think? I just have this feeling we’re pawns in a game.
May 15th, 2008 16:53
If Mbeki , once again, plays down any violence in Zimbabwe orchestrated by ZANU-PF, hopefully after a truthful report from his generals in Zimbabwe, then he may be in danger of ending up on trial in the Hague, sitting next to Mugabe, as his accomplice !
May 15th, 2008 17:28
Let’s make an effort to get more response from Desmond Tutu and above all from Nelson Mandela who has been disappointingly silent. And we might as well play on Zuma’s desire to best Mbeki too… international Red Cross. Mugabe is the cause of the state of emergency! What supreme irony if he should try to declare it!
Red Cross and Mandela links in the data base.
May 15th, 2008 22:44
Sokwanele -
I tried the email address for Nelson Mandela on the Action Database site: viz.
nmandela@nelsonmandela.org and I received ann automatically generated message back that delivery to this recipient had failed.
Are you sure his email address in the database is correct?