Comments on: Links ~ 15 May 2008 (2) http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/965 This is Zimbabwe is Sokwanele's pro-democracy activist blog. It provides grassroots news and views from Zimbabwe. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:17:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Ants http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/965#comment-223571 Ants Fri, 16 May 2008 12:56:50 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=965#comment-223571 Sokwanele & David Coltard, Exactly - just what I was saying in a comment I made somewhere elsewhere in this blog last evening. Refering to 'the Government' when speaking of Zim is WRONG.  There is no government until the newly elected one gets into those seats.  So - no credance to the old one. Likewise, Mugabe is no longer the President - whether he agrees or not.  So no calling him "President". If enough people start calling it as it really is, we will find power in those words.  Morale climbs, along with courage, and a balanced sense of right & wrong. Those who are in Bob's enemy camp will start getting confused with what they think of as the President, and Government, and it'll all become double speak to them. These are things we all need in times of difficulty to help outlive this terrorist, Mugabe.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('223571','Ants'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('223571','Ants','Sokwanele &amp; David Coltard,\r\n\r\nExactly - just what I was saying in a comment I made somewhere elsewhere in this blog last evening.\r\n\r\nRefering to \'the Government\' when speaking of Zim is WRONG.  There is no government until the newly elected one gets into those seats.  So - no credance to the old one.\r\n\r\nLikewise, Mugabe is no longer the President - whether he agrees or not.  So no calling him \"President\".\r\n\r\nIf enough people start calling it as it really is, we will find power in those words.  Morale climbs, along with courage, and a balanced sense of right &amp; wrong.\r\n\r\nThose who are in Bob\'s enemy camp will start getting confused with what they think of as the President, and Government, and it\'ll all become double speak to them.\r\n\r\nThese are things we all need in times of difficulty to help outlive this terrorist, Mugabe.'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> Sokwanele & David Coltard,

Exactly - just what I was saying in a comment I made somewhere elsewhere in this blog last evening.

Refering to ‘the Government’ when speaking of Zim is WRONG.  There is no government until the newly elected one gets into those seats.  So - no credance to the old one.

Likewise, Mugabe is no longer the President - whether he agrees or not.  So no calling him “President”.

If enough people start calling it as it really is, we will find power in those words.  Morale climbs, along with courage, and a balanced sense of right & wrong.

Those who are in Bob’s enemy camp will start getting confused with what they think of as the President, and Government, and it’ll all become double speak to them.

These are things we all need in times of difficulty to help outlive this terrorist, Mugabe.

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]]> By: Sokwanele http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/965#comment-223515 Sokwanele Fri, 16 May 2008 08:04:39 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=965#comment-223515 <p>Thanks Senator. Congratulations on your recent win.</p> <p>The red links in this link round-up post reflect the titles given by the media to articles we are linking to.</p> <p>We agree that the MDC are clearly the the winners. Conversely, we should perhaps start all start referring to Zanu PF as the opposition and, more significantly given recent events, to Robert Mugabe as the head of the military junta.</p><div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('223515','Sokwanele'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('223515','Sokwanele','<p>Thanks Senator. Congratulations on your recent win.<\/p>\r\n<p>The red links in this link round-up post reflect the titles given by the media to articles we are linking to.<\/p>\r\n<p>We agree that the MDC are clearly the the winners. Conversely, we should perhaps start all start referring to Zanu PF as the opposition and, more significantly given recent events, to Robert Mugabe as the head of the military junta.<\/p>'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> Thanks Senator. Congratulations on your recent win.

The red links in this link round-up post reflect the titles given by the media to articles we are linking to.

We agree that the MDC are clearly the the winners. Conversely, we should perhaps start all start referring to Zanu PF as the opposition and, more significantly given recent events, to Robert Mugabe as the head of the military junta.

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]]> By: Senator David Coltart http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/965#comment-223511 Senator David Coltart Fri, 16 May 2008 07:43:48 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=965#comment-223511 Dear Sokwanele, I see that you refer to the MDC as being "the opposition". Last time I looked the "opposition MDC" won a combined 109 seats against Zanu PF's 97 - we are therefore no longer the "opposition" but the "majority party". I think it is important that all we democrats change our mind sets and the language we use to reflect that mindset. Zanu PF is now in reality the opposition/minority party. Regards, Senator David Coltart PS Keep up the great work - this is a great site.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('223511','Senator David Coltart'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('223511','Senator David Coltart','Dear Sokwanele, \r\nI see that you refer to the MDC as being \"the opposition\". Last time I looked the \"opposition MDC\" won a combined 109 seats against Zanu PF\'s 97 - we are therefore no longer the \"opposition\" but the \"majority party\". I think it is important that all we democrats change our mind sets and the language we use to reflect that mindset. Zanu PF is now in reality the opposition\/minority party.\r\nRegards,\r\nSenator David Coltart\r\n\r\nPS Keep up the great work - this is a great site.'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> Dear Sokwanele,
I see that you refer to the MDC as being “the opposition”. Last time I looked the “opposition MDC” won a combined 109 seats against Zanu PF’s 97 - we are therefore no longer the “opposition” but the “majority party”. I think it is important that all we democrats change our mind sets and the language we use to reflect that mindset. Zanu PF is now in reality the opposition/minority party.
Regards,
Senator David Coltart

PS Keep up the great work - this is a great site.

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]]> By: Graham Atkins http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/965#comment-223329 Graham Atkins Thu, 15 May 2008 23:12:32 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=965#comment-223329 <strong>Finally the diplomats stand up against Mugabe’s thugs</strong>:   The Times (UK) has reported (14 May) that a convoy of diplomats and journalists, investigating atrocities in the Zimbabwe countryside, has broken through roadblocks and sent Mugabe’s thugs and security officials scurrying for cover.   The American, Japanese and EU Ambassadors have led an 11 vehicle convoy - which also included the deputy ambassadors of Tanzania and The Netherlands – to a rural area about 150km north of the capital, Harare, to view evidence of state-sponsored terror against the rural population. The Times reports as follows:   “<em>T</em><em>he diplomats, accompanied by journalists,</em> <em>saw an interrogation and command centre run by ruling Zanu PF party militias on a farm in the district, and visited two run-down local hospitals where scores of people were recovering from wounds sustained through beatings.</em> <em>“The convoy of 11 diplomatic vehicles had finished its tour yesterday when it was stopped at a police roadblock. The ambassadors were told that their vehicles were obstructing traffic and they were ordered to follow the police to the station. The diplomats refused.</em><em></em> <em>“Two police vehicles parked across the road to stop the convoy and were quickly reinforced by senior police officers and state security agents. Kevin Stirr, the US Embassy’s democracy and governance officer, was asked by a security agent what the group had been doing. "Looking at people who have been beaten," he said. The Central Intelligence Organisation agent replied: "We are going to beat you thoroughly, too", before turning away and returning to his car. Mr Stirr pulled open the door and shouted at him. The two agents in the vehicle tried to flee, but James McGee, the US Ambassador, stood in their path. When they tried to push him away with the car, he sat heavily on the bonnet. He went on to take photographs of the agents, who were trying to hide their faces. Earlier, at Mvurwi hospital, another state security agent had tried to order Mr McGee to the station "to verify some information."</em><em></em> <em>“The hospital gates were closed by three officers armed with automatic rifles. These instructions were also firmly rejected by Mr McGee. He then pulled the gate open to let the convoy drive through. At Rhimbick sawmill near by, the ambassadors surprised a senior lone war veteran by entering the house commandeered as the "command centre" from where a mob of about a hundred youths has been dispatched to brutalise villagers almost nightly since April 28. In a large empty room the diplomats found four well-thumbed exercise books filled with names, many of which had been designated as "war collaborators". The war veteran snatched away the books but only after a cameraman had filmed several pages. "Clearly, questioning was done here," Mr Pocock said. Mr McGee said that the threats would not deter the ambassadorial mission. "We are eager to continue this type of thing, to show the world what is happening here in Zimbabwe. It is absolutely urgent that the entire world sees what is going on. The violence has to stop."”</em> This incident shows two things:   that under the protection of a large group enjoying diplomatic immunity, it is possible for journalists to travel into the heartland of Zimbabwe to document the full scale of the disaster unfolding there. Mugabe’s cowardly bullies know they are in the wrong.  As soon as a camera is pointed in their direction, to avoid future prosecution they will try to hide their identities and will flee. Clearly diplomatic immunity is now the weapon of choice we need to use against Mugabe.  Let’s call on every country that has an embassy in Harare to lead fact-finding convoys of African and other journalists into Zimabawe’s rural areas. Then by swamping the mass media, especially in neighbouring African countries, with enough evidence and images of torture and destruction, there is finally a chance to turn the tide of African opinion unequivocally against Mugabe.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('223329','Graham Atkins'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('223329','Graham Atkins','<strong>Finally the diplomats stand up against Mugabeâs thugs<\/strong>:\r\n \r\nThe Times (UK) has reported (14 May) that a convoy of diplomats and journalists, investigating atrocities in the Zimbabwe countryside, has broken through roadblocks and sent Mugabeâs thugs and security officials scurrying for cover.\r\n \r\nThe American, Japanese and EU Ambassadors have led an 11 vehicle convoy - which also included the deputy ambassadors of Tanzania and The Netherlands â to a rural area about 150km north of the capital, Harare, to view evidence of state-sponsored terror against the rural population. The Times reports as follows: \r\n \r\nâ<em>T<\/em><em>he diplomats, accompanied by journalists,<\/em> <em>saw an interrogation and command centre run by ruling Zanu PF party militias on a farm in the district, and visited two run-down local hospitals where scores of people were recovering from wounds sustained through beatings.<\/em>\r\n<em>âThe convoy of 11 diplomatic vehicles had finished its tour yesterday when it was stopped at a police roadblock. The ambassadors were told that their vehicles were obstructing traffic and they were ordered to follow the police to the station. The diplomats refused.<\/em><em><\/em>\r\n<em>âTwo police vehicles parked across the road to stop the convoy and were quickly reinforced by senior police officers and state security agents. Kevin Stirr, the US Embassyâs democracy and governance officer, was asked by a security agent what the group had been doing. \"Looking at people who have been beaten,\" he said. The Central Intelligence Organisation agent replied: \"We are going to beat you thoroughly, too\", before turning away and returning to his car. Mr Stirr pulled open the door and shouted at him. The two agents in the vehicle tried to flee, but James McGee, the US Ambassador, stood in their path. When they tried to push him away with the car, he sat heavily on the bonnet. He went on to take photographs of the agents, who were trying to hide their faces. Earlier, at Mvurwi hospital, another state security agent had tried to order Mr McGee to the station \"to verify some information.\"<\/em><em><\/em>\r\n<em>âThe hospital gates were closed by three officers armed with automatic rifles. These instructions were also firmly rejected by Mr McGee. He then pulled the gate open to let the convoy drive through. At Rhimbick sawmill near by, the ambassadors surprised a senior lone war veteran by entering the house commandeered as the \"command centre\" from where a mob of about a hundred youths has been dispatched to brutalise villagers almost nightly since April 28. In a large empty room the diplomats found four well-thumbed exercise books filled with names, many of which had been designated as \"war collaborators\". The war veteran snatched away the books but only after a cameraman had filmed several pages. \"Clearly, questioning was done here,\" Mr Pocock said. Mr McGee said that the threats would not deter the ambassadorial mission. \"We are eager to continue this type of thing, to show the world what is happening here in Zimbabwe. It is absolutely urgent that the entire world sees what is going on. The violence has to stop.\"â<\/em>\r\nThis incident shows two things:\r\n \r\n\r\nthat under the protection of a large group enjoying diplomatic immunity, it is possible for journalists to travel into the heartland of Zimbabwe to document the full scale of the disaster unfolding there. \r\nMugabeâs cowardly bullies know they are in the wrong.  As soon as a camera is pointed in their direction, to avoid future prosecution they will try to hide their identities and will flee.\r\n\r\nClearly diplomatic immunity is now the weapon of choice we need to use against Mugabe.  Letâs call on every country that has an embassy in Harare to lead fact-finding convoys of African and other journalists into Zimabaweâs rural areas. Then by swamping the mass media, especially in neighbouring African countries, with enough evidence and images of torture and destruction, there is finally a chance to turn the tide of African opinion unequivocally against Mugabe.'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> Finally the diplomats stand up against Mugabe’s thugs:
 
The Times (UK) has reported (14 May) that a convoy of diplomats and journalists, investigating atrocities in the Zimbabwe countryside, has broken through roadblocks and sent Mugabe’s thugs and security officials scurrying for cover.
 
The American, Japanese and EU Ambassadors have led an 11 vehicle convoy - which also included the deputy ambassadors of Tanzania and The Netherlands – to a rural area about 150km north of the capital, Harare, to view evidence of state-sponsored terror against the rural population. The Times reports as follows:
 
“The diplomats, accompanied by journalists, saw an interrogation and command centre run by ruling Zanu PF party militias on a farm in the district, and visited two run-down local hospitals where scores of people were recovering from wounds sustained through beatings.
“The convoy of 11 diplomatic vehicles had finished its tour yesterday when it was stopped at a police roadblock. The ambassadors were told that their vehicles were obstructing traffic and they were ordered to follow the police to the station. The diplomats refused.
“Two police vehicles parked across the road to stop the convoy and were quickly reinforced by senior police officers and state security agents. Kevin Stirr, the US Embassy’s democracy and governance officer, was asked by a security agent what the group had been doing. “Looking at people who have been beaten,” he said. The Central Intelligence Organisation agent replied: “We are going to beat you thoroughly, too”, before turning away and returning to his car. Mr Stirr pulled open the door and shouted at him. The two agents in the vehicle tried to flee, but James McGee, the US Ambassador, stood in their path. When they tried to push him away with the car, he sat heavily on the bonnet. He went on to take photographs of the agents, who were trying to hide their faces. Earlier, at Mvurwi hospital, another state security agent had tried to order Mr McGee to the station “to verify some information.”
“The hospital gates were closed by three officers armed with automatic rifles. These instructions were also firmly rejected by Mr McGee. He then pulled the gate open to let the convoy drive through. At Rhimbick sawmill near by, the ambassadors surprised a senior lone war veteran by entering the house commandeered as the “command centre” from where a mob of about a hundred youths has been dispatched to brutalise villagers almost nightly since April 28. In a large empty room the diplomats found four well-thumbed exercise books filled with names, many of which had been designated as “war collaborators”. The war veteran snatched away the books but only after a cameraman had filmed several pages. “Clearly, questioning was done here,” Mr Pocock said. Mr McGee said that the threats would not deter the ambassadorial mission. “We are eager to continue this type of thing, to show the world what is happening here in Zimbabwe. It is absolutely urgent that the entire world sees what is going on. The violence has to stop.””
This incident shows two things:
 

that under the protection of a large group enjoying diplomatic immunity, it is possible for journalists to travel into the heartland of Zimbabwe to document the full scale of the disaster unfolding there.
Mugabe’s cowardly bullies know they are in the wrong.  As soon as a camera is pointed in their direction, to avoid future prosecution they will try to hide their identities and will flee.

Clearly diplomatic immunity is now the weapon of choice we need to use against Mugabe.  Let’s call on every country that has an embassy in Harare to lead fact-finding convoys of African and other journalists into Zimabawe’s rural areas. Then by swamping the mass media, especially in neighbouring African countries, with enough evidence and images of torture and destruction, there is finally a chance to turn the tide of African opinion unequivocally against Mugabe.

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