China indicates no change to Zimbabwe policy

Reports of a press conference in China between American and Chinese diplomats reveal China has no interest in changing their views toward Mugabe's government.

Matthew Lee, of the Associated Press, reports on June 29th, that

"After talks with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that also covered Taiwan, Tibet and North Korea, China's foreign minister said Beijing favors negotiations between Mugabe, who was sworn in for a new term Sunday, and the
opposition.

'The most pressing path is to stabilize the situation in Zimbabwe,' Yang Jiechi told reporters at a news conference with Rice. 'We hope the parties
concerned can engage in serious dialogue to find a proper solution.'

'China hopes the international community, African countries in particular, can a play a more constructive role in this regard,' he said. 'China
as a responsible country will also play a constructive role in this
process.'

After his swearing-in, Mugabe promised talks with the opposition. Yang stuck to a position that China, one of Zimbabwe's chief friends and trading partners, long has held. But his comments came just after
Rice had spent a significant amount of time making the case for the Bush
administration's new push to pressure Mugabe, officials said."

Lee also reports that Yang and Rice had a difference of opinion on a possible arms embargo against Zimbabwe:

"Although Yang indicated that Beijing's stance had not changed, Rice said
the U.S. would pursue the matter. She said that conditions in Zimbabwe had
'deteriorated to a grave level' and that 'the sham election there is likely to bring more violence.'

'We believe that it's time for the international community to act more strongly,' Rice said. 'Frankly, it makes sense to deny the government of Zimbabwe the means to use violence against its own people.'

At present, there is no international arms embargo against Zimbabwe.
China is one of its main suppliers of weapons and ammunition, although Yang said a recent shipment had been returned 'at the request of the receiving
party.'

That shipment made headlines this spring when some African countries
refused to allow the freighter to dock at their ports, partly at the urging of the United States and others."

One can only speculate how much more extensive the political violence would have been had the Chinese ship carrying ammunition unloaded its deadly cargo and delivered it to Zimbabwe.

See commentary by Desmond Tutu on the Chinese Arms Shipment and violence in Africa

Investigative Video of ZANU-PF Violence

An Australian journalist, Ginny Stein, and her Zimbabwean colleague created a video on June 20th, 2008, showing the extent of the violence against MDC supporters. It is a very graphic video, particularly after the 20 minute mark when two MDC supporters with 3rd degree burns are interviewed in their hospital beds.

The video is available in the middle of the page at the link below and can be enlarged to full screen:

Mugabe's Calling Card

Zimplats Reassures Investors on Zimbabwe Platinum Mines

As with Anglo American, Zimplats, the South African mining company with the largest platinum mining operation in Zimbabwe, reassured its investors that its holdings are secure and operating smoothly.

As the Guardian [UK] Business page reports today:

"Zimplats operations and the expansion project at Ngezi, Zimbabwe are operating satisfactorily," the firm said in a statement. The firm has open-cast and underground operations, located south-west of Harare.

"Zimplats has recently experienced limited political activities at its operations. These activities however, have not impacted on the safety of personnel nor have had a material effect on company operations."

Zimbabwe, which has the second-largest platinum reserves after the world's top producer South Africa, is mired in a political crisis over a presidential run-off on Friday.

President Robert Mugabe went ahead with the election even after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew, saying violence by Mugabe's supporters meant it could not be fair, and despite widespread international condemnation.
Zimplats said that in the short to medium term, its major challenges were retention of skills, reliable power supplies and the rebuilding of the local supplier network."

Zimplats and Anglo-American are in competition with Chinese mining interests in exploiting Zimbabwe's extensive platinum reserves. Platinum prices are extremely high at present, in part in anticipation of future demand for fuel-cell manufacturing.

As the US and the UK talk of expanding sanctions against Zimbabwe, it will be interesting to see if platinum mining enters the picture, or will it be excluded for its strategic importance?

Brings to mind the debate over chrome mining in Rhodesia during the sanctions debate of the 1970s.

Video from Harare, Day before vote

Good video from Harare by Haru Mutasa reporting for AlJazeera. (Al Jazeera is the only news service officially allowed to shot video in Zimbabwe, at present.) On Youtube. Shows different people's views about how they will vote, or not vote.

Day before run-off election, Jan Raath explores emotions of victims and a city on edge

Jan Raath, writing for The Times, London, gives an honest impression of the tensions in Harare, even for those in Highlands and other privileged neighborhoods.

Raath writes:

We live in a country where nothing, not even our daily bread, can be taken
for granted as the economy slips into chaos and the streets are gripped by
anarchy. We live in fear of what's coming next.

I was driving for a meal with friends the other night and passed a mob
of about 30 youths, wearing T-shirts with Mr Mugabe's visage, long sticks at the
ready. Such scenes have not been uncommon in recent years, and especially recent weeks, but this time I was witnessing them in the comfortable, safe suburb of Highlands. You feel a silent whoosh as reality suddenly drops away inside you.

At dinner I mentioned that war “veterans” had occupied the bars at the
City Bowling Club and Reps Theatre. People stopped talking and fiddled with
their food."

Read the rest...

Anglo-American Platinum Investment: Bad Timing? or Strategic Timing?

The BBC Radio World Service interviews Sir Mark Moody-Stuart is Anglo American's chairman about AA plan to go forward with a large investment to develop a platinum discovery in Zimbabwe. It is worth a listen. The Moody-Stuart's logic is that if they don't proceed, the current regime will take back the rights to the platinum claim "and give it to someone else". With platinum prices at 3 times the price of gold, the competition between South Africa, China, and Anglo American has heated up. Talk of economic sanctions will likely not involve these big players.

Here is the article and link to the audio file:

Investment in Zimbabwe attracts criticism

Anglo American, the big London-based mining company, is planning to make probably the biggest foreign investment in Zimbabwe to date - 400 million dollars to build a platinum mine.

British politicians have criticised the decision but Anglo American is adamant that no sanctions have been breached and no laws broken.

Sir Mark Moody-Stuart is Anglo American's chairman. Newshour's Robin Lustig asked him whether, in light of recent events, he had misgivings about the decision:

Listen to the interview here

Who are the Green Bombers?

Jason Moyo, of the Mail and Guardian [South Africa], wrote an insightful story on May 21, 2008, "Green Bombers shore up Mugabe" describing the type of young man who decided to stay in Zimbabwe's National Youth Service, otherwise known as the "Green Bomber", and referred to as the "Taliban" by some members.
The Green Bombers, along with the ZANU-PF youth League, certain war veterans, and others, have been working with the security forces to beat, torture, and humiliate MDC supporters and alleged MDC supporters since the first election on March 29, 2008.

Moyo interviews a Green Bomber named "Howard" who explains:

"Howard now claims a higher calling. "As youths we are the leaders of tomorrow. But Zimbabwean youths want Western cultures and ideas. Some of us need to maintain our nationalist outlook."

Wearing the olive-green uniform that gave it its "Green Bomber" moniker, Howard says the NYC is something every "patriotic" Zimbabwean must go through.

"I support those of our leaders who say it [the NYC] must be compulsory," he says. "Look at me. I'm an example."

Is he willing to maim and kill to instil his brand of patriotism? "Do you think the [liberation] war would have been won if the comrades were soft with people who refused to support the struggle?"

But he insists: "We never kill. I've attacked only those who attacked me."

So what did Howard, and the 20Â 000 youths government has trained, learn in the camps? The programme's bible is a manual called Inside the Third Chimurenga, a reference to land reforms beginning in 2000.

Supposedly an account of Zimbabwe's history, it downplays the role of dozens of liberation war leaders, making way for an embellished image of Mugabe as the one true hero of the struggle.

Much of the manual comprises Mugabe's speeches, including addresses at party conferences and funeral eulogies for war comrades.

The manual refers to MDC members as "rough and violent high-density [township] lumpen elements" backed by "disgruntled former Rhodesians". The MDC is driven by "the repulsive ideology of a return to white settler rule".

And foreign governments are "enemies" using "their local lackeys to drive regime change".

Howard denies this is brainwashing, saying: "Youths that sit in front of the TV and read magazines all day are the brainwashed ones."

Howard is taking a break before his unit is deployed to eastern Manicaland, where police say the MDC is attacking Zanu-PF supporters.

"We are going there just to support the police and other security arms. Ours is only a supportive role."

For this mission he will receive a daily stipend of Z$1-billion -- only R30, but still more than the average worker earns in a day. "

How might SADC respond to Friday's "one-man" election?

Perro de Jong, reporting for Radio Netherlands Worldwide, offers an interesting interpretation from Sehlare Makgetlaneng, of the South African Institute in Pretoria, on how SADC and the AU might interpret the results of tomorrow's election:

"According to Sehlare Makgetlaneng of the South African Institute in Pretoria, the SADC in reality continues to support Mugabe. That's because few African leaders see any merit in a pro-western government such as the one planned by Tsvangirai's MDC. But, he says, due to the ever-increasing government violence against opposition supporters, the organisation must be seen to be reacting.

Nevertheless, there is a 'Plan B' that the SADC could comfortably live with, believes
Makgetlaneng. It's no longer possible to prevent Friday's election from taking place. But, once Mugabe has achieved his aim, he could then afford to enjoy the luxury of taking voluntary retirement.

"They want to see Zanu PF continue being the ruling party, but they want it to have a new leader. Because Mugabe has become a liability to Zanu to win free and fair elections. It is only the ruling party under a new leader which is capable of solving Zimbabwe's problems."

If the West and Tsvangirai complain about the validity of the election, then the SADC can always play the colonial card again. At any rate, for the time being it appears to be the only African solution on the table."

On the other hand, there seems to be less of a consensus among SADC leaders than the above view assumes. See Tichaona Sibanda, at SW Radio Africa [London] report on the boycott of the SADC emergency meeting on Zimbabwe by South African President Thabo Mbeki. Sibanda also reports that the AU is considerating appointing a mediator for Zimbabwe, possibly Nigerias' Obasanjo or Botswana's Masire.

COSATU's Strong Words on Zimbabwe

The South African Independent Online reports a tough line from the powerful COSATU trade union against Zimbabwe:


"In a strongly-worded statement, Cosatu also said on Tuesday that it would mobilise the world's workers to isolate Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, whom it accused of ruling illegally.

"The federation is appalled at the levels of violence and intimidation being inflicted on the people of Zimbabwe by the illegitimate Mugabe regime..." Cosatu said in a statement.

The two-million-strong labour grouping said it fully sympathised with the decision of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to pull out of Friday's presidential run-off.

"The June 27 presidential election is not an election, but a declaration of war against the people of Zimbabwe by the ruling party," Cosatu added.

The trade union federation said it called on workers across the world to isolate Mugabe.

"We call on all our unions and those everywhere else in the world to make sure that they never, ever serve Mugabe anywhere, including at airports, restaurants, shops. Further, we call on all workers and citizens of the world never to allow Mugabe to set foot in their countries.""

The same article reports continued violence against MDC supporters and also lawyers and judges. In Bindura, a lawyer defending MDC supporters has been abducted:

""Lawyer Ernest Jena was abducted from his office in Bindura by suspected Zanu-PF members this morning and his whereabouts are still unknown," said organisation director Irene Petras.

"He was due to make a bail application for MDC members detained in Bindura. Some men came to his office saying they were looking for his assistant, before they bundled Jena into a green Datsun Pulsar.""


Also in Bindura, the article claims that a magistrate was beaten as he walked to the grocery store for having agreed to allow bail for arrested MDC supporters there. Read entire story.

Copy of Tsvangirai's Letter to the Electoral Commission, Giving Reasons for Pulling Out of the June 27, 2008 run-off election

Attention: Honourable Justice Chiweshe The Chairman Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission 7th Floor, Century House HARARE



Dear Sir,

Re: PRESIDENTIAL RUN-OFF ELECTION SCHEDULED FOR THE 27TH JUNE 2008



I write this letter to advise you that for reasons set out in this letter,
it is no longer possible for the holding of the Presidential run-off
election set for the 27th June 2008.



In my considered view, the conditions presently obtaining thoughout the
country make it virtually impossible for a proper election envisaged in both
the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the Electoral Act [Chapter 2.13] to take
place. This being the case, the election scheduled for Friday 27th June 2008
cannot be an election as provided for by our law and accordingly, it will be
a nullity if it were to be proceeded with.



Section 107 of the Electoral Act deals with the withdrawal of candidature
from a Presidential election. Subsection 1 thereof provides that a nominated
candidate for election as President may, by notice in writing addressed to
the Chief Election Officer withdraw his or her candidature before 21 days
from the day or first day as the case may be on which the poll in an
election to the office of President is to be taken. This section in my
respectful view does not apply to a Presidential run off election. Section
110 (3) provides that where two or more candidates for President are
nominated, and after a poll taken in terms of subsection (2) no candidate
receives a majority of the total number of valid votes cast, a second
election shall be held within 21 days after the previous election. It is
quite clear therefore that Section 107 (1) was clearly not designed for a
presidential run-off election as it would not make sense to expect a
candidate from a presidential run-off election to give 21 days notice of
his/her withdrawal where such election has to be held within 21 days anyway.



Section 107(3) makes it much more clearer that Section 107 does not apply to
a presidential run-off election. It provides that:-

"where a candidate for election as President has withdrawn his/her
candidature in terms of this section, the sum deposited by or on his behalf
in terms of subsection (1) of Section 105 shall be forfeited and form part
of the funds of the commission".

No money was ever deposited for the Presidential run-off election in terms
of Section 105 by any candidate.



Furthermore, there has been no rules prescribed for the conduct of a
presidential run-off election and in particular the notice period set for
the withdrawal of candidature by a participant. Accordingly, any candidate
wishing to withdraw his candidature is free to do so at any time before such
an election.



In any event, as I have already pointed out, the election set for the 27th
June 2008 is not a proper election but a nullity. In the circumstances, the
question of the withdrawal from such an election and the notice thereof
cannot be an issue.





REASONS FOR WITHDRAWAL

In terms of Section 61(4) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission is obliged by law to ensure that elections are
conducted efficiently, freely, fairly, transparently and in accordance with
the law.



Section 3 of the Electoral Act sets out in detail the principles which must
govern democratic elections. This Section provides as follows:-



"Subject to the Constitution and this Act, every election shall be conducted
in a way that is consistent with the following principles-


(a) the authority to govern derives from the will of the people demonstrated
through elections that are conducted efficiently, freely, fairly,
transparently and properly on the basis of universal and equal suffrage
exercised through a secret ballot; and

(b) every citizen has the right-

(i) to participate in government directly or through freely chosen
representatives, and is entitled, without distinction on the ground of race,
ethnicity, gender, language, political or religious belief, education,
physical appearance or disability or economic or social condition, to stand
for office and cast a vote freely;

(ii) to join or participate in the activities or and to recruit members of a
political party of his or her choice;

(iii) to participate in peaceful political activity intended to influence
the composition and policies of Government;

(iv) to participate, through civic organisations, in peaceful activities to
influence and challenge the policies of Government;

and

(c) every political party has the right-

(i) to operate freely within the law;

(ii) to put up or sponsor one or more candidates in every election;

(iii) to campaign freely within the law;

(iv) to have reasonable access to the media".


What has been going on in this country immediately after the elections held
on the 29th March 2008 is a clear testimony that the elections scheduled for
the 27th June 2008 cannot be held efficiently, freely, fairly, transparently
and in accordance with the law.



On the 21st May 2008, after having noted the sad events that were happening,
I instructed my Legal Practitioners Dube Manikai & Hwacha to write a letter
to you setting out in detail various concerns which were an impediment to
the holding of a free and fair election. For ease of reference, I attach a
copy of the said letter. Sadly, that letter was neither acknowledged nor
responded to. In my view, if your commission had taken steps to abide by its
constitutional mandate, the situation would have probably not worsened.
Regrettably, the situation since the letter from my lawyers has worsened to
such an extent that no proper election can be carried out. I set out below
few examples of the adverse conditions that vitiate the holding of a free
and fair election as envisaged in our law:-







1. THE FAILURE BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION TO ENSURE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS

Your Commission has failed to discharge its mandate in the following
respects;

1.1 Your Commission failed to declare a winner of the Presidential elections
as provided for in the Third Schedule of the Electoral Act. This point was
well articulated by my lawyers in their letter of the 21st May 2008 and I
associate myself with the submissions made in that letter in regards to this
issue. In my view, a Presidential run- off election should have been
conducted after due compliance by your Commission and in particular the
Chief Election officer with this Section.

1.2 Your Commission has failed to stop and/or condemn continued utterances
by senior Zanu PF officials including Mr Robert Mugabe to the effect that
irrespective of the election result, Mr Robert Mugabe was not going to move
out of his office. The failure by your Commission to condemn such utterances
right from the beginning clearly encouraged Zanu PF, war veterans aligned to
Zanu PF, senior Zanu PF officials and Mr Robert Mugabe to make it their
theme during their campaigns that a President does not come to power through
the electoral process but rather through the barrel of the gun. This theme
which has become pervasive thoughout the Zanu PF campaigns makes people
wonder whether we are in an election or in a war.

1.3 Your commission failed to abide by the provision of the Electoral Act
when it failed to conduct the presidential run-off election within 21 days
from the date of announcement of the presidential elections results
conducted on the 29th March 2008.



2. VIOLENCE



The violence currently obtaining in this country which has resulted in
numerous deaths, destruction of homes, displacement of various people and
injuries to people is something that is clearly in the public domain. As of
today, the country has recorded at least 86 deaths, 10 000 homes destroyed ,
200 000 people displaced and 10 000 people injured.



The victims have been MDC supporters. The violence has been clearly state
sponsored and carried out in most cases by members of the Zimbabwe National
Army and ZANU PF militia. It is true that in some instances our supporters
have fought back, inmost cases in self defence. Because of our inability to
access the rural areas, the above statistics may be understated.



If this present scenario is compared to the period towards the 29 March
harmonised election, it is evident that the conditions on the ground have
fundamentally changed for the worse. The above statistics clearly show that
the electoral environment is not conducive to the holding of a free and fair
election.



3. THREATS OF WAR


Throughout its campaigns, Zanu PF has threatened that there will be war if
an MDC win in the presidential run-off is pronounced. Mr Mugabe made it
quite clear recently that power cannot be taken by a pen but by a gun. War
veterans aligned to him have articulated this position throughout the
country. These sentiments were echoed by senior Zanu PF officials including
the President's wife when she clearly made the point that even if I was to
win, I was never to set my foot at the State house. Mr Mugabe also came out
on National television encouraging his party members to conduct a war-like
campaign. These kind of threats coming as they did from Senior Zanu PF
officials including the President of Zanu PF should certainly be taken
seriously. Indeed, these threats were taken seriously by our population with
the result that a free and fair election is something that cannot be dreamt
of under these conditions.



4. PARTICIPATION OF THE UNIFORMED FORCES IN ZANU PF CAMPAIGNS


It is common cause that the Zimbabwe National Army through its senior
officers has actively campaigned for Zanu PF and continues to do so. This
has been the position with the Zimbabwe Republic Police where senior
officials have publicly campaigned for Zanu PF. As if this was not enough,
the senior officers of the uniformed forces have forced junior officers to
vote for President Mugabe. On the 18th June 2008, my lawyers wrote to you
advising you of these developments and the fact that officers from the
police, prisons and the army were forced to apply for postal ballots. These
officers from the reports we have received have already voted in the
presence of a senior officer and were forced to vote for Mr Robert Mugabe. I
attach herewith a copy of my lawyers letter dated 18th June 2008 which
letter as usual was neither acknowledged nor responded to. In the
circumstances, one cannot talk of a free and fair election which can be
conducted on the 27th June 2008.



5. INTIMIDATION


The level of intimidation which is currently being subjected to our
population particularly in the rural areas is alarming. People are being
forced to attend Zanu PF meetings during the night. People are being told to
record serial numbers on the ballot papers and disclose them to Zanu PF
official who are responsible for carrying out the intimidation. These
incidents have been brought to your attention but unfortunately nothing has
been done by your Commission by way of assuring the voters that their votes
are secret as was the case during the run up to the March harmonised
elections. Infact, the voter education campaign which was reasonably
conducted during the run up to the March 2008 harmonised election has not
been repeated. You have simply allowed Zanu PF, war veterans aligned to Zanu
PF and Robert Mugabe to scare the people by suggesting quite clearly that
presidential run-off vote is between a choice of war and Robert Mugabe.



In my view, there can never be a free and fair election under these
circumstances.



6. NON-ACCESS TO MEDIA


The law clearly provides that a political party is entitled to enjoy
reasonable access to the media. My party booked space for its advertisements
with Zimpapers newspapers namely Herald, Sunday Mail, Chronicle, Sunday News
and the Manica Post which adverts were to commence on the 13th June 2008. We
were advised that our publications could not be published because of the
shortage of newsprint. What surprised us was that Zanu PF's campaign
advertisements are being carried in these newspapers on a daily basis. We
also encountered problems with our electronic advertisements with the
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings which effectively resulted in our failure to
have access to media. This is in sharp contrast with what occurred during
the run up to the March 2008 harmonised elections where we were given
reasonable access to the media. The importance of media advertisement in any
election is quite critical and it is for this reason that media access was
specifically provided for in our law. Without this right, there can be no
free and fair elections.



7. THE BANNING OF MDC RALLIES AND MEETINGS AND DISRUPTION OF MDC MEETINGS


Since I launched my campaign for the presidential run-off elections, I have
encountered numerous difficulties occasioned by agents of the State. I have
been detained at police stations on numerous occasions and thereby denied
time to campaign. Our meeting and rallies have been banned by the police. We
have had to approach the High Court on no less than 3 occasions for the
court to intervene to enable us to go ahead with our rallies. On the
contrary, Zanu PF is being allowed to conduct its campaign rallies even
during the night. In the few cases that our rallies have been allowed to go
ahead pursuant to these Court Orders, Zanu PF supporters have disrupted such
rallies. On Sunday the 22nd June 2008, our star rally in Harare, in respect
of which a High Court Order had to be applied for to proceed with such rally
was disrupted by Zanu PF supporters. Clearly it is impossible for any
political party to campaign let alone to exist without being allowed to have
access to the voting population. In these circumstances, it cannot therefore
be said that the environment presently obtaining is conducive for the
holding of a free and fair election.




DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF VOTERS AND LACK OF ACCESS TO RURAL AREAS

As you are aware voting in the Presidential election is constituency and
ward based. In other words no person can vote outside his or her
constituency and ward. The massive displacement of people already referred
to herein (mainly from rural to urban areas) will result in the
disenfranchisement of these people. The confirmed reports we have received
confirm that there has been massive and systematic confiscation of national
identity documents of our supporters by ZANU PF militia and people claiming
to be war veterans. Until our supporters are able to replace these identity
documents (which cannot be done by Friday 27 June 2008) they are obviously
not going to be able to vote.



Furthermore, more than two thousand of our polling agents throughout the
country have been arrested and kept in custody on flimsy allegations. They
will certainly be unable to vote. We have trained replacement polling
agents, but unfortunately we cannot possibly make arrangement for their
deployment in rural areas as it is common cause that the rural areas have
virtually been sealed off by ZANU PF militia, some members of the Zimbabwe
National Army and people claiming to be war veterans. We will therefore be
unable to deploy polling agents at more than 50% of the polling stations in
rural areas. Certainly there can be no pretence of holding a free and fair
election under these conditions.



From the foregoing and indeed due to several other reasons not necessarily
covered in this letter, it is quite clear that no proper election can be
held under the present conditions. The present conditions constitute a good
example of conditions that vitiate the holding a free and fair election. My
party and I have been giving serious consideration to this whole issue for
some time, during which time it was hoped that a semblance of a conducive
environment may be created as has been the case with other elections where
we have participated under protest. The situation obtaining now is very
different from what has been experienced in this country since independence.
The violence, intimidation, death, destruction of property is just too much
for anyone to dream of a free and fair election let alone expect our people
to be able to freely and independently express to free themselves. For this
reason, my party and I have resolved that we cannot be part to this flawed
process. For the avoidance of any doubt the presidential election question
remains unresolved until such time a free and fair election is held.




We accordingly urge you to abide by your mandate clearly spelt out in our
constitution and in particular ensure that a proper environment conducive
for the holding of an efficient, free, fair, and transparent election is
held in the shortest period of time possible. It is only in that kind of an
election that my party and I will participate in.



By copy of this letter ZANU PF's candidate Mr. Robert Mugabe, the Chief
Election Officer and your Commissioners are advised accordingly.



Yours sincerely





Morgan Tsvangirai

PRESIDENT

MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE



Cc: Mr. R. G Mugabe (ZANU PF Headquarters)

Cc: ZEC Commissioners





Movement for Democratic Change Head Office Harvest House 4 Nelson Mandela
Avenue Harare, Zimbabwe

How MDC Voters are Punished in Harare

Jan Raath continues excellent coverage from Harare for the Times [London] with "Zimbabwe: ‘They beat you...even old men and pregnant women’" (June 24, 2008). Raath describes the MO of the ZANU-PF youth who forced members of Harare's townships, in this case Epworth, to come out for 're-education' after voting solidly for the MDC during the March 29th election.

A source described to Raath the process:

"“Then one man reads out the names of the MDC people,” said Tambudzwa. “One by one, they come to the front and they have to lie on the ground on their stomachs. Then they are beaten, for about five minutes, on their backs. The women cry. The men grunt.

“They use a heavy stick they have broken from a tree. They use all their force, with two hands. And after they have been beaten, they have to stand up and give the Zanu (PF) fist salute. Then they have to say, ‘Pamberi ne-Mugabe. Ndadzoka ku Zanu (PF) [Forward with Mugabe. I am back with Zanu (PF)]’.”

Then they go and sit down again and the next one’s name is called.” The affair was punctuated with slogan chanting and singing, including one song with the words, “Tsvangirai is HIV positive”, she said.

In spite of the calculated terror, when people returned to their seats after the beating, she said, “they were whispering secretly to each other . . . They will never vote for Zanu (PF)”. "

This particular form of mass punishment and "re-education" is an old part of Zimbabwean political violence. The dreaded approach of ZANU-PF youth in a lorry is something most Zimbabweans have grown up with. The bravery of the opposition voters in the face of this is truely amazing.

Read the entire article to get a sense of the way ZANU youth and other paramilitary groups act with impunity, and why the MDC's decision to pull out of the run-off election was justified. See Farai Sevenzo's account for the BBC of the attacks in and around Harare leading to Tsvangarai's announcement last Sunday.

In addition, many articles can be found at the Kubatana.net archive of articles about the elections

South African Government's official word on Zimbabwe crisis begins to change

After agreeing to a UN Security Council Presidential Statement condemning the political violence in Zimbabwe, the South African government has begun to change its tune. The Cape Argus headline story, At last, SA condemns Mugabe, gives the details.

For the past year the British and the Americans have been trying to get the Security Council to take up the issue of Zimbabwe and the violence against the MDC, but South Africa's control of the UN Security Council, which ended last month, has made it impossible (see LA Times article from April 2008 on this). Now, it seems, given the world's attention to the numerous killings, beatings, torture, and displacement of MDC supporters, even the South African government can no longer hide behind its "quiet diplomacy" that has, for the past 8 years, allowed Zimbabweans to suffer greatly.

The actual UN Security Council Presidential Statement reads as follows:

“The Security Council condemns the campaign of violence against the political opposition ahead of the second round of the Presidential elections scheduled for 27 June, which has resulted in the killing of scores of opposition activists and other Zimbabweans and the beating and displacement of thousands of people, including many women and children.
“The Security Council further condemns the actions of the Government of Zimbabwe that have denied its political opponents the right to campaign freely, and calls upon the Government of Zimbabwe to stop the violence, to cease political intimidation, to end the restrictions on the right of assembly and to release the political leaders who have been detained. The Council urges the international monitors and observers to remain in Zimbabwe while the crisis continues.
“The Security Council regrets that the campaign of violence and the restrictions on the political opposition have made it impossible for a free and fair election to take place on 27 June. The Council further considers that, to be legitimate, any government of Zimbabwe must take account of the interests of all its citizens. The Council notes that the results of the 29 March 2008 elections must be respected.
“The Security Council expresses its concern over the impact of the situation in Zimbabwe on the wider region. The Council welcomes the recent international efforts, including those of SADC leaders and particularly President Mbeki. The Security Council calls on the Zimbabwean authorities to cooperate fully with all efforts, including through the UN, aimed at finding a peaceful way forward, through dialogue between the parties, that allows a legitimate government to be formed that reflects the will of the Zimbabwean people.
“The Security Council further expresses its concern at the grave humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe and condemns the suspension by the Government of Zimbabwe of the operations of humanitarian organizations, which has directly affected one and a half million people, including half a million children. The Council calls on the Government of Zimbabwe to immediately allow humanitarian organizations to resume their services.
“The Security Council will continue to monitor closely the situation and requests the Secretary-General to report on ongoing regional and international efforts to resolve the crisis.”

The briefing by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe is also interesting. Apparently, the US and UK wanted the final Presidential letter to state that the results of the March 29th election should be respected, meaning that Tsvangarai should be viewed as the President-elect. But South Africa and China did not accept this wording, leaving the more watered-down line above: "The Council notes that the results of the 29 March 2008 elections must be respected."

For more on the dealings behind the scenes, see William Gumede's "Amid the despair of Zimbabwe, there is still hope" in the Independent, June 25, 2008

Alan Cowell and Celia W. Dugger report in the International Herald Tribune (June 24, 2008), that the ANC reiterated their demand to be in charge of the Zimbabwe situation. Using historical arguments, the ANC warned:

""It has always been and continues to be the view of our movement that the
challenges facing Zimbabwe can only be solved by the Zimbabweans themselves,"
the statement said. "Nothing has happened in the recent months has persuaded us to revise that view."

In what seemed a clear rebuke to the Western-led effort to take an
aggressive stance against the Zimbabwean government, the ANC included a lengthy criticism of the "arbitrary, capricious power" exerted by Africa's former colonial masters and the subsequent struggle by African nations to grant newfound freedoms and rights.

"No colonial power in Africa, least of all Britain in its colony of 'Rhodesia' ever demonstrated any respect for these principles," the ANC said,
referring to Zimbabwe before its independence.""

Apparently, from this logic, historical lack of respect for newfound rights and freedoms means current powers are equally justified in disrespecting them.

Mbeki now in the hot seat

The decision made yesterday (June 22, 2008) by MDC presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangarai to END participation of the MDC in the current run-off election against unofficial president Robert Mugabe has turned attention to South African President Thabo Mbeki. Mbeki, who had told the world after the March 29th election that there was "no crisis" in Zimbabwe, now needs to find a new line given the extensive world press coverage of the brutal attacks against MDC candidates, their families, and their supporters over the past 2 months. Sean Jacobs has written an analysis for the Guardian [UK] that paints an interesting picture of Mbeki and why he has remained so steadfastly in support of Mugabe over the past 8 years.

As world leaders condemn Mugabe's rule and question his legitimacy as president of Zimbabwe, there are two nations absent from the condemnation, South Africa and China. Over the next few weeks, we should watch to see what, if anything, these two nations say about Zimbabwe. Perhaps their silence reflects historical ties to the Mugabe regime? Or perhaps they are related to the current competition between the two nations over platinum mining rights in Zimbabwe. South Africa currently dominates platinum mining in Zimbabwe, but during the past few weeks, against the backdrop of electoral violence, the Chinese have negotiated new access to platinum mining in Zimbabwe.

Some British companies have already come under fire for continuing to invest in platinum mining in Zimbabwe, but there seems to be no criticism of the South African or Chinese mining companies there. As the international community ramps up pressure on Mugabe's regime, will the mining sector come under greater scrutiny?

The news of the MDC pulling out of the run off campaign had a negative impact on the value of the South African Rand today (June 23, 2008), suggesting that the violence in Zimbabwe will take on an increasingly important place in South African politics than it has been to date.

Continued Killings of MDC families

Jan Raath in Harare, and Jenny Booth of the TimesOnline[London] report of another family member of an MDC leader found beaten to death by ZANU-PF suporters. The death toll of MDC supporters is now over 70 people since the March 29th election that saw the MDC win a parliamentary majority and the MDC presidential candidate win a majority of the votes, although not enough to avoid a run-off election. Morgan Tsvangirai announced yesterday, however, that the MDC will no longer participate in the run-off election given the "war" waged against the MDC by ZANU-PF.

The vulnerability of MDC organizers in Harare

Once again, the Los Angeles Times is doing a very good job reporting from Harare. This story illustrates the helplessness of MDC activists as they are being sought out in the suburbs of Harare. In this case, the large nearby town of Chitungw1za. The reporters describe as brothers waiting as ZANU=PF supporters attack their hide-out:


"At midnight, about 300 ruling ZANU-PF party supporters attacked the house with rocks. The MDC men tossed stones back. But the mob returned with guns.

"The last thing my brother said to me was, 'The situation is really bad. There's nothing we can do because we are fighting people with weapons. I hope God will intervene,' " said Sebastian. He couldn't see his brother's face in the dark but heard the fear in his voice. A chill of fear tightened his own gut."

New wave of attacks on Zimbabwe opposition ratchets up the death toll, LA Times, June 22, 2008

Regional responses to MDC's decision to pull out of election run off

Interesting to read the divergent responses to the MDC's decision. Zambia's Mwanawasa had already advocated for the runoff to be delayed. While South Africa's Mbeki, through his spokesperson, Mukoni Ratshitanga, is quoted below from Shaw's article as having hoped to keep Tsvangirai and the MDC "to continue to play a role in the normalization of the political process in Zimbabwe." How exactly is withstanding so much political violence and getting little response from South Africa "normalization of the political process". The South African position on Mugabe's rule has been off the mark for eight years now. It will be interesting to see how the will continue to defend Mugabe while the world is watching the killings and torture in the country today.

Agnus Shaw writes:

"Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa said Sunday that the runoff must be postponed. Mwanawasa, who currently holds the rotating chair of the Southern African Development Community and has long been among Mugabe's most outspoken critics in the region, said Zimbabwe had failed to meet minimum election standards.

He voiced particular frustration that he had been unable to reach South African President Thabo Mbeki, the region's designated mediator in the Zimbabwe crisis, and criticized Mbeki for not sharing information.

Mbeki is increasingly isolated both abroad at at home for his appeasement of Mugabe and his refusal to flex South Africa's economic muscle against his neighbor.

Mbeki's spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga said Tsvangirai had called Mbeki earlier Sunday to inform him he was withdrawing.

"Of course we would like to encourage the MDC to continue to play a role in the normalization of the political process in Zimbabwe. And we are encouraged that Mr. Tsvangirai says he is not closing the door completely on negotiations," said Ratshitanga." Agnus Shaw, Zimbabwe opposition leader pulling out of election. June 22, 2008.

MDC PRESS STATEMENT ON THE PRESIDENTIAL RUN-OFF

The MDC has officially pulled out of the upcoming run-off election for president. Given the extreme political violence and lack of substantive support from South Africa and SADC to stem the violence, this difficult decision had to be taken in order to stop the killings and bloodshed. It remains to be seen if it will.

Here is the MDC's official Press Statement:

"MDC PRESS STATEMENT ON THE PRESIDENTIAL RUN-OFF

22 June 2008, Harare

The MDC won the March 29th elections despite conditions that were far
from free and fair. Our party's message of peaceful, democratic
change and rebuilding a New Zimbabwe enjoys the support of the vast
majority of Zimbabweans. Our election victory confirmed this to
Mugabe and since that date, he and his supporters have been waging a
war against the people of Zimbabwe. This violent retributive agenda
has seen over 200 000 people internally displaced and over 86 MDC
supporters killed. Over 20 000 homes have been destroyed and over 10
000 people have been injured and maimed in this orgy of violence. For
the record, there are eight broad reasons why a free and fair
election is impossible. Zanu PF has already subverted the run-off
through the following:

STATE SPONSORED VIOLENCE

The police have been reduced to bystanders while Zanu PF militia
commit crimes against humanity varying from rape, torture, murder,
arson, abductions and other atrocities. Zanu PF militia dressed in
army regalia have been deployed to spearhead the terror campaign in
the rural and urban areas. Armed Zanu PF youths are waging a terror
campaign and have vowed that the MDC will not rule the county even if
it wins. The Joint Operations Command (JOC) is engineering a violent
campaign to subvert the will of the people. The Central Intelligence
Organization (CIO) has designed covert operations to destabilize the
nation.

Zanu PF has set up over 3000 militia bases across the length and
breath of the country in order to cow and intimidate MDC supporters
into submission. Death and hit squads are on the loose in all the
provinces. War veterans and Zanu PF youths are manning illegal
roadblocks with impunity in complicity with the police. The use of
guns and arms of war by Zanu PF militia and war vets to campaign for
Zanu PF has virtually militarized the election atmosphere. All this
is being done as State sponsored ploy to tilt the vote in favour of
Zanu PF.

MDC PRESIDENTIAL CANIDATE'S CAMPAIGN

The regime has crippled the MDC Presidential Candidate's
campaign. MDC rallies have been banned. Court orders have
been
ignored. Today, Sunday the 22nd of June 2008, a mere five days before
the run-off date, police refused MDC permission to hold its only
Star
Rally at the open space across the Harare Show Grounds. We
successfully sought a High Court Order which granted us permission to
proceed
with our rally. Regrettably, armed Zanu PF thugs occupied the
venue in order to prevent us from gathering. MDC supporters were
attacked and cars
were stoned at the venue. This happened in full view
of the police.
Unlawful arrests of the MDC
Presidential Candidate have
been going on unabated. The public media has flatly refused to flight
MDC adverts. To date, no single commercial has
aired by the Zimbabwe
Broadcasting Corporation. There is a total blackout of the MDC in the
public media in clear contravention of the SADC
guidelines and
standards governing a free and fair election.
The hate language and the vilification
of the MDC
Presidential candidate by the public broadcasters and public media is
unprecedented. By denying us access to the media the regime
has
managed to deny the MDC access to the people.

DECIMATION OF MDC STRUCTURES

The MDC Secretary General, Hon. Tendai Biti and MP Advocate Matinenga
are illegally detained. Over 2000 MDC supporters including our
polling agents are in illegal detention. The arrests have targeted
members of Parliament, Councillors, the MDC structures and election
agents. Over 200 000 people have been internally displaced. The whole
game plan is designed to cripple the MDC campaign.

THE ZIMBABWE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
(ZEC)

The MDC is shocked by the level of partisanship of ZEC. We have lost
confidence in ZEC. The organization has been staffed by war veterans
and Zanu PF militia. In fact, as it stands now, ZEC is not in charge
of the management of this election.

THE MEDIA

The media is under attack. There is a complete blackout of the MDC's
campaign. Journalists are being harassed and intimidated and foreign
journalists barred from entering the country.

THE ZANU PF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

The Zanu PF candidate has no respect for the MDC, observers, the
regional and international community. He has made public
pronouncements to the effect that he will not accept defeat. He has
declared war by saying that the bullet has replaced the ballot. The
statement by General Chiwenga and Commissioner of Prisons Zimondi
that they will not respect and accept the will of the people is
regrettable and is a clear manifestation that a free and fair
election is impossible.

PLANNED ELECTION RIGGING BY ZANU PF

The MDC has
unearthed an elaborate and decisive plan by
Zanu PF to rig the elections through the following measures:
i.
Commandeering the uniformed forces to use the
postal ballot and forcing them to vote in front of their
superiors.
ii. The prevention of MDC election agents to get to
the polling
stations through roadblocks and arrests.
iii. The three Mashonaland provinces have
been
identified as rigging centres where ballots are going to be stuffed.
iv.
Villagers are having their national identity cards
confiscated denying them their right to vote.
v.
There is a plan to record the serial numbers of
ballot papers so as to intimidate voters.
vi.
The holding of forced pungwes (overnight meetings)
where MDC supporters are beaten and forced to undergo
"re-education".
vii. The abuse of traditional leaders.
viii.
The use of massive violence as a weapon to influence
the ballot.

CONCLUSION

Given the totality of these circumstances, we believe a credible
election, which reflects the will of the people is impossible. We
remain unreservedly committed to free and fair elections in the
country. The conditions prevailing as of today do not permit the
holding of a credible poll. The militia, war veterans and even Mugabe
himself have made it clear that anyone that votes for me in the
forthcoming election faces the very real possibility of being killed.
Zimbabweans have also shown how brave and resilient they can be. They
have withstood years of brutality, impoverishment and intimidation.
They are dedicated to a New democratic Zimbabwe. But, we in the MDC,
cannot ask them to cast their vote on June 27th when that vote could
cost them their lives. Therefore, we in the MDC have resolved that we
will no longer participate in this violent, illegitimate sham of an
election process. The courageous people of this country, and the
people of the MDC have done everything humanly and democratically
possible to deliver a New Zimbabwe under a New Government. We urge
SADC, AU and the United Nations to intervene urgently in this
unprecedented situation to restore the rule of law, peace, and
conditions for a free and fair election. We are going to articulate
our vision and the way forward to the people of Zimbabwe and the
world on Wednesday, after further consulting the people. Finally, we
salute and thank all the suppressed masses of Zimbabwe who have been
maimed, raped, tortured, lost homes and properties in the pursuit of
a noble cause of wishing to see a free and democratic Zimbabwe. I
sympathize with you over the loss of your loved ones in these final
phases of the struggle. Victory is certain, it can only be delayed.

I thank you.

President Morgan Tsvangirai
Movement for Democratic Change Head Office
Harvest House
4 Nelson Mandela Avenue
Harare, Zimbabwe"

The political violence in Zimbabwe has worsened over the past two weeks, with the continuing trend of ZANU-PF led violence against the MDC, against human rights workers, and against lawyers and teachers and others in civil society viewed as opposition supporters. The number of deaths has now risen to over 60. [See www.sokwanele.com for an interactive map and details of the violence.]
President Mugabe has already stated he will not accept an MDC victory, and was quoted in the party’s newspaper, The Herald, as having told an election rally, "We shed a lot of blood for this country. We are not going to give up our country for a mere “X" on a ballot. How can a ball point pen fight with a gun?"Agnus Shaw, “Mugabe Warns He Will Not Concede Power in Zimbabwe” June 16, 2008, Associated Press, Yahoo News
Meanwhile, as the UN and Mbeki are in Harare this week to “mediate”, more deaths of opposition supporters occur openly and blatantly. The newly elected MDC Mayor of Harare, Emmanuel Chiroto, was away from his home when his 27-year-old wife and 4-year-old son were kidnapped in a suburb of Harare. After the kidnapping, their home was destroyed by petrol-bombs. His son was fortunately released, but reports today indicate that his wife was killed, her body left outside a police station, still blindfolded. As Peta Thornycroft reports in the Daily Telegraph, Chiroto told her, “’My son keeps on saying to me, “Daddy, go and get mummy from the forest, go and get her and bring her home”,’ Mr Chiroto said. ‘I have not told him his mummy is dead.’”8 Chiroto had only been elected mayor of Harare by the city councilors a few days ago, on Sunday, June 15th. Peta Thornycroft, “Zimbabwe: wife of Harare's MDC mayor killed” Daily Telegraph, June 18, 2008