Zimbabwe's Oppression of the Press

May 5, 2009

18 human rights and political activists were remanded back to jail after being indicted on an alleged plan to overthrow President Robert Mugabe. The order sent freelance journalist Andrison Manyere, and former journalist turned human rights activist Jestina Mukoko back to prison. 16 other MDC supporters were recalled as well. This action goes against the former Global Political Agreement (GPA) established with prosecutors in March. The GPA is the document that guides the coalition government and in the agreement the MDC had added a clause releasing all political detainees. The Harare magistrate responsible for revoking their bail agreement, Catherine Chimanda, explained her actions saying, “The law says if accused persons have been indicted, they must remain in custody.” The MDC has expressed outrage over this action and has said the magistrate has acted contradictory, not only to the original agreement, but also against the will of the people. They are particularly upset by the blatant disregard of human rights.

Critics fear this most recent action could disrupt the uneasy balance in the coalition government. President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai plan to hold crisis talks soon to try to save the coalition government from its seemingly impending doom.

May 12, 2009

Police arrested Vincent Kahika and Constantine Chimakure on Monday for publishing an article allegedly aimed at hurting the credibility of law-enforcement agencies. Kahika is the editor of the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper and Chimakure is the news editor. The article alleged police and security agents abducted rights activists from the MDC last year. The arrests couldn’t be at a worse time because Western governments are refusing to give Zimbabwe money until there is political reform and new human rights legislation. Mugabe has jailed many foreign and local journalists and has closed privately owned newspapers and radio stations. The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has called the actions unjustifiable and unsustainable, citing the source of information as indictment papers, which became public record after the attorney general brought them before a judge.

May 12, 2009

In a follow up story the editors arrested in the morning had been released from detention. The court magistrate found the charges ill founded and let the men free. Although this is a step in the right direction the frequent arrests of activists have raised doubts about the efficiency of the coalition government.

I hate to say this but maybe a coalition government is not right for Zimbabwe. It seems the Zanu-PF are still abusing their powers and are doing more harm than good for the country. They are hurting the humanitarian record and discouraging foreign investors from helping with their economic problems. If the Zanu-PF really care about Zimbabwe and its people it is time for them to step down, particularly Robert Mugabe. The election last summer showed the voice of the people is in support of the MDC. Even with vote tampering the Zanu-PF could not clearly win the election and it is time for them to accept that and stand aside. That is much easier said than done; I understand that. But perhaps if the international community applied some pressure it could be achieved. The coalition government will definitely be something to watch over the next few weeks and we will see how it plays out. They are in a dangerous place right now, and I fear there may be and imminent civil war or the horizon.

Zimbabwe: Theivery, Independence, and its Empty Wallet

April 17, 2009

After the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned Zimbabwe they would need to change their domestic policy and reinstate law and order in the country, reports have surfaced that allies tied to President Robert Mugabe have continued to illegally seize control of farms. Under President Mugabe farms owned by large white farming organizations have been taken over and given to individual black farmers in an attempt to redistribute the nation’s wealth. This practice has come under heavy fire because most farms have fallen off in production leading to national food shortages and preventing foreign currency from being invested in the country.

The newest accusations came against Senate President Edna Madzongwe. Peter Etheridge, who previously owned the farm in question, said it was obtained illegally. Madzongwe was not reached for comment but her daughter insists the farm was obtained legally. Madzongwe currently owns four farms.

In the meantime Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara began touring farms now owned by Mugabe supporters to see why production is down and make sure the farms were obtained legally. “We will not tolerate any government official who is promoting lawlessness in our country,” he said on Friday. Mutambara’s commission visited the Stockdale Farm Friday. A police presence kept reporters away from the farm, causing Etheridge to call the police biased saying, “They are giving protection to her but not us who want to feed the nation.” Militias at other farms tried unsuccessfully to prevent the government commission from entering.

April 19, 2009

In brighter news, Zimbabwe celebrated their country’s 29^th independence day, the first under the newly formed unity government. Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai marked the occasion together, suggesting tensions between the Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change is easing. This is a great change for the country because in previous years Mugabe has used this anniversary to criticize the MDC and Tsvangirai. Mugabe addressed a crowd of 40,000 at a stadium in Harare, calling for national healing. “As Zimbabweans, we need to create an environment of tolerance, and treat one another with dignity and decency, irrespective of age, gender, race, ethnicity, tribe, political or religious affiliation,” said Mugabe.

May 1, 2009

Zimbabwe is broke. Zimbabwe’s Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has been making demands for higher wages but the unity government says it is doing the best with what it has. Annual salaries for government workers have fallen to $100, even for high-ranking officials such as President Robert Mugabe. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai explained the core of the problem saying, “No-one is paying tax at the moment. If the government is not getting taxes, where will the government get the money to pay salaries?” The ZCTU has been making demands for a minimum wage of $454 and Lovemore Matombo, the President of the ZCTU, has told workers if their demands are not met workers must take to the street.

The unity government insists it is working overtime to improve the lives of Zimbabweans. They assure the public they will pay more as soon as possible. Zimbabwe has appealed to the international community for monetary support but Western nations are hesitant to invest until they see signs the unity government can work together. Humanitarians have also appealed for greater human rights before their countries send any support. Tendai Biti, Zimbabwe’s finance minister, has said the country is getting about $400 million in credit from African states. It is not as much as Zimbabwe is asking for but it’s a start.

Zimbabwe's unity government is in a lot of trouble but it seems like the nation is starting to take steps in the right direction. The only question I have is if they are acting different in response to external pressure from the international community or if they really are trying to reinstate law and order for the advancement of the country. I hope it's the latter. The farm seizure business is being addressed by a government commission and hopefully that means former farmers will have their land returned to them. This is essential because production of food is at an all time low and as a result the population is starving. The IMF and other foreign investors are right to not invest in the failing country but this could cause the internal conflict to spill over into the political arena putting added pressure on an already less than stable coalition government. It is a slippery slope because everyone wants Zimbabwe to restore law and order and protect human rights but if the government loses anymore control of the reason there could be a civil war, which would not be good for either side. Hopefully the coalition government will hold the country together long enough to establish a solid human rights record and prove to the international community that they are worth the money they ask for. If they can do this the economic support they will get from the rest of the world should help to restore a once strong economy.