Zimbabwe Limbo: How Low Can U Go?

[Stan]

Well, the pot indeed gets sweeter. Not too much more to ponder over why Mugabe has not yet stepped down (Ala Mobutu anyone ?)

DRC Leading Copper, Cobalt Producer Eyes Zim

Democratic Republic of Congo's leading copper and cobalt producer, Central African Mining and Exploration Company Plc (Camec) intends to develop a US$200 million platinum mine on the Bougai and Kironde claims, 60 kilometres southwest of Gweru within the next 18 months.

This came after Camec agreed to acquire British firm, Lefever Finance Ltd, a British Virgin Islands company which owns 60 percent of Todal Mining (Private) Limited, a Zimbabwean company, which in turn has rights to the two claims.

Camec added that Todal has the right to export platinum from Zimbabwe and has also secured an agreement to allow it to expatriate the profits generated by its mining operations in the country. In addition, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has extended to Todal the same fiscal incentives as had been granted to Unki Mines (Private) Limited under the Special Mining Lease Agreement for the development of their Unki project.

[Tom Odom]

Here we go with the shadow war again...

Victims tell of torture and murder in Robert Mugabe's 'disloyal' strongholds

Jamie Walker in Harare

Harold was just another footsore traveller when Robert Mugabe’s thugs came for him. Spotting his Movement for Democratic Change T-shirt, they surrounded him and marched him off to “try” him before a “people’s court”, denounce him as a traitor, before beating him, stripping him, sexually abusing him and tying him up with his own shoelaces with his head forced between his legs.

Harold endured a seven-hour ordeal before he was able to escape his captors, by then drunk on cheap homemade spirit. Others were less lucky. Yesterday news of the first killings emerged in what is becoming a coordinated and escalating terror campaign against the Opposition before an expected election run-off.

Tapiwa Mubwanda, an MDC electoral agent, was stabbed to death on Saturday night by a mob of Zanu (PF) militiamen while an unnamed teacher and opposition supporter was beaten to death in Mudzi, north of Harare.

[Stan]

Dumisani Khumalo, South Africa's ambassador to the UN on the heals of a special session at the UN today...

"We, the neighbours are doing something about Zimbabwe, you may not agree with it but we are doing something."

EDIT:
Congrats President Mugabe, you just made the top of FP's The List: The Next Dictators to Go !

With Robert Mugabe tottering after the elections in Zimbabwe, which other tyrants are quaking in their boots?

Why he won’t: Mugabe is thought to be preparing a campaign of violence in an effort to stay in power. ... Analysts think Mugabe is trying to postpone a second round so that he will have time to regroup and concoct a violent response. For as even one of Mugabe’s fellow Zanu-PF party members recognized, a runoff vote would be a “suicide mission.”

[Stan]

A Chinese ship allegedly carrying armaments for the Zimbabwean army was cleared to dock in Durban yesterday afternoon, following a long wait for clearance outside the harbour.

The Democratic Alliance 's spokesperson on defence, Rafeek Shah, said the vessel was alleged to be carrying several container-loads of weapons for the Zimbabwe Defence Force, including mortars, more than 3000 mortar bombs and 1500 rocket-propelled grenades.

However, the vessel's captain, in a radio phone interview with Sapa, denied that it was carrying "dangerous cargo".

Shah's information is that the ship is carrying 3800 cases of weaponry and ammunition in six containers, that the delivery address is the Zimbabwe Defence Force, Causeway, Harare, and the point of origin on the cargo manifest is Beijing.

[Stan]

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has denounced the opposition and former colonial power Britain in his first speech since the disputed elections.

"Down with thieves who want to steal our country," he told crowds marking 28 years of independence.

Meanwhile, South African dock workers are refusing to unload a shipment of arms from China destined for Zimbabwe.

The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union said it did "not agree with the position of the government not to intervene".

[Stan]

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) — A Chinese ship carrying weapons destined for Zimbabwe's government left the South African harbor where workers refused to unload it Friday and headed for neighboring Mozambique, an independent human rights group said.

The ship sailed from Durban on Friday evening soon after a high court ordered that the cargo not be moved, said Nicole Fritz, director of the Southern Africa Litigation Center, which asked the court to intervene to stop the arms from being transported to politically troubled Zimbabwe.

The ship An Yue Jiang had anchored just outside Durban harbor after receiving permission late Wednesday to dock. Its arrival earlier this week increased concern about tensions in Zimbabwe, where the ruling party and the opposition are locked in a dispute over who won the presidential election.

A South African government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, had confirmed weapons were on board but gave no further details.

Fritz said the Durban High Court granted an order suspending the ship's conveyance permit and saying there should be "no movement of the containers in which the arms kept and no movement of the ship."

However, she said, lawyers were told by the court's sheriff that when an attempt was made to serve the order on the ship, the vessel was already sailing away, she said. She said other sources had confirmed the ship was headed for Mozambique, which lies on landlocked Zimbabwe's eastern border.

Port workers in Durban and truck drivers had said earlier in the day that they would not unload the weapons or transport them to Zimbabwe.

[Stan]

Originally Posted by Stan

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) — A Chinese ship carrying weapons destined for Zimbabwe's government left the South African harbor where workers refused to unload it Friday and headed for neighboring Mozambique, an independent human rights group said.

Unions Mobilize to Stop Weapons

Cape Town

The governments of both Mozambique and Tanzania have refused to allow a Chinese ship carrying weapons for Zimbabwe to offload its cargo in their ports, a South African newspaper reported on Monday.

As news agencies reported that the vessel, An Yue Jiang, was headed up the south-west coast of Africa towards Angola, South African union activists scrambled to stop the arms from being delivered to President Robert Mugabe's government.

The report on Mozambique and Tanzania's action was carried by the Johannesburg newspaper, Beeld. The newspaper also reported that sources in the South African Navy said the progress of the ship was being tracked. However, they suggested it would stay out of South African waters for fear of being intercepted.

[marct]

Well, at least some people are keeping a sense of (viscious) humour...

Our Father Mugabe,
who art in Harare,
how bad is your name that it can be hated in all corners of the world?
Thy kingdom is no more,
Give us this day our poll results
and forgive us for voting you out
as we forgive you for trying to rig the votes.
Lead us not into stoning you, but deliver us from your policies.
For thine is the cruelty, the poverty and the shame.
Amen

From here (and there's some more too....)

[Ron Humphrey]

Originally Posted by marct

Well, at least some people are keeping a sense of (viscious) humour...



From here (and there's some more too....)

Read it somewhere that they are re tabulating the votes. Something slightly unsettling about votes being recounted by the loser

I'm sure they'll get it straightened out though. Just remeber not to bring your abacus if visiting Mugabe right now. He might get a little tense.

[Stan]

This will certainly be a first on the continent, if all the African leaders (sans Mugabe) manage to send this Chinese ship home without docking. Perhaps some ship-side bargain sales along the horn

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has urged other African leaders not to allow a ship carrying arms for Zimbabwe to enter their territorial waters.

Zimbabwe's Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said it was their right to defend themselves and buy weapons from any legitimate source.

"I don't understand all this hullabaloo about a lone ship," he told reporters.

Recount again delayed
A recount in 23 out of 210 parliamentary seats, which had been due to end on Monday, was delayed for an unknown period.

[davidbfpo]

According to The Sunday Times (UK) newspaper at the weekend Jacob Zuma, the South African ANC leader and President in waiting (for Mbeki to retire) praised Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC Opposition leader and indicated he would take a different stance to Mbeki.

For Zuma, who is commonly regarded as far more radical than Mbeki, to take such a stance is interesting. The Mbeki -v- Zuma power struggle alas maybe the main influence.

Here is the link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle3779903.ece

davidbfpo

[Stan]

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said the weapons were ordered last year and were "perfectly normal".

The International Transport Workers Federation says it has asked its members across Africa not to help unload the An Yue Jiang, which is reportedly carrying three million rounds of ammunition, 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades and 2,500 mortar rounds.

[Ron Humphrey]

Originally Posted by Stan

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said the weapons were ordered last year and were "perfectly normal".

I wonder what the ransom would be if the pirate's got a hold of this one?

[Stan]

Originally Posted by Ron Humphrey

I wonder what the ransom would be if the pirate's got a hold of this one?

Good call, Ron

I had this morbid thought (which, BTW, has little to do with my decade or so in Sub-Sahara) there would be a port-side bargain basement sale. Winner take all, Jungle Rules apply. Had this ship even remotely tried to dock in Matadi, Zaire, there'd be very little left to squander, and the ship may even set sail elsewhere while the crew are entertained up the street at one of then 50 brothels

[davidbfpo]

I refer to my earlier thread on Jacob Zuma's comments on Zimbabwe, which are important as he is South Africa's president in waiting.

The BBC has a this report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7360438.stm

Which contains this quoute from Zuma: 'It's not acceptable. It's not helping the Zimbabwean people who have gone out to ... elect the kind of party and presidential candidate they want, exercising their constitutional right".

davidbfpo

[marct]

From allAfrica.com

Zimbabwe: Arms Ship Due in Walvis Bay Today
The Namibian (Windhoek)
22 April 2008
Posted to the web 22 April 2008

Christof Maletsky
Windhoek

A CHINESE ship carrying six containers of ammunition for Zimbabwe has applied to take on fuel at Walvis Bay this morning.

The An Yue Jiang is carrying three million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 1 500 rocket-propelled grenades and more than 3 000 mortar rounds and mortar tubes.

On another note, if you are on Facebook, there is a new group called Put Pressure on Robert Mugabe that has some good information being posted on it.

[marct]

From the Put Pressure on Robert Mugabe Facebook group...



This is the inside of his private bus (more photos at the group, photographer unknown). Nice to know that Mugabe will be able to relax in the style to which he has become accustomed .

[Ron Humphrey]

Originally Posted by marct

From the Put Pressure on Robert Mugabe Facebook group...



This is the inside of his private bus (more photos at the group, photographer unknown). Nice to know that Mugabe will be able to relax in the style to which he has become accustomed .

He'll at least have somewhere comfortable to stay once he finally gets hoisted out on his petard

[Tom Odom]

Emerging news....

told ya'll the old bastage had more tricks up his sleeve

CNN said this morning that Mugabe had announced that he won the vote based on a recount

Written articles have not caught up with that announcement

Some indicate that ZANU-PF won an additional parliament seat in Grormonzi West

Tom

[Stan]

Hey Tom !
The BBC reports claim that neither party has the 51% needed... So, another recount, if you please

Meanwhile back at the Bat Cave (in London), PM Brown is doing a traditional USG thingy called 'embargo' I think Ron was right wondering about Somalian pirates gettin' a hold of the Chinese ship. On the other hand, the Chinese crew could make good use of the RPGs and practice on the pirates from say 150 meters Damn, I'm almost jealous with envy at the thought

Regards, Stan