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Luke Lieberman
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Zimbabwe opposition office raided
June 23, 2008 - 12:05 PM
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More actions by the "legitimate" government of Zimbabwe
they do this - I suppose - out of their love for democracy.
I think we can officially call Mugabe a dictator at this point - he government rules by fear and violence - not the consent of the people.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2008/06/200862371112992833.html
"Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in Zimbabwe, has taken refuge at the Dutch embassy in Harare, the capital.
Nqobizitha Mlilo, an opposition spokesman, refused to comment but Maxime Verhagen, the Dutch foreign minister, confirmed the report.
"He is temporarily at the embassy of the Netherlands in Harare," Bart Rijs, a spokesman for the Dutch embassy, said on Monday.
"A request was made yesterday by his party [the MDC] and Verhagen decided that if he sought safety, it would be granted."
Rijs said he could not speculate why Tsvangirai chose the Dutch embassy. But he noted that the Netherlands was a strong supporter of human-rights groups in Zimbabwe although it did not finance any political parties.
It was not clear how long Tsvangirai intended to remain in the embassy building.
Tsvangirai entered the embassy shortly after a police raid on MDC headquarters.
More than 60 people were detained during the raid, including those said to have been victims of politically motivated violence, Nelson Chamisa, an MDC spokesman, said.
"At around 1pm (1100 GMT), riot police raided Harvest House [MDC headquarters]."
"Over 60 people, mainly women and children, victims of political violence, were rounded up."
Reacting to the latest developments, Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, said that the pre-election violence "reinforces ... that it's impossible for there to be a free, fair or peaceful election in Zimbabwe on June 27".
"The Mugabe regime cannot be considered legitimate in the absence of a run-off," she said in a statement.
Earlier, Britain, the former colonial power in Zimbabwe, accused Mugabe of using violence to remain president.
"A government which violates the constitution in Zimbabwe ... cannot be held as the legitimate representative of the Zimbabwean people," David Miliband, the UK foreign secretary, said.
Monday's raid, carried out by at least 10 officers in riot gear, came a day after Tsvangirai announced he would boycott a presidential run-off election against the incumbent Robert Mugabe.
Tsvangirai said he would not contest the June 27 presidential run-off vote hours after his party's main campaign rally was stopped on Sunday.
This post was edited on: 2008-06-23 at 12:08 PM by: luke
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Luke Lieberman
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Re: Zimbabwe opposition office raided
June 23, 2008 - 12:05 PM
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Thousands of soldiers, police officers and loyalists of Mugabe's Zanu-PF blockaded the site to prevent people from gathering for the rally.
"We can't ask the people to cast their vote on June 27 when that vote will cost their lives. We will no longer participate in this violent sham of an election," Tsvangirai said.
Terms for talks
Tsvangirai also said that he is prepared to negotiate with the governing Zanu-PF if pre-election violence is halted.
"We are prepared to negotiate with Zanu-PF, but of course it is important that certain principles must be accepted before the negotiation takes place," he said.
"For instance one of the pre-conditions is that the violence against the people must stop."
The MDC says that at least 80 of its supporters have been killed by Zanu-PF supporters and 200,000 others have been displaced amid what it calls a campaign designed to intimidate people into voting for Mugabe.
Mugabe has denied accusations that his party is using violence to hold on to power.
Southern African nations have called for the June 27 contest between Mugabe and Tsvangirai to be postponed.
"There is no need to be ashamed in announcing that the presidential run-off should be called off until further notice," Levy Mwanawasa, the chair of the Southern African Development Community and Zambia’s president, said.
Mediation calls
According to Tsvangirai, mediation efforts by Southern African nations should be expanded to include leaders beyond Thabo Mbeki, the South African president.
"We believe this initiative has to be expanded to include other leaders," he said.
"[Mbeki] should actually appeal for an expanded initiative that would include other leaders."
Mbeki, given the role of SADC [Southern African Development Community] negotiator for Zimbabwe, has called for Mugabe and Tsvangirai to negotiate.
"I would hope that that leadership would still be open to a process which would result in them coming to some agreement about what happens to their country," Mbeki was quoted by the SAPA news agency as saying.
Zanu-PF supporters roamed the streets of the capital Harare as night fell and businesses closed early amid fears widespread violence could break out.
A spokesman for Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, said that Tsvangirai's decision not to take part in the election was a "deeply distressing development".
Ban called for an immediate end to the "campaign of violence" and has pledged that the UN will "work urgently with SADC and the African Union to help resolve this political impasse".
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davyk
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Re: Zimbabwe opposition office raided
June 24, 2008 - 10:26 AM
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Early yesterday the Harare City Council raided MDC-T headquarters and moved about 37 supporters and their children who were living at the city building under hazardous health conditions to Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre.
The local authority, together with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, raided Harvest House at mid-morning following a tip-off by fellow tenants in the building along Nelson Mandela Avenue.
The tenants had complained that the building was no longer conducive for business owing to the unhygienic conditions.
Social Welfare Director Mr Sydney Mhishi said the conditions at the building were appalling hence the move to relocate the people to a better place.
"As the ministry responsible for the welfare of our people, we moved in together with the City of Harare to assist these people who are living in intolerable conditions. We have identified a place where we will take them and assist them," Mr Mhishi said.
He said his department, with the help of police, would screen the people.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Jessie Banda said police would take the opportunity to look for wanted persons.
"During the screening process we will be looking for those persons wanted for political violence who might have been using the MDC-T headquarters as their safe house," Supt Banda said.
When the Harare City Council raided the premises most of the alleged victims of political violence had fled leaving only a handful of women and children and their property.
The property included bags and blankets, which were in Tsvangirai’s boardroom on the fourth floor of Harvest House and on the first floor.
In an interview, one of the alleged victims, Mr Simon Kamoto from Mutimbanyoka under Chief Nyakusingwe in Rushinga, said he arrived at the offices on May 4.
"I came from Rushinga on May 4 and I have been living here since then," he said.
He also revealed that they were sleeping together with women and children in the offices.
Comm-Gen Chihuri dismissed rumours that about 2 000 MDC-T supporters were arrested at Harvest House, saying only 37 people were found during the raid.
"There were only 37 people found at Harvest House and not 2 000 as suggested by the rumour. They are now at Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre,’’ he said.
http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=632&cat=1
NOT EVERYTHING IS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED......
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davyk
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Re: Zimbabwe opposition office raided
June 24, 2008 - 10:40 AM
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IN a desperate attempt to besmirch Friday’s presidential run-off, MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday "sought refuge" at the Dutch Embassy in Harare, a move police described as a dirty political antic to stir international anger and further damage the image of the country.
Addressing a Press conference last night, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri said the move was also meant to further brutalise the image of Zimbabwe and in particular the Zimbabwe Republic Police on the international arena.
"We wonder whom Mr Tsvangirai is running away or hiding from. We do not have any complaints from him or his party of any threats of violence or attempts on his life that would cause him to fear for his safety and seek sanctuary in a foreign embassy.
"As far as we are concerned, we do not want Mr Tsvangirai for any crime and we have always been open about any arrest we make."
Comm-Gen Chihuri said if police wanted to arrest Tsvangirai, they would have made it public.
"If we wanted to arrest Mr Tsvangirai this would also have been in the public domain without hesitation, apology or misgivings from us as it is our constitutional duty to arrest offenders and bring them before the courts of law," he said.
Comm-Gen Chihuri said of late, Tsvangirai and his entourage has been freely moving around the country without any challenge whatsoever on his life in spite of his earlier claims that his life was under threat.
"We believe the latest development of seeking refuge at the Dutch Embassy is an exhibitionist antic intended to provoke international anger and mustering of sympathy from his handlers," he said.
Zimbabwe, Comm-Gen Chihuri said, was currently pursuing an electoral process in which Tsvangirai is a key stakeholder seeking to get the public mandate to rule the country and was puzzled by his fleeing.
http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=632&cat=1
another media stunt of a puppet i refer you to my blog i have talked about it
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