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Zimbabwe: Violence 'Shocks' SA Generals
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Business Day (Johannesburg)
14 May 2008
Posted to the web 14 May 2008
Dumisani Muleya
Harare
RETIRED South African army generals investigating post-election violence in Zimbabwe have uncovered "shocking levels" of state-sponsored terror, sources close to them say.
The continued violence makes any chance of a peaceful runoff election "almost impossible", they say.
When President Thabo Mbeki visited Harare last week, the team's leader, Lt-Gen Gilbert Lebeko Ramano, briefed him on their findings.
The violence intensified after it was confirmed that President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu (PF) had lost to the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and its leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the March 29 poll.
Senior members of the investigating team said their findings were "alarming" and that most of the violence was state sponsored, although the opposition had also retaliated.
"What we have heard and seen is shocking. We have heard horrific stories of extreme brutality and seen the victims," said one of the generals.
"We have seen people with scars, cuts, gashes, bruises, lacerations and broken limbs, and bodies of those killed. It's a horrifying picture."
The generals' report will soon be given to Mbeki, who will decide whether to publish it.
Since it lost the elections, Mugabe's regime has launched a crackdown in a bid to win the expected presidential election runoff. Opposition and human rights activists, trade union leaders, lawyers and journalists have been arrested during the past three weeks.
Yesterday police briefly detained US, British, Dutch, Japanese and Tanzanian diplomats and journalists in Glendale outside Harare while they were visiting scenes of political violence.
Human Rights Watch last week accused the army, deployed nationwide, of creating a climate of fear and of committing human rights abuses. The military has denied this.
The incident which has shocked the investigators most happened at Chaona village in the Chiweshe area last Monday. A Zanu (PF) MP is believed to have led an armed gang of 45 in an attack on MDC activists, leaving four dead. Three other victims died later and a t least 50 people were seriously injured.
"It was a ferocious onslaught on the village. We have never seen anything like that before. The village is still in a state of shock and we now live in fear," said an eye - witness at the Avenues Clinic in Harare, where some of the victims have been admitted.
The team of generals has met government, Zanu (PF) and opposition officials, civil society leaders and other interest groups.
Mbeki is understood to have been "shaken" by what he was told, and it is hoped he will press Mugabe to curb the violence and to ensure that the runoff is held in a secure environment.
While Mugabe agreed that violence should end, he complained that the MDC was behind some incidents.
Sources say Mbeki is convinced that a runoff cannot take place in the tense climate. His envoy on Zimbabwe, Kingsley Mamabolo, highlighted these concerns even before he travelled to Harare last week.
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The MDC claims 32 of its activists have so far been killed. MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said yesterday that political violence has reached alarming levels.
Mwanawasa's Fault" - Mugabe
By STAFF REPORTER
Published: Wednesday 14 May 2008 these are Mugabes comments on President Mwanawasa
HARARE - Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu PF has accused Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa of siding with the opposition in its bid to oust President Robert Mugabe, in yet another sign of worsening relations between the two countries.
Robert Mugabe and wife Grace
Robert Mugabe and wife
Grace Mugabe
The ruling party, which is gearing up for a bruising presidential election run-off between Mr Mugabe and opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, said it was disappointed with... [Read Full Text]
You can only hide the facts for so long. The Zimbabwean police detaining diplomats puts any notion that the leadership of Zimbabwe is in anyway worthy of serious dialogue out of the question. They cannot they cannot respect human rights they cannot respect the status of foreign diplomats but they expect to be respected on the worlds political stage? I'm sure eventually all of the evidence of the attrocities in Zimbabwe will be available thanks to the press who these days cant even use a satellite telephone without being arrested, they are doing a much needed service to the people... [Read Full Text]
Former White South African Defense Force generals have their own credibility issues, especially their involvement in the old Apartheid regime. They themselves were part of a system that violated human rights of the majority. Are they truly object or trying to cover their own sins? The have they admitted any sins they committed to the South African Truth Commission! So many questions...that one wonders if this is just another propaganda. I remain doubtful of their evaluation or even the credibility of this manufactured report. We Africans do not need to accept just about any article written on Zimbabwe. There is... [Read Full Text]
General Gilbert L. Ramano's career is a matter of record Phiri and from 1998-2004 he occupied the rank of General. He relinguished the role of SANDF chief of staff on the 6th July 2004 after 42years service, 30 of those yeaars were spent fighting for Umkhonto weSizwe, the armed wing of the ANC. He was replaced in his tenure as Chief of Staff by Major General Solle Shoke also of the ANC. I am glad you will be able to sleep soundly knowing that I have reassured you that the South African generals sent to Zimbabwe were indeed black.
You'd think the fact that Mbeki wanted these generals to brief him would be evidence enough to make them acceptable to the likes of Phiri. But no, out comes the usual denial and references to apartheid etc. Next Phiri will be telling us retired SA army generals are trying to recolonize Africa.
He's right about one thing though, "Africans do not need to accept just about any article written on Zimbabwe." Does that mean you'll stop reading the rubbish in the Herald now Phiri?
How are we so 100% sure that the oppositions are not indirectly sponsorring the crimes in Zimbabwe to give Mugabe a bad name? Let's go beyond the immediate actors pls.
yes we really have to limit the amount of excitement in the zimbabwe elections because history will reflect that the white world wants a stake in africa still and they will go to any extent to cause chaos...
in this time the Black Africa must be master of his own environment, AFRICa without any apologizes to the western world.
Africa for the Africans at home and abroad.
in this time we want to do away with all african leaders that have a colonial heart, meaning they look to the western world for support; Africa is the wealthiest continent on earth,... [Read Full Text]
The west isn't interested in taking over Africa, get your head out of the sand.
Come on mindy, the west does not want to let go of Africa so what are you talking about. You are the one that needs to pull your head out of the clouds - Africa MUST deal with the east.
The west let go of Africa decades ago, it's only involved in your propaganda brainwashed imagination. Too hard for you to admit that Mugabe is the source of Zim's problems so you have to blame the west. How convenient, yet stupid.
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