News Briefs

BY CHIEF REPORTER

HARARE

The United States is looking at extending targeted sanctions in Zimbabwe to include journalists who are playing a role in inflaming post election tensions by propagating falsehoods.

The US asserts that media should be a powerful mechanism for reconciliation not a willing tool of repression. Diplomatic sources said the United States, which already has tough financial and travel sanctions in place against losing presidential candidate Robert Mugabe and members of his former government, wants the list to include prominent “propagandists at the State media, including two desk editors, who have shamelessly told lies, half truths” in a desperate bid to prop up Mugabe and his regime.

“We are looking at additional sanctions against individuals who are supporting this regime,” said a diplomat. “We want to deepen the sanctions that are already there, and will add more individuals to those travel sanctions, including some overzealous State media journalists.”  

 

Cops thrash praying Anglicans

HARARE – Supporters of Robert Mugabe, the civilian head of the military junta presently ruling Zimbabwe, continue in their attempts to hijack all assets of the Anglican Church while police beat parishioners at prayer.

Driven by the resentment of Nolbert Kunonga, the defrocked and disgraced predecessor of Bishop Sebastian Bakare, uniformed police invaded Anglican churches in Waterfalls, Borrowdale, Budiriro, Dzivarasekwa and others parishes in Harare on May 4 and attacked those in attendance.

At the St Francis parish in Waterfalls riot police interrupted a service during Holy Communion’ and told parishioners to leave. Witnesses said parishioners assumed it was the usual police over-zealousness and some of them remained seated. The police then began beating up people, including women, in the church.

At Christ Church in Borrowdale police arrested the warden, a Mr Murombedzi. He was taken to Borrowdale police station, but after several hours of stalling over a charg,e they eventually released him.

A furious Bakare said what was happening was a “national scandal”, adding, “even Ian Smith (former Rhodesian leader) allowed us to worship.” – SW Radio Africa

 

Many injured in Joburg xenophobia

JOHANNESBURG – Violence between locals and foreigners broke out again in South Africa on the night of May 11, leaving two foreigners dead and four seriously injured. Reports said 60 others suffered injuries in the xenophobic incident that flared up in Alexandra Township near Johannesburg. The foreigners were mostly from Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique. The nationality of the two who died has not been determined.

Anna Moyo from the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF) said the locals accused the foreigners of being responsible for the escalating crime rate in the area. There has been a recent increase in the number of armed robberies, house break-ins and theft. The incident started when a mob of locals broke into shacks and ordered the foreigners to move out of the area.

Police spokesperson Inspector Simon Maphakela said: “They threw stones at these people, shot at them, whipped some of them with sjamboks and robbed them. They say the foreigners rob them on the streets.”

Maphakela said all the victims were either from Malawi, Mozambique or Zimbabwe. The police reportedly arrested 12 people, who will face a variety of charges including murder, attempted murder, theft, and malicious damage to property and public violence.

Moyo said violent incidents between locals and foreigners have been occurring more frequently and the South African government was doing nothing to address the issues. In April alone there were violent incidents in Pretoria and in Cape Town, which also took several lives. Moyo said some of the perpetrators in the Pretoria incident were identified and brought to the police station. But as far as ZEF knows they were never brought to book. – SW Radio Africa

Village head killed and 80 homes burnt  

HARARE – State-sponsored violence claimed another life on Saturday when Zanu (PF)  militia descended on the home of a village head in Ward 8 Shamva and attacked the traditional leader and his wife with axes. Sabhuku Elias Madzivanzira, who was over 70 years old, died on the spot.

His wife suffered severe injuries, but had been prevented from receiving medical treatment. SW Radio Africa correspondent, Simon Muchemwa said she might die soon if nothing was done because Madzivanzira was targeted as his Ward produced a majority of opposition councillors in the March 29 election.

The youths went on to burn down about 80 homes in the area, which is run by Chief Mutumba. Muchemwa said all 80 of the families had fled and it was not clear where they are living. The Shamva area is where we reported that 100 families were camping outside the police station after their houses were burnt down.

The thugs now travel in larger teams of 500 to 1 000 in order to make sure they outnumber opposition groups that were forming to defend themselves.

Muchemwa said the locals implicated the deputy youth minister and Mount Darwin MP, Xavier Kasukuwere, as the chief architect of the violence in these areas. One of the Zanu (PF) youths, who had fled from the militia camp he confirmed that they were being paid to carry out these brutal attacks.

The organisers, according to a “star” system, rate each targeted opposition supporter. A target with five stars is the highest rank, meaning most wanted and to be killed; four stars rates a severe beating and torture; three stars means serious intimidation and mild assault.

Muchemwa said the thugs are paid Z$10 billion if the target dies instantly. They are paid Z$5 billion in cash if the target suffers serious injuries that could lead to death and Z$1 billion if they flee from their home. – SW Radio Africa

MDC Bikita West MP arrested

HARARE – The newly elected MDC Bikita West MP, Hon. Heya Shoko has been arrested in Masvingo. The details and reasons for the arrest of the MP are still unclear but the MDC says it is part of the ZRP’s clampdown on opposition members and civic leaders in the last few weeks.

“This arrest is another attempt by the Zanu (PF) regime to frustrate the operations of the MDC ahead of the presidential run-off. Ever since President Morgan Tsvangirai won convincingly against Robert Mugabe, the nation has not known peace.

“The MDC is aware that the regime is engaged on a desperate attempt to cow the nation ahead of the so-called run-off. The regime is running scared and it believes that the nation can be cowed through barbaric acts of violence against the leaders of MDC activists who made victory possible. We shall not be intimidated. Victory belongs to the people. The regime is cruising one way into the abyss and no amount of intimidation will mitigate its fate,” said the MDC in a statement. – Staff reporter