ZIMBABWE: BOMB EXPLOSION IN HARARE NEXT TO OFFICES OF INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OPENLY CRITICAL OF PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE

Record ID: 230332

  • Title: ZIMBABWE: BOMB EXPLOSION IN HARARE NEXT TO OFFICES OF INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OPENLY CRITICAL OF PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE
  • Date: 22nd April 2000
  • Summary: HARARE, ZIMBABWE (APRIL 22, 2000) (REUTERS ) 1. EXT EXTERIOR OF DAILY NEWS BUILDING, BLAST DAMAGE 0.05 2. SLV BLAST DAMAGE TO SECTION OF BUILDING 0.10 3. SLV GLASS AND RUBBLE ON STREET PAVEMENT 0.18 4. SLV DUST COVERING DEBRIS 0.21 5. WIDE/CU BLAST DAMAGE/ BROKEN GLASS (2 SHOTS) 0.30 6. MV POLICE OFFICER 0.34 7. MV POLICE INSPECTOR TALKING TO COLLEAGUES 0.38 8. SLV POLICE VAN ARRIVING 0.46 9. MV POLICE INSPECTOR DIRECTING COLLEAGUES AND SOLDIER 0.50 10. SV POLICE LANDROVER 0.54 11. MV/SV PEOPLE WATCHING SCENE/ SOUNDBITE (English) UNIDENTIFIED WITNESS SAYING "It was just in the distance, we were twenty, fifty metres away. So we just heard a loud noise, it was so scary you know, we just ran for our lives." 1.09 12. MV POLICE STANDING AROUND, CHATTING, LAUGHING 1.15 13. MV POLICE INSPECTOR TALKING ON RADIO 1.22 14. SV SOUNDBITE (English) "Many people heard this big blast, but they didn't know this place." 1.28 15. MV POLICE OFFICERS WITH DOGS, DIRECTING CAMERA CREWS AWAY 1.42 16. SLV CLOSE UP OF POLICE DOGS 1.54 17. TRACK FIRE TRUCKS ARRIVING 2.30 18. CU/MV FIRE TRUCK LIGHTS/ FIRE FIGHTERS (3 SHOTS) 2.52 19. SLV POLICE LANDROVER LEAVING 2.58 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 7th May 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: HARARE, ZIMBABWE
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Reuters ID: LVA6L77WPRDTD7CY8YKMD2RR7GB0
  • Story Text: A bomb has exploded in the Zimbabwean capital Harare
    next to the offices of an independent newspaper critical of
    President Robert Mugabe and his ruling ZANU-PF party.An art
    gallery next door was damaged.

    "It was a bomb which exploded," one policeman told
    Reuters before moving reporters away from the glass-strewn
    road.He declined to say any more about Saturday (April 22)
    night's explosion, which was heard throughout the city.

    Mugabe and his party are under intense international
    pressure to end the nine-week-old invasion of white-owned
    farms by veterans of the former Rhodesia's 1970s war for
    independence from Britain.

    The independent Daily News, whose offices are alongside
    the damaged art gallery, has been consistently critical of
    Mugabe and the land-grab in which four people have been killed
    and many have been injured.

    The blast occurred about 9:15 p.m.(1915 gmt) in Samora
    Machel Avenue, about four blocks from the Zimbabwe parliament.

    Police, a fire tender and ambulances arrived about 20
    minutes after the explosion and later than reporters staying
    at a nearby central hotel.

    Bystanders accused the media of arranging the apparent
    drive-by bombing, saying they must have known about it in
    advance to be able to get there before the police.

    There were no reports of injuries from the explosion in
    the largely deserted city centre.

    The blast came after a day of relative calm following
    Friday's mini-summit in Victoria Falls between Mugabe and
    Presidents Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Joaquim Chissano of
    Mozambique and Sam Nujoma of Namibia.

    Though the three presidents did not publicly criticise
    Mugabe's handling of the political and land crisis, sources at
    the talks said they insisted the farm invasions end as soon as
    possible.

    They promised Mugabe international funding for land
    redistribution and said foreign aid would resume if he
    complied, the sources said.


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