ZIMBABWE: Mugabe says war vets ready for "battle" in Zimbabwe; international media groups express concern on level of violence ahead of run-off vote

Record ID: 456043

  • Title: ZIMBABWE: Mugabe says war vets ready for "battle" in Zimbabwe; international media groups express concern on level of violence ahead of run-off vote
  • Date: 14th June 2008
  • Summary: (BN11) JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, (JUNE 13, 2008) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF OFFICES OF SOUTH AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION PANEL ADDRESSING JOURNALISTS JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRPERSON OF SOUTH AFRICA EDITORS' FORUM (SAEF), ROB JAMIESON, SAYING: "The mission expressed its shock at the level of fear pervading the Zimbabwe media, and society at large. The mission talked to journalists who had been arrested on flimsy charges, beaten and had their property confiscated and in some cases destroyed. Journalists operate under the constant fear of being abducted, arrested, detained or beaten up for doing their work." JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRPERSON OF SOUTH AFRICA EDITORS' FORUM (SAEF), ROB JAMIESON, SAYING: "The mission notes that Zimbabwe is going through serious political violence perpetrated by the party in power, ZANU-PF. This violence is also taking place in a context of major economic challenges that the country faces, where inflation is estimated to be greater than 1 million percent. There have also been food shortages, which are further exacerbated through the banning of humanitarian food distribution by NGOs by the government." JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRPERSON OF SOUTH AFRICA EDITORS' FORUM (SAEF), ROB JAMIESON, SAYING: "The mission came to the conclusion that the media and freedom of expression environment is severely constrained. The mission further notes that no proper and professional media work can take place in Zimbabwe under the circumstances to allow for free and fair elections." JOURNALISTS LISTENING
  • Embargoed: 29th June 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Zimbabwe
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAB6CCZ5LJX0Y1VPBUXDTR4CN58
  • Story Text: Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe tells supporters on Friday (June 13) liberation war veterans would take up arms if he loses a June 27 presidential run-off vote. In South Africa, a fact-finding mission into Zimbabwe, made up of African media organisations says Zimbabwe is going through serious political violence perpetrated by the ruling ZANU-PF party.
    Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe said on Friday (June 13) liberation war veterans would take up arms if he loses a June 27 presidential run-off vote. Mugabe told youth members of his ruling ZANU-PF party in Harare that the veterans had told him they would launch a new bush war if opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai wins the election.

    "We cannot allow the British once again to dominate us here through their puppets" Mugabe said, in the latest ratcheting up of pressure to extend his 28-year-presidency.
    Mugabe says Tsvangirai is a puppet of former colonial ruler Britain.
    The war veterans, usually acting alongside the youth militia, have regularly been used as shock troops to intimidate government opponents.
    Earlier, the MDC said Zimbabwean police impounded two campaign buses used by Tsvangirai in the latest action against the opposition leader in the election campaign. Tsvangirai, who has been detained four times in the past week and has had his own vehicle confiscated, would continue the campaign, MDC spokesman George Sibotshiwe said.
    In South Africa, a fact-finding mission into Zimbabwe, made up of African media organisations, told journalists that Zimbabwe is going through serious political violence perpetrated by the ruling party, ZANU-PF.
    The mission met with a number of Zimbabwean journalists, editors and media owners working in urban and rural areas and representatives of local civic organisations working around the country.

    "The mission expressed its shock at the level of fear pervading the Zimbabwe media, and society at large. The mission talked to journalists who had been arrested on flimsy charges, beaten and had their property confiscated and in some cases destroyed. Journalists operate under the constant fear of being abducted, arrested, detained or beaten up for doing their work," said the chairperson of South Africa Editors' Forum (SAEF) Rob Jamieson.
    The missions says Zimbabwe's media is operating under tremendous pressure from the state and security agents as well as non-state actors such as youth, militia, ZANU-PF supporters and war veterans.

    "The mission notes that Zimbabwe is going through serious political violence perpetrated by the party in power, ZANU-PF. This violence is also taking place in a context of major economic challenges that the country faces, where inflation is estimated to be greater than 1 million percent. There have also been food shortages, which are further exacerbated through the banning of humanitarian food distribution by NGOs by the government," added Jamieson.
    Zimbabwean journalists and foreign media work under difficult environments, faced with detention and arrests everyday.

    "The mission came to the conclusion that the media and freedom of expression environment is severely constrained. The mission further notes that no proper and professional media work can take place in Zimbabwe under the circumstances to allow for free and fair elections," said Jamieson.
    There are growing calls for a coalition government instead of an election because of mounting violence.
    U.S. based Human Rights Watch and ruling ZANU-PF party defector Simba Makoni have both said a fair poll is impossible in the current climate. But opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who says 66 of his supporters have been murdered in a brutal government campaign, has rejected the call. ZANU-PF hard-liners, who blame the violence on the MDC, despise Tsvangirai and are also unlikely to agree.
    Mugabe and ZANU-PF were defeated in March for the first time since independence in 1980 but Tsvangirai failed to win the presidential vote outright, necessitating a second round.
    The Southern African Development Community (SADC), a grouping of 14 nations including Zimbabwe, has sent a team of election monitors to Harare.
    However, observers from Western nations critical of Mugabe's government are not being allowed into the country.
    A win by either President Robert Mugabe or Tsvangirai in the June 27 run-off poll would likely not be accepted by opposing supporters and could plunge the once prosperous country deeper into crisis and violence.
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