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Home | ZimCrisis#43 -- Collection of Articles, Letters and Commentary

Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2000 01:58:37 -0700
To: "Zimbabwe Crisis Mailing List":;
From: Zimbabwe Crisis
Subject: ZimCrisis#43 -- Collection of Articles, Letters and Commentary
Cc: "Australian government":;, "British government":;,
"Canadian government":
;, "South African government":;,
"US government":;, Commonwealth:;, "NG organisations":;, Press:;


Hi everyone,

This message is a collection of tidbits as well as comments I have received from people on this mailing list. Thanks to all those who have sent me messages of encouragement, and information to be sent to the list.


Craig



TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) Addressing Removal Requests from British MP's.
2) Messages from Zimbabwe:
(a) Close Call Car-jacking and Intercepted E-mail.
(b) ZANU-PF Canvassing Techniques.
(c) Donations for Farmers and Families.
(d) The PTC is Listening.
3) Refugee Status in New Zealand.
4) Department of Immigration and Multi-Cultural Affairs Contact in Australia.
5) Applying Pressure to Special Interest Groups with Members in Zimbabwe.
6) Thoughts from Readers:
(a) A White Workers' Strike?
(b) Mugabe's Phantom Scottish Castle.
7) News items (old):
(a) Zambia's Farm Union Wants Non-Maize Farmers from Zimbabwe.
(b) Zambia, UNHCR Prepare for Potential Zimbabwe Refugees.
8) Squatters on the Lunch Menu.
9) Quote from Mandela.
10) Dr. Hitler is Prescriptive.
11) Recording of Hitler Hunzvi at the Negotiating Table.




ADDRESSING REMOVAL REQUESTS FROM BRITISH MP'S

If you look in the "cc" field of all of the messages I send to this list, you will see the public bodies to which I have also sent each message. In the cases of the various governments on the list, I have only included the foreign ministers, ministers of state responsible for Africa, immigration ministers, prime ministers, presidents, etc. The only exception is the British government, in which case I have included every MP for whom I have an e-mail address. This amounts to 229 MP's. A very small minority (three, to be precise) have asked to be removed from the list. One (a Tory) even seems to prefer to engage me in debate over the matter rather than just deleting my messages and continuing with whatever he is too busy at to read my messages.

Why have I included all of them? Where do I start to explain it? Most people on this list know damn well why I have included them. The British government have their hands so far into this sticky mess it's not funny, and neither the currently ruling Labour party nor the opposition Conservatives can wash their hands of the mess. On top of that is the fact that, as Mugabe has kindly pointed out, many of the whites in Zimbabwe are of British descent (as I am on one side of my family). There probably isn't a single MP in the UK who doesn't have at least one constituent who has close, blood ties to someone in Zimbabwe, someone who is white and is therefore in mortal danger. My family alone probably covers half a dozen constituencies. Consider the twenty thousand people in Zimbabwe entitled to British citizenship, as has been reported, and you will see my point -- not to mention the others who are of British descent but are not entitled to British citizenship.

So this isn't just some foreign policy issue in deep, dark Africa that isn't worth an MP's time and attention when compared to national issues of unemployment, health, etc. Both the Labour and Conservative parties, and probably a number of sitting MP's, have a responsibility to the people in Zimbabwe whom they have put under the rule of the despot Mugabe.

My policy is simple and is stated at the end of every message -- I will not remove politicians from this mailing list. You're welcome to try your logic on me in an attempt to change my mind, but I'd rather you expended your energy in lobbying Tony Blair, Robin Cook or Peter Hain (who so admires Mugabe's Marxist policies, even if he's a little miffed at Mugabe at the moment for calling him names). If nothing else the "flood" of messages from me will keep Zimbabwe in your mind.

I have taken at least one measure to lessen the load on the politicians. Lately I have become more selective when considering the recipients of each message. As each message is now numbered in the subject line, the politicians will notice that they have not been receiving every message I have sent.

If you have a list of e-mail addresses of politicians in your country who you think should be on this mailing list, please send it to me.



CLOSE CALL CAR-JACKING AND INTERCEPTED E-MAIL

Must as well tell you all my latest news, in one e-mail. Nearly got car-jacked today at lunch time, picked up from school, at 1.00 pm and somewhere between Borrowdale and Greencroft I was followed by the latest white 7 series BMW, at least 6 people inside that car, turned into my street, luckily I was awake and went past my gate, did a wild u-turn (as my street is a dead end) they tried to block me, but went off the road practically into a ditch and managed to pass them. Went back into Lomangundi and turned right heading for town, they turned left towards Westgate.

[Name deleted] and I are fine, but it has made us realise what a wonderful place we live in. Phoned the Anti Car-jack Society, and by lunch time today I was the sixth reported incident. Saturday and Sunday 17 were reported and 12 cars were taken, never asked about the ones for today.

Also send e-mail to Hotmail as they have started reading ZOL.



ZANU-PF CANVASSING TECHNIQUES

Also, from another friend in Borrowdale - the canvassing has started. A ZANU-PF rep asked to see the family's documents. When they produced Brit passports, they were told to leave the country within the week, or they would be killed!



DONATIONS FOR FARMERS AND FAMILIES

As anyone who has seen the news recently will know there are a significant number of people working on farms who have lost much or everything that they own due to the action of war veterans burning their houses and possessions.

Whatever your religion or politics may be these people are caught up in something in which the majority have committed no crime but to work on farms to support their families.

St. Luke's Church, Greendale, Harare, is collecting cooking utensils, blankets, clothes, furniture, etc. for distribution to these people.

Please give generously and circulate this message.



THE PTC IS LISTENING

I have just had an interesting phone conversation with my sister in Zim. At the end of it I said, "Hello operator, how are you today?" You guessed! He replied, "I'm fine thank you."

From John Milton.



REFUGEE STATUS IN NEW ZEALAND

Someone I am in contact with in the United States has been informed that family of his in Zimbabwe has been accepted into New Zealand as refugees. They have not elected to take advantage of this yet, as they would dearly love to stay at home. However, at least they have the option available to them now and can use it at short notice.

I pass this information along as encouragement to those who may still be in the process of securing a way out for themselves and their families.



DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION AND MULTI-CULTURAL AFFAIRS CONTACT IN AUSTRALIA

Mr. Kevin O'Connor from the Department of Immigration is the appropriate person to speak to in regard to matters concerning asylum in Australia. Mr. O'Connor can be contacted on phone number (08) 9261 2256.

From Roger Martin with the Australian Red Cross.



APPLYING PRESSURE TO SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS WITH MEMBERS IN ZIMBABWE

Something has been suggested to me as a possible alternative route to apply more pressure to the Zimbabwe government to come to their senses. Farmers and MDC supporters have been in the forefront of the news about the violence in Zimbabwe. Recently teachers and students have also suffered at the hands of ZANU-PF thugs. Every occupation in Zimbabwe is being affected by Mugabe and his shortsighted thuggery, many of them directly.

Many people outside of Zimbabwe belong to professional associations and unions that, through their upper echelons, are tied to similar professional associations and unions in Zimbabwe. Examples; Farmers in America can lobby their associations to put pressure on the American government to take a tougher stand; Doctors (Hunzvi is supposedly one) in the UK can similarly lobby, as well as ask the highest levels of their profession how someone like Hunzvi can continue to practice as a doctor; Teachers in Australia can press their unions to take a stand with the ILO and the UN. Think about it -- if you are a teacher, and teachers are being threatened, raped and murdered in your own city, your union would be up in arms. Ask why your union at the national and international levels is not similarly outraged.

If you are a card carrying member of any such organisation, consider how you might be able to affect the situation in Zimbabwe through your membership of that organisation.



A WHITE WORKERS' STRIKE?

One respondent has suggested that whites in Zimbabwe conduct a strike to show everyone just how much they are needed for the economy to survive. While it might do just that, it would also give Mugabe and his ilk just the excuse they need to actively show whites the door. I think the results would be catastrophic, both for the country and (possibly in a grievous way) the whites.



MUGABE'S PHANTOM SCOTTISH CASTLE

This was brought up with me once more by a respondent. I have never had the time nor the resources to find out whether or not Mugabe really does own a castle in Scotland, and in fact I believe that the general consensus is that if it isn't just a rumour, then he has most certainly divested himself of it. If you have hard proof, I'd love to see it... and so would a large number of would-be squatters of British descent who would leap at the chance to claim back what is rightfully theirs and has obviously been stolen from their forefathers' forefathers.



ZAMBIA'S FARM UNION WANTS NON-MAIZE FARMERS FROM ZIMBABWE

From Business Day, 23rd May 2000.

LUSAKA - The Zambian National Farmers Union has expressed interest in non-maize farmers from Zimbabwe resettling in Zambia, according to a report in the Zambia Daily Mail newspaper on Monday. The union's president, Ajay Vashee, said: "Zambia has adequate maize farmers at the moment and therefore we would like the entrants to engage in non-food cash crops to earn us foreign exchange."

Vashee said the farmers union would like to see white Zimbabwean farmers relocating in the country going into tobacco, horticultural and floricultural production. He said a good number of white Zimbabwean commercial farmers had visited Zambia with a view to purchasing already developed farms. Others have made applications to the Zambia Investment Centre to set up new farms.


-- Comment from Craig -- Zimbabwean farmers are also settling in Mocambique.



ZAMBIA, UNHCR PREPARE FOR POTENTIAL ZIMBABWE REFUGEES

LUSAKA, May 23 (AFP) - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Zambia's government are making contingency plans for a possible refugee influx from Zimbabwe, a UNHCR officer here said Tuesday.

"This is a precautionary measure to facilitate an emergency response should the situation in Zimbabwe deteriorate to a point of prompting population movements," UNHCR representative Oluseyi Bajulaiye told reporters.

At least 25 people have died and 100 others injured in Zimbabwe in the run-up to elections slated for next month.

Zambia, which borders Zimbabwe, currently hosts more than 200,000 refugees who have fled wars mainly from Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.



SQUATTERS ON THE LUNCH MENU

Farm takeovers have continued, but one group of squatters mistakenly tried to occupy land in a game reserve, according to one report. A group of 100 people tried to claim land at Gona-re-Zhou, on Zimbabwe's southeastern border with Mozambique, they "had to run for dear life" when their presence angered a pride of lions, police told the Daily News.



QUOTE FROM MANDELA

"There are leaders in Africa... who have made enormous wealth, leaders who once commanded liberation armies. But rubbing shoulders with the rich, the powerful, the wealthy has made some leaders despise the very people who put them in power, and they think it is their privilege to be there for eternity," Mr. Mandela said in Saturday's speech.



DR. HITLER IS PRESCRIPTIVE

From "Hogarth" in the Sunday Times, South Africa, 7th May 2000.

Zimbabwean war veteran leader "Hitler" Hunzvi appeared in court on fraud charges this week. Hogarth hears that Hitler, a medical doctor by profession, is alleged to have falsely diagnosed illnesses which would lead to compensation claims. His mistake? He diagnosed a male war veteran with cervical cancer. A second opinion was called for.



RECORDING OF HITLER HUNZVI AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE

Although there isn't much to laugh at in this sorry situation, this recording on the MDC Web site gives us time out for a bit of a chuckle. It is alleged to be a recording of "war veterans" leader Hunzvi at the negotiating table (as if he feels there is anything to negotiate). The accent might not be quite right, but the demands are spot on. Warning -- not for tender young ears! http://www.in2zw.com/mdc/docs/sound/negoti11.wav




Craig
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Brief list of helpful sites on the issue:
- Comprehensive news updates -- http://www.1freespace.com/beetee
- Offers of and requests for help for Zimbabweans -- http://pub9.ezboard.com/boffersofhelp
- Commercial Farmers' Union -- http://www.mweb.co.zw/cfu
- Movement for Democratic Change -- http://www.in2zw.com/mdc
- Zimbabwe Democracy Trust -- http://www.zimbabwedemocracytrust.org
- BSAP Pursuit of Zimbabwean Criminals -- http://www.bsaphq.f9.co.uk

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