Troubles all over

The floods in Zimbabwe and Mozambique have affected many.

Mozambique also reports out break of cholera and malaria.

There is a drought in Kenya that could cause starvation there.

Ebola has spread to a new city in the DRC.

Sigh. No links, sorry.

But these are natural disasters.

the USNIblog refers to a new website about political violence/protests in all parts of Africa.

ACLED data website.

here is an example of their data:

Nigerian wars

Long report on what's really going on there at Strategypage

Skeleton stunt backfires on Mugabe

from the Scotsman.

summary:
Mugabe sent his youthful thugs out to pull bodies from mine shafts ( a common way to dispose of folks killed by Smith's anti terror terrorists) to show the world the atrocities of the Smith regieme, but some of the bodies are too recent to blame on Smith.



The exercise is being spearheaded by a little-known organisation called the Fallen Heroes of Zimbabwe Trust, led by an official of Mugabe's Zanu-PF. The trust has launched a public appeal for funds to continue. Overlooking Mr Mugabe's murderous record - and the fact Mr Smith's Rhodesian Front faced UK sanctions - the president's loyalists say the International Criminal Court should investigate the UK on charges of "genocide".

The MDC - locked in an uneasy coalition with Zanu-PF since 2009 - is suspicious of the timing of this discovery. Owen Gagare of the local NewsDay paper said when he was taken to view the skeletons "one of the bodies still had visible hair". Others were clothed and were reportedly leaking bodily fluids.

Top MDC official Tichaona Mudzingwa says the unsupervised exhumations are "an exercise to bury evidence."

"Probably most of the bodies being exhumed are victims of the 2008 violence," he told the press in a reference to the terror campaign launched by Mr Mugabe's militias after he lost the first round of elections to Mr Tsvangirai.

Follow the money

From the Philippine Inquirer:


NOUAKCHOTT – The African Union's panel on Libya Sunday called for an "immediate stop" to all attacks after the United States, France and Britain launched military action against Moammar Gadhafi's forces.

After a more than four-hour meeting in the Mauritanian capital, the body also asked Libyan authorities to ensure "humanitarian aid to those in need," as well as the "protection of foreigners, including African expatriates living in Libya."

Of course, there is a reason behind their backing a ruthless tyrant who kills his own people and funded terrorism: he bribed them.

The reason that China and Russia didn't veto the resolution is because the Arabs didn't want Libya turning into another Bosnia, where 100 thousand were killed while Europe and the world sat and UN peacekeepers watched.

So who Loves Ghadafffy?

The Mead list discusses a lot of "bought" Americans and Europeans.
more at Mother Jones.

BBC report on how Ghadaffy bribed Africa. when he proposed a "one Africa", he meant of course with the (white) Arabs in charge, preferably himself.

Gaddafi's main contribution to Africa since 1999, when he turned away from the Arab League and the Middle East to try to form a United States of Africa, has been to bribe and buy his way to the chairmanship of the African Union, to promote this idea of a borderless Africa, presumably led by him.

He did this in two ways. Firstly, he sought simply to buy the smaller, poorer states by bribing their presidents. Secondly, in states where he was opposed, he would fund opposition movements. So he has been extremely divisive in his relations with Africa, and his removal will quiet things down a bit.

The presidents of Nigeria and South Africa had to fight a running battle with him to stop his crazy ideas of subverting Africa, trying to make it into one, single country, just like that.

It is hard to say if he has ever genuinely been seen as a fellow African leader by other African leaders. He supported the ANC in South Africa, and Swapo in Namibia, and when Nelson Mandela came out of prison, he went to Libya almost straightaway to thank him.

But while he continues to support groups like that, he has also sided with appalling movements in western Africa which he saw as revolutionary. He has backed Charles Taylor, now on trial in The Hague, and Foday Sankoh, the dreadful rebel leader in Sierra Leone who led the Revolutionary United Front, which cut off hands and legs. So he has a very mixed record in his very idiosyncratic way....

StrategyPage on Zimbabwe

Strategy page has a summary on the Zimbabwe situation. I have found their analyses insightful in the past, so you might want to go to the link and read the whole thing.

Summary: Mugabe is clamping down on his political "enemies" again, and the Jasmine revolts against dictators has scared him.

much of it is known by those of us who are following the situation, but they note rumors (unconfirmed) that some of the African mercenaries that are helping Libyan dictator were sent by Mugabe.
and they worry:

"National elections are looming, political violence is increasing in the major cities, and Robert Mugabe remains very much alive. If Qaddafi survives in Libya will he send commandos to help out Mugabe?

what might save Mugabe, of course, is the same thing Strategy Page has noted about Iran: That the best and brightest, who might start a revolution, have left the country already...

Violence by ZANUPF

According to Amnesty int'l, Mugabe back to his old tricks of harassing his opponents in Zimbabwe. More HERE.

Mob riots and loots in Harare

ZANU PF demonstration started to riot and so it's Tsvangirai's fault, if you believe Reuters.
:
Police said they had allowed youths from President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party to demonstrate against Harare city council for awarding a car parking contract to a South African firm but the protest had been infiltrated by criminals.

"We have arrested some known criminals from Mbare (a suburb) and we are still investigating the group that infiltrated the march," police spokesman James Sabawu told Reuters on Tuesday.

A Reuters witness saw shattered windows and empty shops early on Tuesday. Most of the shops remained closed. The state-owned Herald newspaper said those arrested in Monday's incident were suspected MDC supporters

---------------
from Newsday:



Our source said after demonstrations at the Gulf, the party expected the provincial leadership to address them and perhaps make clear the message to the foreigners – that if they have to be in Zimbabwe, they ought to bring with them meaningful investment in manufacturing and other sectors but not selling cellphones and the staple sadza.

Unfortunately, the planners overestimated the discipline of the youths, drawn from various townships, including “battle-hardened” Mbare’s Chipangano members.

Even while their colleagues were still gathering at the Fourth Street party provincial headquarters, scores of youths, chanting Zanu PF slogans and flying the party flag, had besieged the Gulf Complex.

-----------------
the Zimbabwean gives the MDC side:

The Zanu PF youths are wearing MDC T – shirts. They gathered at Zanu PF headquarters early this morning before driving past the MDC headquarters, Harvest House in seven trucks on their way to the Zanu PF Harare provincial offices along Fourth Street. At the Zanu PF provincial offices, they were given MDC T – shirts. They then marched to the Gulf Complex where they looted goods and property.

Mugabe opponents beaten

from the NYTimes:

"...political violence in Harare, the capital, and its impoverished suburbs — carried out by youths chanting ZANU-PF slogans — has surged in recent weeks, civic groups and independent journalists reported this week...."

MDC workers seek refuge

from SWRadioAfrica:

"...Two hundred MDC-T members were forced to seek refuge at their party’s Harare headquarters, after ZANU-PF youths hunted them down in Mbare over the weekend.

The MDC-T also reported that the ZANU PF youths besieged their Mbare office, where they allegedly assaulted staff, stole computers and vandalised furniture. Despite this, it’s understood the police did not make any arrests...."

Zebras killed

violence against MDC personnel and innocent civilians continues, but this headline should make the animal loving western press notice:

from SWRadioAfrica:

Invaders kill over 300 zebra at illegally occupied game reserve


Rodrigues visited the Denlynian and Tamari Wildlife Farm in Beitbridge after receiving reports that it had been invaded by a group calling themselves "Zhove Conservancy Co-operative." The members of this group include police, army, civil servants, rural council employees, war vets and ZANU PF activists. Because of the slaughter the eland population has dropped from 973 to 374 - a loss of 560 animals and the zebra population has fallen from 871 to 163 - a loss of 708 animals. ...

More homes destroyed

from ReliefWeb: Amnesty international report

"Driving people forcefully from their homes in the middle of the night cannot be justified in any circumstance," said Michelle Kagari, deputy Africa director at Amnesty International. "The brutality with which this forced eviction was carried out is alarming."

Following the eviction 55 residents, including five children, were taken to Harare Central Police Station and detained without access to lawyers. Lawyers who attempted to attend their clients at the police station were not informed why they had been detained. All 55 detainees were released without charge later in the day. ,,,

Constitutional outreach points to bloody elections

from the Zim Mail:

...

Analysts have described the upsurge in violence as an indication that proposed fresh elections to be held next year could result in bloodbath reminiscent of the controversial 2008 polls. ...

chief Nyamombe attacked

from SWRadioAfrica



The chief was on his way home from Rusape when he was savagely attacked inside the bus by two well known ZANU PF youths from Makoni South constituency, that is held by the MDC.
Netsai Nyamombe, the chief’s daughter, told us her elderly father was in a Shungu bus when the two youths accused him of supporting the MDC and of trying to ursurp powers from Chief Chiduku, a non constituency senator representing ZANU PF.

CIO agent who denounced Mugabe found dead

from nehanda radio

Several weeks ago Innocent Makamure opened up to the media and confessed to how he and other CIO agents felt used by the regime to torture, harass and kill members of the MDC party led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

Makamure had even expressed his wish to apologize to the chief in the area for his part in the abuses. Immediately after his confession he went missing. But on Monday this week his dead body was found floating in the Mwerahari River, after family members intensified their searches.

Villagers fleeing violence

from SWRadioAfrica:

The Restoration of Human Rights organisation (ROHR) says seven families have fled after being threatened by known ZANU PF supporters at a prayer meeting held at Zhanda village in the Chishapa area, Shamva.

Quoting their partner organisation, the Victims Action Committee, ROHR said among the displaced group are seven men, seven women, ten children under the age of twelve and two teenagers. The families faced a similar fate during the election violence in March 2008 and are now living in the bush with no access to food, water and shelter.

This report came just a day after ROHR and the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition both issued statements on the arson attacks that took place in Muzarabani’s Charunda Village Ward 17, resulting in 55 people fleeing the area.

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said ZANU PF burnt down an Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) church and a house belonging to Wirimayi Gono, an MDC councillor, vowing to block attempts by MDC supporters to participate in the constitution making process. ...

Mugabe plannning violence after world cup

from the Zimbabwe Mail.

ARARE - Robert Mugabe's Zanu (PF) has started recruiting youths for training in sophisticated murder and torture techniques for a massive campaign of violence against the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) soon after the World Cup, a report said.

Investigations by The Zimbabwean have revealed that the vicious campaign of terror is expected to roll into motion in July, soon after the soccer World Cup ends in South Africa and the media spotlight shifts elsewhere.

High-level sources within both Zanu (PF) and MDC-T as well as the security services said the purpose of this horrific plan, if it succeeds, was to plunge the country into total anarchy, making it impossible to continue with the drafting of a new constitution....

Deteriorating Human Rights

from SWRadioAfrica:

The president of the Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB), Michael Sommer, was speaking to journalists at the end of a four-day visit to Zimbabwe over the weekend. During his visit Sommer met with trade union leaders, workers and also with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who is now being urged to ensure that the government respects trade unionism in Zimbabwe.
“I’m deeply concerned that the situation has shown significant deterioration over the past few weeks,” Sommer said.

Sommer’s comments come after the entire leadership of the General Agriculture and Plantation Workers’ Union of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ) went underground last month amid concerns for their safety. The union had faced increased threats and harassment by officials from the Joint Operations Command (JOC), and a number of police raids on the union’s offices in Harare. The raids have been in response to the release of a shock report and documentary last year, exposing the violent abuse of workers on farms seized by the Robert Mugabe regime. ....

Politically motivated violence hits Mudzi

from SWRadioAfrica:

....A statement from the MDC’s welfare department said: “Phone call received at 5 am today from a very distraught MDC district official from Mudzi North, Chimkoko village, to report that Zanu PF thugs were raiding the homes of MDC supporters and taking their livestock - goats, cattle and chickens and threatening to come back and ‘fight you, because you want to support the new Constitution’.”

“If the MDC people attempt to protect themselves or their property by fighting back, then conveniently the forces will be sent in to arrest the "perpetrators", who will without doubt be the MDC. This has been the states modus operandi since the first land invasions on commercial farms in 2000. Every report made to Police either resulted in the complainant becoming the accused, or the response was ‘we cannot get involved, it is political’.”...

If elections, Tsvangirai calls for peacekeeping force

from the Zim Mail:

summary: They are worried about a repeat of the violence since there are signs that Mugabe is starting to send his stooges out to terrorize people again.

Archbishop condemns Zim violence

via UPI:
British archbishops have condemned violence against Anglican worshipers in Zimbabwe allegedly instigated by a bishop with ties to President Robert Mugabe.

Riot police in Harare attacked congregants and locked them out of the city's two Anglican cathedrals, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.

The police allegedly were backing Nolbert Kunonga, excommunicated by the Anglican Church in 2008. Kunonga, a vocal supporter of Mugabe, was bishop of Harare until he split from the Anglicans' central Africa province and declared himself an "archbishop," the Telegraph said