Here are two emails, from Eddie Cross and Cathy Buckle, regarding recent events
and the continued imprisonment of Roy Bennett in Zimbabwe. For me, the account
is an illustration of the ways that the Mugabe government is maneuvering around
the 2008 agreements with the opposition party, of which Bennet is a member, and
retaining control and power within the state while appearing to be part of a coalition
government. It also highlights the importance of the rule of law within any state,
and the power that ensues when that rule is broken.
On another note, I am reading Paul Theroux' "Dark Star Safari" about his over-land
travels from Cairo to Cape Town in 2003. In the section on Zimbabwe, he mentions
Cathy Buckle several times and details how she and her husband lost their farm
in Marondera. A very sad and frightening account.
Jack Shepherd
--- Forwarded Message from "Peter Soal"
>From: "Peter Soal"
>Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:08:57 +0200
>Subject: Cross & Buckle
>To: "Peter Soal"
Roy Bennett
The decision of the Magistrate in Mutare yesterday to imprison Roy Bennett is
yet another example of the wilful disregard that Zanu PF has for the welfare of
the country and its citizens. First the facts:
Roy has been threatened, had to flee for his life and cross the border illegally,
lived as a refugee in South Africa and been imprisoned and harassed. His farm
(his only asset) along with his cattle and a thriving coffee business has been
confiscated and ransacked, the homestead burned and a lodge on the property destroyed.
His wife was beaten and lost the baby she was carrying.
He is a born Zimbabwean and has fully integrated himself into the life and cultures
of the country. His investments were all authorised by the Government after Independence
in 1980 and paid for in cash.
The charges on which he has just been accused and set down for a High Court trial
in 2010 are so ridiculous that they are almost laughable. The arms charges relate
to the attempt, three years ago to charge and convict a local arms dealer with
the same charges, even though they detained this individual for three years they
could not build a case against him and in the end the charges were dropped.
Now they accuse Roy of the same false and malicious crimes. They originally accused
him of a "plot" to assassinate the State President by pouring oil on the road
to Mutare. Completely without basis and absurd they seem to have dropped this
charge in the latest Court hearing while retaining the lesser charge of procuring
arms of war.
They have made these false accusations for the past year and remanded Roy on bail
on a regular basis then finally when they ran out of excuses for not going
to trial they set the date for the start of this trial Tuesday the 13th October
and when Roy arrived with his team, he was confronted with the ploy to rearrest
him, detain him and take the case to the High Court on the pretext that these
are so serious as charges that the Magistrate cannot deal with the case. The fact
is that they still do not have case against him even though they have been desperately
searching for people who will testify against him.
While they dragged their heels in setting a date for the case, they lost no time
in his arrest and detention and this morning I have heard that he is being held
in Prison in leg irons.
This is a step too far for the rogue elements in the Transitional Government.
This act comes after months of wrangling over unlawful appointments, the failure
to appoint Governors in regions where the respective Parties won a majority, failure
to consult on key appointments and a refusal to convene the National Security
Council and disband the Joint Operations Command.
Violence has continued, trumped up charges against Members of Parliament and other
leaders of the MDC have gone on unabated and Zanu PF is refusing to co-operate
with its partners in the Government in the constitutional, electoral and media
reform programme. As a consequence progress has been slow or non existent and
the International Community reticent about re-engagement even though this is a
key to recovery.
So today, the MDC National Executive meets in Harare once again to decide what
to do in these circumstances. It had to come to this sooner or later, but the
Bennett issue will now be the catalyst for a change in strategy for the MDC and
a renewed crisis for the region.
I do not think we will pull out of the Transitional Government, but believe me,
it's not business as usual for this Government. Regional consultations are inevitable
and the much delayed meeting of the SADC Troika is now probably going to take
place. When it does meet it will be confronted with many crucial decisions and
responsibilities.
Eddie Cross
Bulawayo, 15th October 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
The news readers on the state controlled ZBC television have been wearing black
football T shirts all week. Every night, before the bulletin begins the news readers
tell us solemnly how many days are left before the football game. On Friday night
the newsreader smirked as she began to read the "news." The headline story was
President Mugabe talking about the impending football game. Second in line was
President Mugabe giving computers to a school. Then came a report on SADC and
regional peace, then the Chinese Ambassador talking to army staff. After a commercial
break and 21 minutes into the bulletin came the real news: the MDC were disengaging
themselves from Zanu PF and the cabinet. In less than 2 minutes and airing just
a few sentences of Mr Tsvangirai's press statement, ZBC soon turned to their invited
guest for comment.
~ The blame is on the Rhodesians; Roy Bennett is a Rhodesian, Morgan Tsvangirai
is having difficulty pleasing his white masters~ said the analyst. The news reader's
smirk grew as the absurd comments continued and we thought about what they hadn't
reported but what had actually happened.
It was a shocking week in the country when Roy Bennett, deputy Minister of Agriculture,
who is yet to be sworn in, was detained in custody by a magistrate in Mutare.
Everyone, everywhere was talking about it. Disbelief, shock, contempt, disgust
and anger were the widespread, unanimous expressions. The MDC issued statements
immediately using words like 'provocative' and 'persecution.' Perhaps the most
appropriate part of their statement rang true for everyone:
"This latest action is deliberately provocative, unnecessary and motivated by
hatred of a personality."
Two days later Prime Minister Tsvangirai held a press conference. He came out
with the fighting talk that we are all familiar with but haven't heard for a year.
Mr Tsvangirai said that provincial governors have still not been appointed, the
issues of the Attorney General and Reserve Bank governor remain unresolved and
the government itself is not even properly constituted. The Prime Minister said
he knew the countryside was being militarized and that 16,000 Zanu PF youth have
been imposed on the government payroll. He said that Zanu PF were a dishonest,
unrepentant and unreliable partner The Prime Minister than said the words that
have been burning a hole in the hearts of our oh so patient nation:
"The truth of the matter is that it is our Movement that won the
election of 29 March 2008. It is our Movement that has the mandate of
the people to govern this country. It is our Movement that has strategically compromised
on that mandate by executing the GPA and by entering into the transitional government.
It is our Movement upon which the hope and future of millions of Zimbabweans is
deposited."
Yes Mr Prime Minister, your Movement did compromise the mandate of the brave people
of Zimbabwe who courageously stepped forward and literally risked their lives
to give you and your party their votes.
People were beaten, tortured, raped and lost everything to bring the MDC into
power, hundreds were murdered. The MDC gave us back money in our pockets and food
in the shops but now its time for accountability and real democracy, not this
sham.The time for threats, words and strategic compromise is past.
Until next week, thanks for reading, love cathy Copyright cathy buckle
17th October 2009
Peter Soal
2 Burford, The Cotswolds
Indian Road
7708 KENILWORTH
Tel: 021 797 1882
Fax: 086 698 8574
Cell: 082 340 8672