quote:

Originally posted by Ganyana:
Will- We are an African Democracy...one man, one vote..

It just happens that at the moment, bob is that man and he has the vote

Here are two more web sites:
http://www.zimonline.co.za/
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/
I try to survey a variety of publications to get a total view of the situation because I wonder if, even though a paper claims to be independent, is it truly immune to state control and influence. Obviously those based in South Africa and the UK should be.

quote:

Originally posted by BFaucett:
Just FYI, here's a good site to follow the news about Zimbabwe:

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/Zimbabwe/Home/

-Bob F.

I see on CNN where Zim's opposition party now accuses the 'ruling party of unleashing an "orgy of violence"' and claims the worry now is a "Rwanda-size massacre."

It just appears to worsen with time . . .

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/04/15/zimbabwe.election/index.html

quote:

Originally posted by Sue:
It just appears to worsen with time . . .

Reality and rhetoric are two different things. The rhetoric is getting worse, unclear to me that the reality on the ground is getting worse. I see no signs that there is an "orgy of violence" or a "Rwanda-size [which means a million people] massacre" taking place. To me, this is the opposition trying to use verbage to generate international interest.

Don't get me wrong I wish the best for the people of Zim and an orderly transfer of power. That said, the rhetoric is getting out of hand.

None of this corresponds with what is being reported from those on the ground. Isolated trouble here and there? Sure but that's a normal day in Zim. As of last night, my contacts said all is quiet and they are running operations in multiple parts of the country and running through Harare, Bulawayo and the major airports on a regular basis.

They've also gotten a 44" buff, a 50# and a 60# ele, a PAC ele and who knows what else in the last couple of weeks. Not bad.

I agree that each party will spin whatever it is they feel will further their own cause.

Forgive me if this is posted earlier or on another thread, but I just read an article over at "the Zimbabwe Situation" that 10 Chinese soldiers have checked in the Holiday Inn in Mutare and are patrolling the streets in full uniform, including revolvers, with the police. That's not a sign of better days to come. Who knows what flags that will raise at our (U.S.) state department.

I hope to be in Zim next year hunting buffalo in the Save; I'm concerned about my friends there, but I know how blasted tough they are. I would very much like uncle Bob to choke on a large cashew at a party and no one perform the hynee lick maneuver.

Hi,

I just signed a petition calling for the release of the results of Zimbabwe's election--and urging South African President Thabo Mbeki to pressure Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe to honour the will of the Zimbabwean people.

Please join me in signing:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/democracy_for_zimbabwe/97.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK

The petition was organized by Avaaz.org.

Thanks!

Releasing any election results now will just be a disaster!!!

There is NO WAY that the results will be acceptable to either side if they lose because there can be NO CREDIBILITY in ballot boxes that have been stored in suspect and mysterious circumstances this long.

Even if by some miracle they were not tampered with, this is Africa and trust will not be the order of the day

Because of relative apathy of the rest of the world (especially the SA govt.) the election will turn out a sham!

There has been a slight increase in localised agro, but, all the main hunting areas are as quiet as usual.

The main problem I encountered was an increase in agressiveness at a couple of road blocks- but by police reserve not regulars. Also, the MDC are trying to keep the international media focus on Zimbabwe- which isn't easy when there is more interesting "bad news" in places like somalia where you can film gun battles in the capital And remember, the higher the body count, the more news worthy it is...

Ganyan,

You don't seem to have a problem with email etc. Are they limiting the available power to keep info from flowing? Perhaps you are on a ginny.

Jeff

Bwana - I Have a Generator- but we haven't had a power cut in more than three months - I start it occasionally just to keep it 's own batter charged. Some suberbs are more badly hit than others...and the shooting club hasn't had power for four months. If a transformer goes down they have no money to fix it.

Re- email- there was a big scare when the government passed legislation allowing them to snoop- but, the main local internet companies applied to the reserve bank for the money to buy the equipment...and that was the end of the story- govt doesn't have the hard cash to give the various companies.

What they did do was close down the main national satellite comms station, so that internet conections were virtually non existant- if you were being a good, law abiding citizen and using the government network. This is Africa, however...and who bothers with the government system? To be honest, I have two accounts- one through approved channels which is cheep, and one allowing limited access but always works.

quote:

Originally posted by Ganyana:
Bwana - we haven't had a power cut in more than three months

Well that's bloody rich!!!!! - SA supplies Zim with power...... and we get at least 3 power cuts a week in my area!

Ahhh...the infamous load shedding.

I cannot express what a pain in the ass it is when you're trying to run a business!!!!

The story going the rounds here right now is that:

AC = alternating current
DC = direct current
ANC = absolutely no current

I know it is giving GS Custom bullets the fits. They have to run odd shifts to keep the machines running when there is power. The load shedding isn't done at night of course!

I heard that there are now Chinese troops in Zim. Does anyone know if that is an accurate report?

My buddy's friend has a company that makes cast & polished aluminium car wheels in Jo'burg...... I'm told every time they get a powercut, the metal gets cold and the whole process has to be re-started from scratch..... and every time that happens, it costs him around ZAR1M in lost production and other costs. I don't know how many powercuts he gets in a week, but we get at least 3 - How long can any business stay in business under those circumstances....

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
I heard that there are now Chinese troops in Zim. Does anyone know if that is an accurate report?

This is what I saw from The Zimbabwe Situation, which may be the same thing you saw:

Chinese troops are on the streets of Zimbabwean city, witnesses say
Independent, UK

By Ian Evans in Cape Town
Saturday, 19 April 2008

Chinese troops have been seen on the streets of Zimbabwe's third largest
city, Mutare, according to local witnesses. They were seen patrolling with
Zimbabwean soldiers before and during Tuesday's ill-fated general strike
called by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Earlier, 10 Chinese soldiers armed with pistols checked in at the city's
Holiday Inn along with 70 Zimbabwean troops.

One eyewitness, who asked not to be named, said: "We've never seen Chinese
soldiers in full regalia on our streets before. The entire delegation took
80 rooms from the hotel, 10 for the Chinese and 70 for Zimbabwean soldiers."

Officially, the Chinese were visiting strategic locations such as border
posts, key companies and state institutions, he said. But it is unclear why
they were patrolling at such a sensitive time. They were supposed to stay
five days, but left after three to travel to Masvingo, in the south.

China's support for President Mugabe's regime has been highlighted by the
arrival in South Africa of a ship carrying a large cache of weapons destined
for Zimbabwe's armed forces. Dock workers in Durban refused to unload it.

The 300,000-strong South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu)
said it would be "grossly irresponsible" to touch the cargo of ammunition,
grenades and mortar rounds on board the Chinese ship An Yue Jiang anchored
outside the port.

A Satawu spokesman Randall Howard said: "Our members employed at Durban
container terminal will not unload this cargo, neither will any of our
members in the truck-driving sector move this cargo by road. South Africa
cannot be seen to be facilitating the flow of weapons into Zimbabwe at a
time where there is a political dispute and a volatile situation between
Zanu-PF and the MDC."

Three million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades
and more than 3,000 mortar rounds and mortar tubes are among the cargo on
the Chinese ship, according to copies of the inventory published by a South
African newspaper.

According to Beeld, the documentation for the shipment was completed on 1
April, three days after the presidential vote.

Zimbabwe and China have close military ties. Three years ago, Mr Mugabe
signed extensive trade pacts with the Chinese as part of the "Look East"
policy forced on him by his ostracising by Western governments over human
rights abuses. The deal gave the Chinese mineral and trade concessions in
exchange for economic help.

The shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague called on David Miliband to
demand a cessation of arms shipments.

A South African government spokesman Themba Maseko said it would be
difficult to stop the shipment.

Looking for a big picture - looks like withered Robert is a puppet for a much vicious vampire:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmerson_Mnangagwa

Try to make it out of that - I guess this is the MDC's worst nightmare - keeping ZANU up is just a jumping board?

Ganyana,
Thanks for the reply. I should of guess, a b-----market for food, petrol and cash, why not the internet. The resoursefulness if you Zimsters never ceases to amaze me. Stay safe.

Jeff

Chinese arms to Zim ?????

By MATTHEW LEE
Associated Press Writer








Buy AP Photo Reprints










WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration is intervening with governments in southern Africa to prevent a Chinese ship carrying weapons for Zimbabwe's security forces from unloading its cargo, The Associated Press has learned.

At the same time, the State Department's top Africa hand, Jendayi Frazer, plans to visit the region this week to underscore U.S. concerns about the shipment. Frazer also will try to persuade Zimbabwe's neighbors to step up pressure on President Robert Mugabe's government to publish results from a disputed election that the opposition claims to have won, administration officials said Monday.

U.S. intelligence agencies are tracking the vessel, the An Yue Jiang, and American diplomats have been instructed to press authorities in at least four nations - South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia and Angola - not to allow it to dock, the officials told The Associated Press. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss delicate diplomatic talks.

The ship, which is laden with large amounts of weapons and ammunition, already has been turned away from South Africa and Mozambique, and is now believed to be headed for Angola, possibly with a refueling stop in Namibia. The freighter left South Africa after a judge on Friday barred the arms from transiting South Africa and it was not immediately clear if U.S. lobbying had influenced authorities in Mozambique who stopped it from docking over the weekend.

Two officials said Washington's effort to block the ship from unloading its cargo was now concentrated on Namibia and Angola and that both countries were being told that allowing the An Yue Jiang to dock could harm their relations with the United States.

There are fears that the arms, which include mortar grenades and bullets, could be used by Mugabe's regime to expand a clampdown on opposition supporters. The government has refused to publish the results of presidential elections held three weeks ago, and there are reports of increasing violence against the opposition.

South Africa's main trade union confederation has called on workers in other African countries to follow the example of South African dock and freight workers who said Friday they would not unload the ship or transport its cargo.

The State Department endorsed that position on Monday.

"Given Zimbabwe's current electoral crisis, we do share the concerns ... that these arms could be used against individuals who are merely trying to freely express their political will," said Kurtis Cooper, a department spokesman.

"We call on the Zimbabwe government to immediately cease the perpetration of brutal acts against its citizens and strongly urge the regional leadership to enhance its intervention for an expeditious solution to the postelection crisis," Cooper said.

The comments, prepared ahead of an expected announcement that Frazer will travel to southern Africa, come as the Bush administration has grown increasingly impatient with Mugabe - whose recent rule Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last week called "an abomination" - and with Zimbabwe's neighbors for not taking a harder line against the octogenarian leader.

The 14-nation Southern African Development Community, known as SADC, has been unwilling to take the tough stand on Zimbabwe as called for by western countries, notably Britain and the United States.

Part of Frazer's planned trip is aimed at rallying support for action from SADC members, whose leaders met in a mid-April summit on Zimbabwe but could agree only on a weak declaration that failed to criticize the absent Mugabe, officials said.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Africa has always been superstitious... the following is a letter circulating widely around Zim this morning...I have had it on email and see printed versions in both English and sindebele....

Mzilikazi, Mugabe and Tsvangirai - I will provide an account from one living elder in Zvimba that connects the Mzilikazi, Robert Mugabe and Mogan Tsvangirai, and the significance of the number 28 among these Zimbabwe legends. On March 10, 1952, the Zvimba elder and James Chikerema were called by a terrified Robert Mugabe to hear a voice that had been haunting Robert Mugabe since his return from the University of Fort Hare. Chikerema recorded the conversation with ‘the voice’ which was directed to Robert “Gabriel†Mugabe as follows: “In 28 years you will be King of Dzimbahwe but you will rule for only 28 years for today is born a boy who will take over from you 28 years into your rule. This boy will be 28 years old when your reign starts, and his own reign will commence when he is as old as you when yours starts, at 56. I can’t tell you how long he will rule, but by then you will have greedily destroyed the riches of Dzimbahweâ€. Robert Mugabe was too terrified to respond, so James Chikerema who was recording, asked, “But why this 28, 28 thing on our Son?†The reply, “Because Mzilikazi died in 1868 and after 28 years in 1896, the First Chimurenga broke out. After 28 years in 1924, a foremost icon of the second Chimurenga, you Robert Gabriel Mugabe would be born. (I am the one who christened you “Gabriel†at your birth). Today (10 March 1952) 28 years later I come to you again, on the heels of your return from Mzilikazi’s land (Fort Hare) where you had gone to acquire wisdom. Your life revolves around the number 28â€. Chikerema, the elder and Robert Mugabe all began to tremble, but Chikerema still managed to ask again, “But why 28, Your Highness?†The voice continued, “You had been blessed to be Mzilikazi’s reincarnate, and that you ably were during the second Chimurenga. However it was foreseen that as soon as you become King you would become extremely cruel and try to wipe out the entire Mzilikazi tribe in senseless combat. A great man of Mzilikazi clan would die bitter at the age of 82. This apparent reversal of your magic number (28 to 82) would signal massive reversals in your fortunes and those of Dzimbahwe and you will start to behave irrationally until the boy born in 1952 turns 56 to take over from you. This successor of yours has Mzilikazi’s blood in him. His forefathers were in Mzilikazi’s army and he is almost the same built as Mzilikazi -burly, short, dark and extremely brave. He has been trusted to succeed you as King of Dzimbahwe because of his love for the people. He will get massive support from the Mzilikazi people that you, Gabriel, previously persecuted and the unstoppable storm will drive you out of power. Dzimbahwe will start to flourish again under the new King to reclaim its place as Africa’s beacon of wealth, order and peace. Those who had fled your misrule will return to the motherland in droves, all to the betterment of Dzimbahwe. I see your temptation to try and stop this man from taking over from you and you will manage for only 28 days, not years, after which the whole thing consumes you! At that time, the support of your successor among Mzilikazi’s people will have trebled, and it will also be rock-hard throughout Dzimbahwe. Part of your predicament stems from the 28 head of cattle that your father stealthily drove from Mzilikazi’s adopted land in 1945â€. The voice switched off, leaving the elder, Chikerema and Robert Mugabe dump-founded. The elder says he re-lived the ‘vision’ during the recent Zanu (PF) electoral defeat and just had to share it with as many people as possible.

So things will get better on Saturday !!!

Great news Ganyana...

Guys, The Chinese have been In Zim. Same with Dafur, Sudan in general anywhere there is a resource to exploit. They are not bound by appearence or morality, only what is good for their country. Did I mention the Panama canal.

Jeff

It would appear to an outsider that Mugabe was holding the election results until he could re-supply his forces with the Chineese arms shipment. Now that it may not get there, he needs to move to plan C.

I was speaking to someone in RSA just a few minutes ago. They said that everyone is talking about the Chinese arms shipment and that there is a 2nd freighter with weapons enroute to Zim by a different route. They said that there is a lot of discussion about the dock workers who won't unload the weapons.

When Robber Bob finally anounces that he has won the election and that the recount has returned a majority of Zanu to the parliament I hope that there is a spontaneous uprising of the masses powerful enough to pour through government house and cleanse the place of the whole lot.

I suspect that this will not be the case, and with little more than a whimper, things will return to business as usual. Every passing day makes me believe this more strongly.

Ganyana-

That is one superstition that I hope becomes legend by coming true!

I have second hand information that a hunter from Houston, Texas by the name of Williams was recently released from a Zim prison after spending 5 days in the slammer. Allegedly arrested when he got off the plane for reasons that do not add up. It's a rather lengthly story and highly suspect in my opinion. I would like to hear more details if anyone has information. Word is he just returned to Houston this past week from what was to be a PAC elephant hunt.
Anyone in the Houston area or perhaps the Houston Safari Club know of a person by this name or what may have happened?

Now the latest rumor from on the ground in Zim is that there is now a much more sophisticated shipment of arms ordered to come in by air!!

I Hope that this shipment will also be diverted by various countries refusing access to their airspace??!!

Today from Rich Tabor, PH for my upcoming hunt in Nyakasanga, who lives in Harare:

"Hi John

Attached is an invite letter you might need it on the south african side.

Well everything is still all good this side nothing has changed much. Will hopefully be getting my sat phone tomorrow for you on the hunt.

Well shall see you at 9 pm on monday have a good flight.

Best

Rich"

JPK

JPK- Good luck on your hunt.What are you seeking this trip. Please get that hunt report back as soon as you can. For now at least , you will be the AR man on the ground.

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Zimbabwe's election crisis will "explode" if other nations fail to take action, the leader of South Africa's ruling party said Wednesday.


ANC president Jacob Zuma has called on the international community to help solve Zimbabwe's election crisis.

Jacob Zuma, president of the African National Congress, said South Africa was the one country that could help Zimbabwe, and that its President Thabo Mbeki was the man to lead the effort.

"There is a crisis in Zimbabwe. We ought to stand up and do something about it," Zuma, who will be the ANC's presidential candidate at next year's South African elections, told CNN after meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London.

"We need to do everything that we can in the process of influencing the situation in Zimbabwe for the better," he said. "How much that will take, I don't think I will be in a position to measure."

The results of Zimbabwe's March 29 elections have not yet been released, with the electoral commission expected to make an announcement this weekend.

The opposition party says Robert Mugabe's loyalists have been using violence and intimidation tactics against people who voted for challenger Morgan Tsvangirai, though officials in the President's camp deny those claims. See Zuma explain the need for international help. »

"Definitely there is something wrong with those elections," Zuma told CNN. He noted the voting was peaceful amid a large turnout and said problems began after voters cast their ballots.

"I think the manner in which the electoral commission has acted has discredited itself, and therefore that is tantamount to sabotaging elections," Zuma said.

Zuma defended the "quiet diplomacy" of Mbeki, a fellow ANC member, and said negotiating with Zimbabwean officials instead of criticizing them was the decision of the entire South African government, not just its president.

Zuma also said he was "confident" that Mbeki should be leading regional mediation efforts because he knows the issues best.

What is clear, Zuma said, is that the world should not waste any more time.

"The tensions have been building," he said. "We cannot wait and fold our arms and just look at the situation, particularly because there are reports of some acts of violence, intimidation.

"What we are left with if we don't act is the situation in Zimbabwe exploding," he said.

Zuma said he was not sure what specifically should be done, though a first step should be a meeting between Mugabe and Tsvangirai and their parties, the Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change.


Zuma, 65, became president of the ANC on December 18, 2007, after he defeated Mbeki -- who had been leader since 1999 -- in party elections.

He will run as the ANC's candidate in 2009 despite his pending trial on corruption and other charges, the South African Press Association reported

An article on www.zimbabwesituation.com said that the Zim government paid the Chinese government for the small arms in ivory.

If this allegation is true, it might change the CITES status of Zim as this is probably an illegal sale. Any thoughts, Ganyana?

RCG

I am lousy at cutting and pasting links. Perhaps one of our more competent members can post the link. Thanks.

I wouldn't trust "machine gun" Zuma further than I can smell him. This guy has endorsed Mugabe-style land redistribution in RSA and is just as poisonous and racist as his neighbor to the north. His statements are just grand-standing....by taking a different tack than Mbeki he is getting his evil countenance into the international press and establishing some credibility...but at the same time he is careful not to diverge too far from the ANC's ideology, which is based on the same Marxist dogma as ZANU's practices. Note, he says NO to arms embargo, NO to British and American meddling, NO to armed intervention. His only YES is to a "government of national unity led by Mugabe" and YES to Mbeki being the front man for continued "Quiet Diplomacy" (Zuma loves it when Mbeki is criticized in the international press....). In other words, YES to Mugabe, to status quo. Don't trust this guy at all. Mbeki, who is incompetent, is a much option in RSA. As goes Zim, so goes RSA, I am afraid. The only difference is the ANC is still scared of the whites (who have nowhere to go, for the most part, unlike a lot of Zims who went to SA and UK).

If Zuma was a straight player who really endorsed rule of law and democracy as he claims to, I think there would be fewer words and more action. It would be extremely easy for RSA to overturn Mugabe. A simple Cuba-style blockade would end it in a week.

RCG

I think that story is a little out of date...we paid the Chinks in Ivory for the new aircraft begining of 2007 or end of 2006. Neat trick used to get arround CITES- done under there very noses- called "Bad Ivory" that was "destroyed" or good ivory that was "sold" to local Chinese traders

I doubt we have enough Ivory left after last years sales to have shipped 8 tonnes to china and have enough left to cover tracks.

The only real possibility is Rhino Horn. We have just over 6 tonnes in the parks store- except the door is stuck and no-body has done an audit since 1997...

Ganyana:

Thanks for the comments.

RCG

quote:

Originally posted by eyedoc:
JPK- Good luck on your hunt.What are you seeking this trip. Please get that hunt report back as soon as you can. For now at least , you will be the AR man on the ground.

AR member Brett is on the ground there now. I believe he left on the 15th for two weeks of hunting so he should return next week I think.

My trip is for two trophy bull elephants, also on quota is a leopard, a hippo we hope to take on land, a bushbuck and hyhenna just because I enjoy hnting them and a tuskless in case we get incredibly lucky and need a reason to keep getting up before first light and walking and tracking.

Also some other plainsgame if needed for bait, but not a focus.

Thanks for the "luck" and I'll report soon after my return, which is on the 17th of May.

JPK