| Zimbabwe Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa, lying between latitudes 15° and 23°S, and longitudes 25° and 34°E. Most of the country is elevated in the central plateau (high veld) stretching from the southwest to the northwest at altitudes between 1200 and 1600m. The country's east is mountainous with Mt. Nyangani as the highest point at 2,592 m. About 20% of the country consists of the low veld under 900m. Victoria Falls, one of the world's biggest and most spectacular More from Wikipedia |
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Zimbabwe
Rights campaigner Mukoko, 15 MDC activists re-arrested
05 May, 2009 | by Charles Tembo
( ZimOnline ) HARARE – Prominent human rights campaigner Jestina
Mukoko and 15 other activists from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’
s MDC party were on Monday rearrested and will be in custody
awaiting trial beginning in July.
Magistrate Catherine Chimanda directed that the 16 activists, who are
facing charges of plotting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe’s
government and were granted bail at the end of February and early
March, be re-jailed as they had been served with indictment papers.
“This court has no jurisdiction to hear the defence’s application. Since
the accused have been indicted they will be in custody awaiting trial,”
said Chimanda, agreeing to the state’s presentation.
But lead defence lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa criticised the ruling, saying
“the law is being applied maliciously” and they will file a fresh bail
application.
Corporation and now director of human rights organisation Zimbabwe
Peace Project (ZPP), and the 15 opposition MDC party members are
charged with attempting to recruit people for military training in
neighbouring Botswana to overthrow Mugabe and his ruling ZANU PF
party.
If convicted the group faces the death penalty, in a case that has
potential to scuttle Zimbabwe’s unity government between Mugabe and
MDC party leader Tsvangirai.
The accused were between October and December last year kidnapped
from various places and their lawyers say they were severely tortured
by state agents in a bid to force them to admit to the charges of banditry.
They were granted bail at the end of February and early March but were
slapped with tough bail conditions. Mukoko was asked to pay $600 in
bail, surrender her passport and the deeds to her house or deposit
US$20 000 with the court as surety. She was also asked to report to
police twice a week.
Tsvangirai, who in February joined a power-sharing government with
Mugabe has said that it would be difficult for the new administration to
move forward while a list of outstanding issues, including the release of
all political prisoners remained unresolved.
Other outstanding issues include the appointment of provincial
governors, permanent secretaries and diplomats, the rehiring of Reserve
Bank Governor Gideon Gono and the appointment of Johannes Tomana
as Attorney General by Mugabe in January.
Western governments and international rights groups have been calling
for Zimbabwe’s inclusive government to carry out comprehensive
political, economic and justice reforms without delay to uphold human
rights and the rule of law before they provide financial support and lift
sanctions on Mugabe and his inner circle. – ZimOnline
Rights campaigner Mukoko, 15 MDC activists re-arrested
05 May, 2009 | by Charles Tembo
( ZimOnline ) HARARE – Prominent human rights campaigner Jestina
Mukoko and 15 other activists from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’
s MDC party were on Monday rearrested and will be in custody
awaiting trial beginning in July.
Magistrate Catherine Chimanda directed that the 16 activists, who are
facing charges of plotting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe’s
government and were granted bail at the end of February and early
March, be re-jailed as they had been served with indictment papers.
“This court has no jurisdiction to hear the defence’s application. Since
the accused have been indicted they will be in custody awaiting trial,”
said Chimanda, agreeing to the state’s presentation.
But lead defence lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa criticised the ruling, saying
“the law is being applied maliciously” and they will file a fresh bail
application.
- Mtetwa said that they would
also approach the Supreme
Court to challenge their
indictment following a
political agreement between
Mugabe and Tsvangirai to
form a power-sharing
government that led to their
release.
Corporation and now director of human rights organisation Zimbabwe
Peace Project (ZPP), and the 15 opposition MDC party members are
charged with attempting to recruit people for military training in
neighbouring Botswana to overthrow Mugabe and his ruling ZANU PF
party.
If convicted the group faces the death penalty, in a case that has
potential to scuttle Zimbabwe’s unity government between Mugabe and
MDC party leader Tsvangirai.
The accused were between October and December last year kidnapped
from various places and their lawyers say they were severely tortured
by state agents in a bid to force them to admit to the charges of banditry.
They were granted bail at the end of February and early March but were
slapped with tough bail conditions. Mukoko was asked to pay $600 in
bail, surrender her passport and the deeds to her house or deposit
US$20 000 with the court as surety. She was also asked to report to
police twice a week.
Tsvangirai, who in February joined a power-sharing government with
Mugabe has said that it would be difficult for the new administration to
move forward while a list of outstanding issues, including the release of
all political prisoners remained unresolved.
Other outstanding issues include the appointment of provincial
governors, permanent secretaries and diplomats, the rehiring of Reserve
Bank Governor Gideon Gono and the appointment of Johannes Tomana
as Attorney General by Mugabe in January.
Western governments and international rights groups have been calling
for Zimbabwe’s inclusive government to carry out comprehensive
political, economic and justice reforms without delay to uphold human
rights and the rule of law before they provide financial support and lift
sanctions on Mugabe and his inner circle. – ZimOnline
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| Ethiopia's History of National Resistance for African Unity & Dignity |
| Land reform in Zimbabwe Land reform in Zimbabwe officially began in 1979 with the signing of the Lancaster House Agreement, an effort to more equitably distribute land between the historically disenfranchised blacks and the minority-whites who ruled Zimbabwe from 1890 to 1979. The government's land distribution is perhaps the most crucial and the most bitterly contested political issue surrounding Zimbabwe today. More |
| Previous Stories Rights campaigner Mukoko, 15 MDC activists re-arrested 05 May, 2009 | by Charles Tembo ( ZimOnline ) HARARE – Prominent human rights campaigner Jestina Mukoko and 15 other activists from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party were on Monday rearrested and will be in custody awaiting trial beginning in July....More |