Zimbabwe -- Cathy Buckle -- Judge and jury

Letters written by Cathy Buckle ^ | 30th October | Cathy Buckle

[Clive]

Dear Family and Friends,

This week Zimbabweans watched with shock and amazement as our government seemed determined to score an own goal. It has been a week of roller coaster rides with hopes soaring one day and then plummeting back to earth the next day.

The South African trade union movement was coming to Zimbabwe on a fact finding mission to see for themselves what was happening inside our country. They were to meet their counterparts in the ZCTU and representatives from a wide range of civic society organisations. We were delighted and felt sure that COSATU would say it like it is. They are not the sort of organization who would be intimidated or harassed or who would wrap their findings in diplomatic words.

With bated breath we followed every step of the saga. COSATU were told by our government that their visit was unacceptable and that they would not be welcome but the Union representatives said they were coming anyway. Everyone was convinced that the COSATU delegates would not be allowed into the country and it was touch and go for a while.

The 13 member COSATU delegation arrived in Harare but were detained by state security agents at the airport for almost two hours.It seemed that the COSATU delegates were being told that they would only be allowed in if they agreed in writing not to meet certain Zimbabwean groups on the grounds that these organizations were opposed to the Mugabe government. (one of the groups mentioned was the Council of Churches!) The COSATU delegation stood firm, refused to sign anything and were eventually allowed into the country.

The COSATU visit did not last long. The next morning CIO agents descended. They were soon joined by riot police who helped enforce a Cabinet ruling to deport the COSATU team. And that was it, as easily as the light of hope had been ignited, so it was extinguished. Then it was all over bar the shouting and propaganda.

Our Ministry of Information attacked the COSATU''S visit describing it as ' a treacherously calculated assault..a challenge to (Zimbabwe's) sovereignty... a provocative visit ( by a group) with alien interests,' ZBC TV news said the COSATU delegates had been sent by British prime Minister Tony Blair and described them as: "aristocrats who were pro capitalist."

While the propaganda fumed and spat, the COSATU delegation were being shoved unceremoniously out of the country. There were no farewells from the airport but a six hundred kilometer drive in the middle of the night to literally dump the Union leaders at the Beit Bridge border.

Exhausted, hungry and stressed, the COSATU vice president said it had been a "nasty, horrible experience " and that "There is simply no law and order in Zimbabwe."

Just for one day COSATU held the torch high for us and for that we thank them. We hope that what they saw in their very brief visit will not be forgotten but used to help all Zimbabweans who have been desperately struggling to get this message across for almost five years.

Zimbabweans are also holding up a torch this week for MDC MP Roy Bennett. Parliament has just voted to jail the opposition MP for 15 months with hard labour for pushing and knocking down Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa in Parliament in May. Roy Bennett did not deny shoving the Justice Minister and apologised to the Speaker of The House.

There is no doubt in anyone's mind that the incident was the culmination of almost five years of extreme provocation. Events which represent a litany of horror and abuse which include repeated violent farm invasions, illegal arrests; murder of one man, shooting of another, rape of three women, slaughter and theft of cattle; theft and sale of over 150 tons of coffee; the looting and trashing of his home, six court orders that had been ignored. and the death of Mr and Mrs Bennett's unborn child.

ZANU PF did not waste any time debating these horrors, their parliamentary majority turned them into judge and jury and already MP Roy Bennett has been locked up.

Zimbabweans are with you Roy Bennett. You have shown us all the meaning of courage and of true patriotism and we thank you for the hope you have given us for the last five years. When the New Zimbabwe is born, Roy Bennett will be hailed as the man who gave us inspiration, hope and courage and showed us the way. We salute you.

Until next week, with love, cathy.

[Clive]

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[Cindy]

Very sad bump.

[Bahbah]

"(one of the groups mentioned was the Council of Churches!)

Didn't Mugabe know he had nothing to fear from this bunch? Really, all I can do now is watch and see how bad it is going to get in Zim. I think it will defy my imagination.

[junta]

It would be interesting to know who is bankrolling Mugabe. Thugs like him do not sprout up out of the ground without the fertilizer and water of some big money types out on a looting expedition.