Posted on 01/25/2004 6:08:38 AM PST by Clive
Harare - Zimbabwe's Foreign Ministry and police reacted angrily to the United States State Department's warning to American citizens to leave the southern African country because of the security situation, a state-run newspaper reported on Saturday.
"It is a deliberate distortion of the facts, bent on destroying the tourism industry which is on the mend," Pavelyn Musaka, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson told The Herald.
Despite the killing early this week of a white farmer, police superintendent Oliver Mandipaka denied there had been any increase in crime.
"We are able to contain the situation to maintain peace and stability. We have never regarded criminals as a threat. This country is one of the safest places in the region," he said.
Francis Ngwenya, president of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe -representing hoteliers and restaurateurs - said they would not be affected by the advisory since they had shifted their focus market to Asia, in line with recent calls by President Robert Mugabe.
"The country's tourism industry would not be affected if Americans leave," he said.
Reporting the murder on Monday of Peter Sivertsen on a farm near Kwekwe, 350km southwest of the capital, the Commercial Farmers Union deplored "the current spate of criminal activity and general lawlessness".
Last month, an Australian accountant was abducted from a tea estate in Zimbabwe's eastern districts, forced to drink acid and killed.
On Thursday, the US State Department warned citizens: "Commercial farms should be avoided at all times, especially those occupied by settlers or so called war veterans, who are typically young government supporters acting with impunity outside the law."
Urging Americans to consider "departure from the country," the State Department said the economy was "in precipitous decline with extremely high rates of unemployment and inflation.
"The humanitarian crisis is expected to worsen in the coming months and may lead to unrest and possible large scale migration of Zimbabweans to urban or border areas, with further disruption and an increase in crime and instability."
Since early 2000, a "fast track" land redistribution program has seen the seizure of former white owned farms and a cut in food production by more than half.
Western observers have rejected parliamentary and presidential polls in which Mugabe claimed victory, alleging widespread rigging and intimidation.
Police late Friday raided the downtown Harare offices of the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, said party spokesperson Paul Themba Nyathi. Police left with bundles of documents but made no arrests, he said. - Sapa-AP
STFU
Yea, sure. Visit Zimbabwe to see the indigenous African flora and fauna.........NOT!
Visit Zimbabwe to see the the starving people as a result of the communist dictator's bigotted ethnic cleansing of white farmers.
Enjoy the 'Annual Running of the Death Squads Festival'.
View historic torched farm houses.
LOL
I came across a tourism website a few years back (can't remember the name) that was setup in Britain. The author gave all these helpful travel tips and warnings for different countries. Paging through it I was astonished over the things he said about the US; quite an eye-opener to hear what a Brit thought about the 'quaint Colonies'. One of the lines said something to the effect: "America is peopled by gun-toting crazies".
The overall impression he left you with was that America and Somalia were not much different as far the level of safety a foreign tourist could expect.
Sick SOB's!
On both the "VOA News Now" AND "VOA Africa" broadcasts. I started laughing at the "tourism" bit.
You're correct. I have few problems of this nature living down here in the woods with my dogs. LOL
I have to drive at least 15 miles just to see a taxi. (I like it that way, lol)
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