Switzerland blocks dlrs 10,000 in Zimbabwe assets

yahoo.com ^ | Jul 15, 2002 - 7:15 AM ET | AP

[Cincinatus' Wife]

BERN, Switzerland - Swiss authorities said Monday they had frozen dlrs 10,000 in a bank account linked to the regime of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.

The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs refused to identify the account holders or provide other details, but said the money had been blocked following notification from the bank.

The move follows a Swiss decision in March to impose economic and diplomatic sanctions on Zimbabwe, including the freezing of assets and a ban on travel by senior government officials. This shadowed sanctions imposed by the European Union ( news - web sites), of which Switzerland is not a member.

The 15-nation EU imposed the embargo against President Robert Mugabe's government after international outrage over allegedly rigged elections in March. The United States also has imposed sanctions.

Last week, British authorities said they had frozen 76,000 pounds (dlrs 118,500) in assets belonging to Mugabe's party.

Zimbabwe has been wracked for the past two years by political violence that opposition supporters, human rights activists and many international officials blame on the ruling ZANU-PF party.

Mugabe, 77, has ruled Zimbabwe since it won independence from Britain in 1980. As his popularity has waned, he has imposed curbs on journalists and opposition parties and many of his critics have been attacked or threatened with prosecution.

Zimbabwe's government also has targeted about 95 percent of farms owned by the country's white minority for seizure, saying it wants to redistribute them to landless blacks. The often violent program of seizures has been condemned by Western governments and contributed to widespread food shortages.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

American born journalist Andrew Meldrum, the Zimbabwe correspondent for the British newspaper The Guardian, speaks to the press outside the Harare Magistrates Court with his wife Delores July 15, 2002. Meldrum was acquitted of a charge under the new Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act over a story about the alleged beheading of an opposition supporter by ruling ZANU (PF) party supporters, which later turned out to be false. Meldrum was handed a 24-hour deportation order by an Immigration official immediately after the end of the trial. REUTERS/Howard Burditt - Jul 15 6:44 AM ET

U.S. Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, on a three-day visit to Zimbabwe, gave his backing to President Robert Mugabe's land seizure campaign, state media reported on July 13, 2002. Farrakhan is seen addressing the media at the African Union summit in Durban, South Africa July 10, 2002. Photo by Juda Ngwenya/Reuters - Jul 13 1:29 PM ET

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[Byron_the_Aussie]

Cincy, have we got Farrakhan's exact words recorded anywhere? It beggars belief that anyone could offer support to Mugabe and I would like to read his exact comments, if you can supply a source. Thanks in advance, By.

[RedWhiteBlue]

Byron:

Look at this google search for NEWS REPORTS ON FARRAKHAN'S SUPPORT OF MUGABE'S LAND GRAB.