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American Doctors Held in Zimbabwe
New York Times ^ | Sept 11th 2010 | Celia W. Dugger

Posted on 09/12/2010 12:27:20 AM PDT by Cardhu

JOHANNESBURG — Five Americans — two doctors, two nurses and an organizer — who carried donated AIDS drugs to Zimbabwe for distribution to the poor were arrested Thursday and remained jailed in Harare on Saturday on a charge of dispensing the medicine without the supervision of a pharmacist or proper licenses, their lawyer said.

The Americans, who are being held in smelly, poorly ventilated cells at Harare Central police station, were to have appeared in court on Saturday for a bail hearing, but the police said they had not finished the paperwork, said the lawyer, Jonathan Samukange. The Americans are expected to appear before a magistrate on Monday.

A Zimbabwean doctor working with them was also arrested on related charges.

The state-run newspaper, The Herald, on Saturday quoted a spokesman for the criminal investigations department, Detective Inspector Augustin Zimbili, confirming the arrests and the charges.

The Americans belong to the Allen Temple Baptist Church AIDS Ministry in Oakland, Calif. The church serves a predominantly African-American congregation. Three or four times a year since 2000, members have paid their own way to Zimbabwe to give antiretroviral medicine, vitamins, clothing and food baskets to impoverished people with AIDS.

The epidemic is severe throughout Zimbabwe and the country’s broken health system fails to treat most people in need.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aids; doctors; zimbabwe
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"Kenric Bailey, a member of the AIDS ministry, said a soured relationship with a Zimbabwe charity was at the root of the arrests."
1 posted on 09/12/2010 12:27:24 AM PDT by Cardhu
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To: Cardhu

Is it just me or does it seem like taking american hostages is the new thing to do since the messiah got elected?


2 posted on 09/12/2010 12:37:02 AM PDT by Stayfrosty
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To: Cardhu

Well, since the majority of Zimbabwean’s are black, and all the government is corrupt, we know which side our dear leader will be on. I’m sure he won’t lift a finger to help.


3 posted on 09/12/2010 12:39:50 AM PDT by tiki
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To: Stayfrosty

I’m wondering what makes someone think they can go into a country with prescription drugs and start passing them out without government approval.

I wait for a reply to see what I am missing.


4 posted on 09/12/2010 12:41:42 AM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience.)
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To: Cardhu
The epidemic is severe throughout Zimbabwe and the country’s broken health system fails to treat most people in need.

...so the doctor decided to pack a controlled medicine requiring a prescription into his luggage and fly into a country to dispense it?

5 posted on 09/12/2010 12:43:16 AM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience.)
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To: Cardhu

Wait. I saw Mugabe and his wife in Singapore spending thousands on luxury items like designer clothes, bags and jewelry...

How could they not have spend their money on the poor?

Mr. Obama, tell me why...


6 posted on 09/12/2010 12:52:32 AM PDT by wac3rd (Somewhere in Hell, Ted Kennedy snickers....)
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To: Cardhu

Sounds like they didn’t bribe the right people this time.


7 posted on 09/12/2010 12:58:27 AM PDT by BuckyKat (Green is the new red.)
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To: gunsequalfreedom
“I’m wondering what makes someone think they can go into a country with prescription drugs and start passing them out without government approval.”

I was wondering the same thing.

Zimbabwe is a completely failed state, and every institution is (probably) corrupt beyond redemption. Nevertheless, every state would treat such actions as a crime. If the doctors, etc. figured that there was no hope of getting government approval; they had two choices: forget about it; or, go in underground, doing the best they could to avoid detection. It sounds like they were incredibly naive.

8 posted on 09/12/2010 1:07:48 AM PDT by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: gunsequalfreedom

Less than a third world nation, trying to save lives. What the hell is wrong with you?


9 posted on 09/12/2010 1:08:54 AM PDT by nightwalker
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To: gunsequalfreedom
I’m wondering what makes someone think they can go into a country with prescription drugs and start passing them out without government approval.

I wait for a reply to see what I am missing.

This part?

The lawyer for the Americans, Mr. Samukange, denied the charges. He said the doctors who dispensed the medicine, Dr. Andrew Reid, an American resident of Zimbabwe, and Dr. Tembinhosi Ncomanzi, a Zimbabwean, were licensed to practice there.

10 posted on 09/12/2010 1:14:24 AM PDT by dread78645 (Evolution. A doomed theory since 1859.)
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To: nightwalker
Less than a third world nation, trying to save lives. What the hell is wrong with you?

What do you mean what is wrong with me? I've been in enough other countries to know they have governments and laws and you follow them or there are consequences...especially if they are third world and corrupt as heck.

It does not matter how poor an American thinks a country is, you still need clearance from the government...or you get thrown in jail.

What the heck do you think would happen if a doctor from another country came here and started dispensing drugs. Or is it different because this is the U.S.?

11 posted on 09/12/2010 1:15:47 AM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience.)
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To: dread78645

Thanks for the added detail. My guess is we don’t have enough info to know what is really taking place although in Zimbabwe where they just upped and took people’s farms it does not seem hard to guess.


12 posted on 09/12/2010 1:22:04 AM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience.)
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To: Cardhu

Pearls. Swine. Rending.


13 posted on 09/12/2010 1:24:03 AM PDT by Psalm 144 (The bureaucrat is the natural enemy of liberty.)
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To: nightwalker
What the hell is wrong with you?

I can't say for sure. But I did just step outside for a minute and it sure is quiet out there. The humans must be sleeping.


14 posted on 09/12/2010 1:30:00 AM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience.)
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To: Stayfrosty

must be profit in it somewhere...or result of all the goodwill Obama has farmed for the nation.


15 posted on 09/12/2010 1:46:52 AM PDT by dalebert
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To: Cardhu
Sad to see the innocent (children, e.g.) suffer -- but the actions of parents have consequences. God-ordained consequences. Is it wise to get between people and the consequences of that which they voted for? The god they chose to serve?
16 posted on 09/12/2010 1:47:53 AM PDT by RJR_fan (Christians need to reclaim and excel in the genre of science fiction.)
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To: RJR_fan

They could have stayed home and would have been free now.

Stay the hell out of places like this.

The Governments don’t want you there.


17 posted on 09/12/2010 3:24:45 AM PDT by Venturer
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To: Venturer

Doesn’t Zimbabwe have Obamacare? A Crystal ball for the US, but there won’t be a US to send a rescur team.


18 posted on 09/12/2010 4:26:22 AM PDT by barb-tex (Nov. 2!(Election Day) Dia de los Muertas. ( Day of the Dead), Them or Us. Nov 5, Guy Falkes Day)
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To: Cardhu

THE MORAL HERE IS THAT AMERICANS SHOULD HELP AMERICANS AND THE CLEVER AFRICANS, INCLUDING THE KENYAN POSEUR, SHOULD GO OUT ON THEIR OWN. I KNOW IT DOES NOT SOUND CHRISTIAN BUT IF OUR YOUNG AND PROFESSIONALS GO TO HELP AND ARE REPAID WITH JAIL, BEHEADINGS, EXTORTION, THEN SCREW THE RAGHEADS, THE AFRICANS, EVERYONE ELSE. OF COURSE, I MEAN THAT IN THE HIGHEST AND BEST SENSE.


19 posted on 09/12/2010 4:36:05 AM PDT by MarkT
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To: BuckyKat
Sounds like they didn’t bribe the right people this time.

They might not have bribed ALL of the right people or the local politicians might not be of the honest variety (honest politicians STAY bought) and decided they could pay more. Either way, I am sure you are right. If the charges were correctly stated they would read "not paying enough re$pect to the local hierarchy."

20 posted on 09/12/2010 4:52:58 AM PDT by magslinger ('This is a United States Marine Corps FA-18 fighter. Send 'em up, I'll wait!')
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