Zimbabwe police seize diplomats (updated)

[maddezmom]

Source: ITV

Zimbabwe police seize diplomats
Published: Thursday, 5 June 2008, 3:45PM
Police in Zimbabwe have seized British and US and embassy staff at a roadblock.

Four Britons, five Americans and two Zimbabweans are still being held almost five hours after the incident, a US embassy spokesman said.

Police reportedly stopped and detained several vehicles and slashed the tyres to try to stop them from driving away.

The convoy was visiting alleged victims of political violence in the troubled southern African state, US embassy spokesman Mark Weinburg said.

He added: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs promised to send staff to get our people out, but they are still being held at the roadblock."

US ambassador James McGee said embattled president Robert Mugabe's regime is behind the attack.

He said: "Police put up a roadblock, stopped the vehicles, slashed the tyres, reached in and grabbed telephones from my personnel, and the war veterans (Mugabe's supporters) threatened to burn the vehicles with my people inside unless they got out and accompanied police to a station nearby.



Read more: http://www.itv.com/News/Articles/Zimbabwe-police-seize-...

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U.S. envoy: Zimbabwe police threaten to burn diplomats
(CNN) -- Zimbabwe police, soldiers and war veterans stopped a convoy of U.S. and British embassy vehicles on Thursday and threatened to burn the diplomats, the U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe said.

Two U.S. Embassy cars and a British Embassy vehicle were going to check on reports of recent violence in Zimbabwe when they were stopped, U.S. Ambassador James McGee said.

The police, soldiers and veterans slashed the tires on one of the American vehicles and took telephones from inside the car, he said.

The veterans threatened to burn the people inside the vehicles if they did not accompany them to police headquarters, said McGee, who was not in the convoy.

more:http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/06/05/zimbabwe...

[Squatch]

1. This could be bad...

[mainegreen]

4. About a month ago they tried to bring in the US Ambassador for 'questioning'

Fortunately our Ambassador to Zimbabwe is a tough nut, and just said no way, walked past the guns to his car, and drove away.

Zimbabwe will explode into anarchy soon. I just hope we done loose any of our people there.

[Squatch]

5. I think that's going to happen sooner than later.

I think that suspension of our diplomatic relationships with Zimbabwe may be order.

[BobbyVan]

9. What's Obama's position on this? Has he said that he would talk to Mugabe?

If so, we'll need an Embassy there.

[Squatch]

13. We can "talk to Mugabe" through the UN security council in NYC

But, mugging our diplomats should result in some sort of diplomatic sanctions.

[ohio2007]

27. UN used quiet diplomacy on Mugabe in Italy and this must be the blowback

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Nobody seemed to think Mugabe would take the cold shoulder shun this far ?

Who will Mugabe turn to and confide in now ?

[Spouting Horn]

31. What on earth is

there to "talk to Mugabe" about?

What is there to "negotiate?"

[TheDebbieDee]

2. I need a history refresher - was Zimbabwe called Rhodesia

in a prior decade/century?

[maddezmom]

3. yes, here is a blurb from wiki

As colonial rule was ending throughout the continent, and as African-majority governments assumed control in neighbouring Northern Rhodesia and in Nyasaland, the white-minority Rhodesia government led by Ian Smith made a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965. The United Kingdom deemed this an act of rebellion, but did not re-establish control by force. The white-minority government declared itself a "republic" in 1970. It was not recognised by the UK or any other state except white-minority-governed South Africa. A civil war ensued, with Joshua Nkomo's ZAPU and Robert Mugabe's ZANU using assistance from the governments of Zambia and Mozambique.

On 18 April 1980, the country attained recognised independence and along with it a new name, Zimbabwe, new flag, and government led by Robert Mugabe of ZANU. Canaan Banana served as the first president with Mugabe as prime minister. In 1987, the government amended the constitution to provide for an executive president and abolished the office of prime minister. The constitutional changes went into effect on 1 January 1988, establishing Robert Mugabe as president.

Under the leadership of Mugabe, land issues, which the liberation movement promised to solve, re-emerged as the vital issue in the 1990s. Beginning in 2000, Mugabe began an effort to redistribute land from white holders (predominantly large farms) to 250,000 Africans.

Zimbabwe is currently experiencing a hard currency shortage, which has led to hyperinflation and chronic shortages in imported fuel and consumer goods. Mugabe's critics blame his programme of land reform. However, Mugabe claims that massive financial isolation through American, British and EU legislation such as the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 is the actual cause of hyperinflation. Under ZDERA, the International Monetary Fund and other financial institutions are prohibited from extending loans, credit or cancelling debt to the government of Zimbabwe. As Zimbabwe needs to import all its energy, and oil is paid for in US dollars, this made the country vulnerable to financial sanctions like ZDERA.

Zimbabwe's current economic and food crisis, described by some observers as the country's worst humanitarian crisis since independence, has been attributed, in varying degrees, to a drought affecting the entire region, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the government's price controls and land reforms.<1>

[Spouting Horn]

32. Rhodesia was what

it was called before Independence in 1980.

Europeans drawing imaginary lines in Africa and the Middle East and calling them borders was certainly not their best moment.

[maddezmom]

6. Zimbabwe police seize diplomats

Zimbabwe police seize diplomats
Published: Thursday, 5 June 2008, 3:45PM
Police in Zimbabwe have seized British and US and embassy staff at a roadblock.

Four Britons, five Americans and two Zimbabweans are still being held almost five hours after the incident, a US embassy spokesman said.

Police reportedly stopped and detained several vehicles and slashed the tyres to try to stop them from driving away.

The convoy was visiting alleged victims of political violence in the troubled southern African state, US embassy spokesman Mark Weinburg said.

He added: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs promised to send staff to get our people out, but they are still being held at the roadblock."

US ambassador James McGee said embattled president Robert Mugabe's regime is behind the attack.

He said: "Police put up a roadblock, stopped the vehicles, slashed the tyres, reached in and grabbed telephones from my personnel, and the war veterans (Mugabe's supporters) threatened to burn the vehicles with my people inside unless they got out and accompanied police to a station nearby.

more:http://www.itv.com/News/Articles/Zimbabwe-police-seize-...

[Bacchus39]

7. US, British diplomats attacked in Zimbabwe

By ANGUS SHAW, Associated Press Writer
5 minutes ago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080605/ap_on_re_af/zimbabw...

HARARE, Zimbabwe - U.S. and British diplomats were attacked Thursday as they tried to investigate political violence in Zimbabwe and a U.S. Embassy staffer was beaten, an embassy spokesman said.

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The group was still being held some six hours after being stopped at a roadblock just north of Harare, spokesman Paul Engelstad said.

Britain's Foreign Office said it was aware of the incident but was making no comment at the moment.

U.S. Ambassador James McGee, who was not with the convoy, told CNN that Zimbabwean police and military officers and so-called war veterans, a group of fiercely loyal and often violent supporters of President Robert Mugabe, were responsible for what he called an "illegal action."

"The war veterans threatened to burn the vehicles with my people inside unless they got out of the vehicles and accompanied the police to a station nearby," McGee said, saying he was in touch with the group by mobile phone.

He said five Americans, four Britons and three Zimbabweans were in the three-car convoy.

The opposition and rights groups have accused Mugabe of orchestrating violence and intimidation in the run-up to a June 27 presidential runoff.

Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena denied security agents had threatened the diplomats, saying instead that police were trying to rescue them from a threatening mob.

"It's unfortunate when diplomats behave like criminals and distort information," Bvudzijena said. "It is a very sad situation."

In mid-May, McGee had led a similar convoy that was stopped at a police roadblock. Police eventually let the convoy through, and a patrol car escorted them back to the U.S. Embassy before disappearing.

At one point during the May incident, a police officer threatened to beat one of McGee's senior aides. The officer got into his car and lurched toward McGee after he had demanded the officer's name. The car made contact with McGee's shins, but he was not injured.

Also Thursday, Zimbabwe's opposition presidential candidate resumed campaigning, the morning after he spent nine hours in police detention near the country's second main city, his party said.

Morgan Tsvangirai said in a statement that the hours he spent in a Bulawayo police station after being stopped at a roadblock while campaigning demonstrate the lengths to which Robert Mugabe was prepared to go to "try and steal" the runoff.

But police spokesman Bvudzijena said police merely wanted to establish that one of the vehicles in Tsvangirai's convoy was properly registered. He said police had asked only the driver to accompany them from the roadblock to the station, but others in the party insisted on coming and waiting while the documents were reviewed.

Also Thursday, rights activists in Zimbabwe said that alleged Mugabe supporters petrol-bombed an office of Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change in the southern province of Masvingo on Wednesday, killing at least two party officials.

[BobbyVan]

8. More from the New York Times

Diplomats From U.S. and Britain Held in Zimbabwe
By CELIA W. DUGGER and GRAHAM BOWLEY

JOHANNESBURG — A contingent of American diplomats investigating the political situation in Zimbabwe were chased by the police in their car on Thursday, stopped at a roadblock and detained, American officials said.

The diplomats were released from custody after five hours, according to the American ambassador to Zimbabwe, William McGee. A team of British diplomats was also detained and released along with the Americans.

During a car chase of over 6 miles, the police tried to force the American diplomats off the road. When they were finally stopped, all four tires of their white S.U.V. were slashed and a local security official was beaten.

The diplomats were part of a convoy of three vehicles from the American and British embassies in Harare. The three SUVs were about 55 miles north of the capital, Harare, this morning when they were stopped by police and ordered to a nearby police station.

The diplomats refused and set off in different directions. One car, containing American diplomats, took back roads and reached Harare safely. The second American car took the main road back to Harare before it was stopped at the roadblock north of Harare, near Mazoe. The British car was stopped at the same roadblock, the ambassador said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/06/world/africa/06zimbab...

[dipsydoodle]

10. BBC News :

The ambassador said so-called war veterans allied to the government had tried to forcibly remove the diplomats from the vehicles and, when they refused, had stolen a camera and a satellite telephone.

"The war veterans threatened to burn the vehicles with the people inside unless they removed themselves from the vehicle," he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7438275.stm

[Mike Daniels]

11. It's surreal to think that Mugabe used to have a vocal support group on DU

I'd like to see them come to his defense at this point.

[otherlander]

12. I only remember one person defending him.

Damn, this is going to get ugly.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[classysassy]

15. Defending

lets defend the truth,Cecil Rhodes and his band of merry little white crooks stole the land from the natives,why not condemn Rhodes?

[BobbyVan]

16. He's dead, it's a waste of my time

But if it makes you happy:

CECIL RHODES - I CONDEMN YOU!

[LeftishBrit]

17. I certainly condemn him.

But he has been dead for decades. Mugabe is the crook who's stealing from the natives of Zimbabwe NOW.

[BobbyVan]

18. OK we agree about Rhodes. Now will you condemn Mugabe and his Zanu-PF thugs?

[David__77]

20. I oppose ZANU-PF's political line.

They have descended into capitalist-cronyism and have little regard for the social good. Yes, I will condemn them. But I absolutely oppose any tendency toward "regime change" from outside forces.

[David__77]

19. The UK/US is trying to subvert a sovereign country. I condemn them.

For me, this is not about defending Mugabe, but rather condemning a new colonialism. Zimbabwe has the right to determine its own internal affairs. But as for as that country's internal politics are concerned, people would be very deluded not to recognize that many, many Zimbabweans still have tremendous respect for Mugabe, if only resulting from his leading role in the armed liberation struggle against colonialism and racist-fascism.

[Zynx]

21. There's a difference between sovereign countries and legitimate governments.

Mugabe's regime is no longer representative of its people and has forfeited all legitimacy.

[BobbyVan]

22. Excellent point

I could not have said it better.

Zimbabweans deserve better than Mugabe. It's a shame that whenever someone condemns a dictator on DU, whether it's Mugabe or Chavez, that person gets accused of agitating for regime change.

[David__77]

26. So who gets to decide that?

The US said that about Iraq as well. And others. Bush's people have said that Hugo Chavez has forfeited his legitimacy because he doesn't meet US governance standards. Has the Venezuelan state forfeited its rights to sovereignty and freedom from subversion and interference? How far does this all go?

[Pavulon]

28. Director of Operations

and the President to some extent, have made that decision. exactly.

Hopefully people will come to their senses. Mugabe needs to drop dead.

[truebrit71]

35. Refresh my memory, whom did Chavez or his supporters butcher and set on fire?

Apples and Oranges...

Chavez isn't even in the same league as Mugabe and you KNOW it...

[BobbyVan]

23. What, specifically, is the UK/US doing to "subvert a sovereign country"

[pitohui]

29. are you out of your tree? "many zimbabweans still have tremendous respect for mugabe?" er, no!

every zimbabwean who can manage it is fleeing the country, at this point, you wonder if there are more of them in south africa than in zimbabwe

the population of the country has fallen tremendously, by millions, because everyone is trying to get the heck out of there

i don't call that respect, i call that voting with your feet

i've not actually visited zimbabwe, but it's a big issue in south africa because they are pouring out of the border desperate to take any job at any wage

[truebrit71]

34. That is complete and total fucking bullshit...The guy is a murdering fuck who needs to be deposed..

..or otherwise dealt with...

No-one in Zimbabwe has respect for this fucking animal and he needs to be removed by ANY MEANS NECESSARY...

You are completely out of your tiny fucking mind if you actually believe ANY of what you posted...out of your tiny mind...

[conspirator]

24. I don't like Mugabe. But, wasn't one of Margaret Thatchers sons caught selling arms to warlords

in Zimbabwe with the purpose of taking over the country.
As long as western imperialism is putting its claws in africa there are no moral grounds to condemn Mugabe.

[LeftishBrit]

25. No - Mark Thatcher was involved in an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea

He is an evil crook, who has already worn out his welcome in several countries, and should be in jail. But he has no links to Zimbabwe, and so is a totally separate issue from Mugabe.

Incidentally, he is Maggie's *only* son. He does have a twin sister, Carol, who is probably the least revolting of the family.

[ohio2007]

30. Robert Mugabe's thugs turn to burning people alive

For a wad of worthless Zimbabwean banknotes President Mugabe’s militias burnt six-year-old Nyasha Mashoko to deathThe target of the Zanu (PF) thugs had been the boy’s father, Brian Mamhova. They came for him on Friday night — three truckloads of them, plus a Mercedes Benz from which alighted three armed men in suits, Mr Mamhova said. The militiamen had been promised Z$25 trillion (£12,500) to kill him, which seems a high price on the head of a district councillor but which is no problem for a Government that sees printing money as the best way out of a crisis.


snip
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/arti...

When you don't have oil to burn,you burn your opponents family.
Chavez should do something about the failed socialist govt in Africa imo. I can't believe he isn't speaking out about any of these atrocities.

[otherlander]

33. And *what* catches on fire in LBN?

A thread about Obama smoking.

*sigh*