WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2001-08-20 Posted By: Jan
From the News Archives of: WWW.AfricanCrisis.Org
Date & Time Posted: 8/20/2001 8:07:24 PM
Mugabe"s Opponents "raped and tortured"
BY MELISSA KITE, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT AND JAN RAATH IN HARARE
TONY BLAIR was under increasing pressure to take action against Zimbabwe
yesterday after harrowing new evidence of torture and human rights abuses
was uncovered. The Conservatives condemned as shameful the continued
silence of Labour ministers as white farmers reported horrific acts
committed under President Mugabes regime.
Graphic details of rape and torture were sent to the Foreign Office at the
beginning of the week in an e-mail from the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum, a
coalition of lawyers and charities, pleading for action. They were made
public yesterday by the Conservatives, who accused the Government of
ignoring the plea.
The new evidence emerged as the ordeal of 21 white farmers in a
lice-ridden jail in Zimbabwes small northern town of Chinhoyi looked set
to drag on to a full fortnight after a judge failed to reach a decision on
bail. A High Court judge, Rita Makarau, was to have delivered her ruling
yesterday morning, but instead told lawyers that she would postpone
judgment until Monday.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum detailed attacks with whips, chains,
batons, electricity, water and fire. Melted plastic was used to burn
victims bodies, including their genitals, and others were subjected to
horrific sex attacks. The victims were not only white farmers, but also
anyone suspected of not supporting the Mugabe regime, it said.
Francis Maude, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, called for Mr Blair to take a
lead in trying to get Zimbabwe expelled from the Commonwealth. The
accounts of human rights abuses … are terrifying, sickening and
horrific, he said. We have long called on the Government to take action
against Mr Mugabe and his henchmen, but have provoked little response.
Now we learn that not only have our warnings and calls for action from
Robin Cook and Jack Straw fallen on deaf ears, but they also appear to
have ignored the crimes and abuses detailed in this e-mail. Five years ago
Tony Blair made promises of an ethical foreign policy. What a joke.
The report collates 77 statements from victims of the violence by war
veteran squatters who have been attacking white farmers and camping on
their land.
One victim told how he and a friend had been kidnapped at night and taken
to a farm used as a base by the veterans. They were bound then tortured.
They beat me first. Then they used all the same tactics, wrapping my
legs, hands and private parts and lighting the plastics. They were taking
hot ashes and spreading them on my body. I have burns all over my back,
front, buttocks, private parts, thighs and legs.
The atrocities were being committed by black people against black, white,
yellow and brown, the report said.
The Foreign Office said that ministers were extremely concerned by the
contents of the report, but the Governments tactic was to work with
European and Commonwealth partners to put pressure on Mr Mugabe. The
European Union is expected to meet Zimbabwean officials within days and a
Commonwealth foreign ministers conference in Nigeria next month offers
the best hope to press the Governments case, the spokesman said.
We have repeatedly registered this concern with the Government of
Zimbabwe. Together with our European and Commonwealth partners, we will
continue to use every opportunity to make these concerns crystal clear.
In Harare, the decision by Judge Makarau, who is regarded as a robust
judge, has raised eyebrows in legal circles. Advocate Firoz Girach,
representing the 21 men, said that she gave no reason for the delay.
On Thursday the judge was told that the farmers had been subjected to
arbitrary arrest and harassment by police who illegally shaved their
heads, forced them to wear prison uniforms, paraded them in front of
state-controlled television crews and refused to allow them medicines and
food brought by relations.
In the district of Karoi, about 30 miles from Chinhoyi, white farmers have
shaved their heads in solidarity with their colleagues in jail and as a
tactic to prevent the men being singled out and victimised on their
release.