[I would not be too ecstatic about the UN pronouncement on Zim. I watched on SABC TV the statement made by the UN envoy. What people have ignored however was that she did say that there is no evidence that this was orchestrated by the Zimbabwe Govt. And that is an outright lie. The overwhelming evidence is that the Police accompanied the front-end loaders and machinery which smashed down the houses. Who gave the orders for the Police to do this? This “Operation Restore Order” is a Government operation. Mugabe has acknowledged this. To now turn around and say “It was NOT orchestrated by the Zim Govt” is an outright lie on the part of the UN.

As I have said, the United Nations assists communists, terrorists and dictators. The UN could not deny the event had taken place, because Mugabe’s forces have been smashing down houses from one end of the country to the other. So they had to acknowledge the plainly obvious.

But, to turn around and not blame the Government, when the Government is clearly responsible disgusts me completely.

So what, about the strong language – the UN will do nothing material that will in any way result in action to damage Mugabe or put him in his place. As always, the UN leaves me completely disgusted. Jan]

Zimbabwean opposition and human rights activists say they are “ecstatic” at a United Nations envoy’s report denouncing a government crackdown that has forced thousands of poor from their homes and jobs.

Anna Tibaijuka, head of the Nairobi-based UN Habitat agency, said Operation Murambatsvina is a “disastrous venture” that has left 700 000 people without homes or jobs, violated international law and created a grave humanitarian crisis, according to excerpts of her report obtained by The Associated Press at the UN.

“That is wonderful — music in my ears,” said legislator Trudy Stevenson, of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change.

There has been no comment yet from the Zimbabwean government, which allowed Tibaijuka to visit at the request of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

The UN gave the Zimbabwe government the final report on Wednesday. The full report was to be released to the public on Friday.

Stevenson said the evictions left at least 20 000 of her constituents without shelter in the midwinter cold. Sick and elderly died and children were left orphaned, she said.

“So let’s get them [the government] in the international courts,” said Stevenson.

Tibaijuka used unusually harsh language for the UN.

‘This is what we have always hoped’

“We are ecstatic,” veteran rights activist Jenni Williams of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (Woza) said of the Tibaijuka report, minutes after a judge in the western city of Bulawayo acquitted Williams and 28 other women of staging an illegal march against the evictions on June 18.

“This is what we have always hoped — if we fight long and hard enough, justice will be served,” said Williams in a telephone interview from outside the courthouse.

The 29 women were rounded up by baton-wielding paramilitary troops and held for 48 hours in cramped, rat-infested and dirty cells before being freed on bail. Spectators cheered as Judge Sibongile Msipa concluded: “Women in motion cannot be guilty of blocking the pavement.”

“Woza intends to stay in motion,” said Williams (43), who has been arrested 22 times since Mugabe launched a clampdown on the opposition after losing a constitutional referendum in February 2000. Woza means “speak out” in local languages.

Msipa said state witnesses testified the anti-demolition demonstrators were marching and therefore could not be guilty of blocking sidewalks, as charged. She heard testimony that they were carrying placards saying “The liberation guns have been turned against us” and “Are we the trash?”

Stevenson said a few hundred of the thousands of people forcibly evicted from Hatcliffe township, in her northern Harare constituency, returned on Friday to begin rebuilding shelters but many were unaware they had been reallocated plots, and lacked money for materials bulldozed or burned when armed police moved in May 19.

An issue of money
The opposition alleges Operation Murambatsvina targets those who voted for it in March 31 parliamentary elections, won by the ruling party.

President Robert Mugabe’s government has defended the operation as an urban clean-up drive, and pledged $325-million (about R2,1-billion) to provide 1,2-million houses or building plots by 2008.

But economists say Zimbabwe can’t afford such a project at a time of triple-digit inflation and a severe food crisis, the report said.

On Friday, South Africa’s Business Day newspaper reported that South Africa has already signed a provisional memorandum of understanding with Zimbabwe for a R6,5-billion credit facility.

It quoted unnamed Zimbabwean sources as saying officials from the South African Reserve Bank and their Zimbabwean counterparts agreed on a draft deal last week.

Zimbabwe reportedly needs the money to settle an overdue International Monetary Fund debt.

The Mail & Guardian reported on Friday that Zimbabwe will not accept financial help tied to conditions.

The state-owned Herald on Friday quoted the country’s UN representative, Boniface Chidyausiku, as demanding the international community raise funds so Zimbabwe can provide cheaper housing for its people.

“One would call upon Britain and the European Union to stop their campaign to vilify our economy,” Chidyausiku was quoted as saying. “Were it not for their sanctions, our economy wouldn’t be where it is today.”

The Herald also said the Zimbabwe government is studying the UN report and Mugabe will respond to it at an “appropriate time”.

Chidyausiku told the Herald that Zimbabwe is not facing an “inquisition” and therefore is not under pressure to respond to the report immediately.

In her report, Tibaijuka calls for a massive international humanitarian operation to help those left without housing or jobs. — Sapa-AP, Sapa-DPA, Sapa

Source: Daily Mail & Guardian
URL: http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articlei…/p>