We were recently sent this photograph of the Bling Bus, which has been ferrying the Zimafia – Zimbabwe’s Worst Eleven team around South Africa during the World Cup.

According to the Zimafia website:

The star players in the ZIMafia team comprise Zimbabwe’s illegitimate and unelected Joint Operations Command (JOC) – a group of military and strategic commanders who maintain the oppressive structure set up by Ian Smith’s racist government 30 years ago under a State of Emergency.

This Nation-Beating (literally) team are the ‘real’ rulers of Zimbabwe, the ones who have sworn never to give up power, and the ones who have committed the worst crimes. All are experts in abduction, intimidation, torture and political murder.

Now they are in control of a multi-billion dollar diamond strike with which they are  personally enriching themselves while purchasing arms and ammunition to use against the electorate, or each other – or any other force that challenges their right to loot in perpetuity.

Read more about their recent campaign in South Africa here

From www.ifex.org

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been poised for months to award a life sciences prize named after and funded by President Teodoro Obiang, the abusive ruler of Equatorial Guinea. On 15 June, UNESCO delayed awarding the controversial prize, but rights groups such as Human Rights Watch say that’s not enough. Meanwhile, opposition to the prize has grown more vociferous – including statements from journalists worldwide who have been repressed by their own governments.

About 270 organisations all over the globe have campaigned against the UNESCO-Obiang Nguema Mbasogo International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences – a $3 million grant provided by Obiang – calling for the award to be cancelled completely. The next meeting of the governing board is scheduled for October. The funds behind the prize should be used to promote basic education and other needs for Equatorial Guinea’s people, say rights groups.

The prize was created in 2008 to recognise “scientific achievements that improve the quality of human life.” But 75 percent of Equatoguineans live in abysmal poverty in sub-Saharan Africa’s fourth largest oil producer. The government is known for its use of unfair trials, arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detentions and systematic torture – as well as vast official corruption that squanders funds. Rights groups are outraged that UNESCO would accept money from this source, says Human Rights Watch.

Seven recipients of UNESCO’s most prestigious award, the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom prize given to courageous journalists, sent a letter to the organisation’s director-general expressing opposition to the prize. The Cano laureates cited in particular “the severe repression in Equatorial Guinea” and that Obiang “oppresses the media.”

Under Obiang’s iron grip, the press is almost totally controlled by the state, say 30 IFEX members in a letter sent in May to UNESCO. Local journalists working for international media outlets have been targeted with detention or imprisonment. State journalists who express “even a modicum of objectivity” have been dismissed from their jobs.

A week before the FIFA hoopla in South Africa began Minister of Energy Elias Mudzuri made the following announcement:

“I have directed ZESA to suspend disconnections to allow the public to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Zimbabweans have had to endure persistent power cuts for as much as 10 hours per day in some case while ZESA battles to meet demand.”

Essentially ZESA would suspend its regular programme of load shedding so that football fans would not miss the World Cup.

While I’m not a soccer fan I was happy, actually jubilant, that we would have a few more hours a day of electricity. I even considered that I might be able to take a proper hot bath, with more than a bucket of water and perhaps even some bubbles. I admit I may have misinterpreted the Ministers remarks. I thought that it would follow that those customers who had been loyal, i.e. had been paying their bills, to the power utility, would also be rewarded.

As with most promises made by politicians, this one failed and even went backwards. I have been disappointed by Ministers before. In fact I’m still recovering from the promises made to me by another Minister regarding the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe issuing radio and television licences.

In the case of ZESA, and the electricity delivered to my house, the disappointment is particularly bitter. Our loyalty as ZESA customers feels like its being violated. We paid our bills regularly, even in the confusion that followed dollarisation, the few US dollars that we had went first towards the ZESA bill, even when the meter wasn’t being read. When we had faults, we drove the ZESA people around. Under the circumstances, I think we as customers have done more than our fair share of maintaining a cordial relationship with our power utility.

Yet following the Minister’s announcement, it seems that now that we have even fewer hours if any power per day. There has been no explanation of this in the paper, and instead ZESA sees fit to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on an advertising campaign, which most notably features half a page of solid black ink. Moreover, the Minister’s statement undermines the entire purpose of the advertising campaign, and indeed ZESAs recovery. It’s simple, if you didn’t pay for the service, you shouldn’t get it. The World Cup is no exception.

When the unity government was formed in Zimbabwe, an organ of national healing and reconciliation was also established. Its main mission was to bring back order in the violence-maimed societies, rebuild unions in disjointed communities, reintroduce peace where violence was the order of the day, and bring back that oneness that we enjoyed swimming in before the political chaos.

This implies that people have been looking at this organ expecting action beyond mere talking. By this time we are expecting to have seen the members of the organ moving around in communities, preaching the gospel of peace, coexistence and love. We have for long been expecting the organ to spearhead radio and television programmes that reinforce the importance of peace and love. We have for long been waiting to see some initiative that make people share their feelings, forgive whoever they think is guilty and bring back the spirit of coexistence.

On the 7th of April 2009, the chairman of the organ spoke about reconciliation to stakeholders including churches. That gave people hope that peace had finally come to hand. Unfortunately very little has been done beyond that so far. If this organ had done its work well, a good ground for a peaceful Constitution making process would have been set.

It seems a Non Governmental Organization, Heal Zimbabwe, has seen the gap and is now initiating action. Its programmes that are reportedly taking shape in Muzarabani are a contribution that deserves a pat on the back. Among other good works, Heal Zimbabwe has embarked on initiating memorial services for those victims of political violence. Such moves are likely to bring people together, get them to discuss how bad violence is and give the family members an opportunity to give their deceased the respect that is customarily and religiously granted to the dead. That way the organisation is addressing the customary and religious side, which plays a great role in establishing forgiveness in societies.

Can these initiatives therefore serve as a wake up call to the Organ of National Healing and reconciliation? There is nothing yet on the ground that we can attribute to this organ and as citizens we feel that that organ has not served its purpose especially amid reports that violence and threats are rejuvenating in the country. That puts to question the possibility of any future peaceful elections. People still think violence is the way to go; surviving victims of past violence are still looking for ways to retaliate. If that tension is not addressed, then the existence of an organ called “National Healing” is unjustified.

Much as I lament, along with many people it seems, the oil leak off the USA coast, I must also say, “glad it happened to them”.

It follows on another report I heard, some two weeks before and now long forgotten, that the US armed forces were having trouble keeping their numbers up. Too many potential recruits were obese.

Do so few people see the connection? Everyone is caught up in the blame game – BRITISH Petroleum (there is no petrol in Britain!) – blame them! Make them clean it up! Etc. The only United Stateser (an American from the United States, as opposed to an American from Guatemala or Brazil) to say anything sensible is the Governor of California, (and he is an Austrian by descent!) who will not support any more offshore drilling.

Why the confusion? United Statesers are too fat to defend themselves. United States consumes 80 percent (last I heard) of the world’s oil. The blame (and therefore the solution) is too easy! Stupid yanks – park your cars, get off your FAT asses, and start walking. Then, you could actually defend yourselves, and the world (no longer driven by your fat demands), could stop drilling for offshore oil. In the meantime – glad it happened to you.

At a press conference attended by the media and diplomats including a representative of the Embassy of Spain, the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition condemned the persecution and harassment of civil society activists.  In a speech by Mr. Pedzisai Ruhanya, the Coalition demanded that the Government of National Unity brings to end the persecution.

Cases in point included that of Farai Maguyu, the director of Mutare based Centre for Research and Development (CRD). Mr Runanya said Mr. Maguyu handed himself to the police on the 3rd of June, after his family members and fellow CRD employees were severely threatened and harassed by state security agents. It is believed that Mr. Maguyu is being accused of publishing or communicating falsehoods prejudicial to the state in contravention of section 31 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. Mr. Maguyu is said to have had a meeting with the Kimberly Process Monitor for Zimbabwe, Abbey Chikane discussing human rights abuses and smuggling of diamonds from Marange.

The Coalition said that Mr. Maguyu was arrested in Mutare and transferred to Harare without any known reason, and was detained by the police for over 48 hours before trial, a period which is beyond the legal limit of detention before court trial. The Coalition views this detention as a punishment being put on Mr. Maguyu for “…exposing injustice and for speaking out for the oppressed people of Marange.” The Crisis also believes that the government is “…aware that Mr. Maguyu is supposed to travel to Israel later in June to give evidence at the Kimberly process plenary regarding abuses in Marange.”

The Coalition called upon the Kimberly process to order an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this arrest. The Coalition further warned the government that the world is following the development of this case and will not be silent about it. Mr. Ruhanya further warned the state against any further harm to Mr. Maguwu.

The Coalition saluted the CRD staff members who are reported to be still in hiding and promised to be firm in support of Mr. Maguyu whose arrest, they say, is unwarranted interference with his liberty and is not in recognition of Mr. Maguyu’s basic human rights.

The Coalition also expressed deep concern over the resurgence of attacks and harassment of civil society organization and activists. Citing various cases such as Mrs Getrude Hambira, the Vice Chairperson of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition and Secretary General of the General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union (GAPWUZ) who was forced to flee Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) director Okay Machisa who was arrested in line with a photo exhibition, and lastly the case of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) employees who were reportedly tortured in police custody and later granted bail.

The Coalition further called for a complete overhaul of the government system “…to ensure that the judiciary, public prosecutors and state security agents are non-partisan, independent, impartial and professional.”

During the conference news arrived that Mr. Maguyu was finally brought to court on the 8th of June 2010, and the state was opposing a bail application by Mr. Maguyu’s lawyer.