Zimbabwe faces fresh criticism

HARARE – The Zimbabwe government brushed off fresh criticism yesterday over its crackdown on the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, dismissing it as further evidence of mischief-making by the West.

After a senior opposition figure trying to leave the country was beaten so badly he had to be hospitalised on Sunday, the European Union and United States issued strongly worded condemnations of President Robert Mugabe’s regime. However Harare again accused its critics of stirring up trouble with ‘mischievous’ and ‘political’ statements, as well as siding with the opposition by failing to denounce attacks on the security forces last week.The government has already threatened ambassadors with expulsion for interfering in Zimbabwean affairs.”We find it disturbing in that we are not hearing anything on the three women police officers who are struggling for their lives in hospital and about three police officers who were badly beaten up by the MDC,” said junior information minister Bright Matonga.”We have not heard anything, any comment even from their ambassadors here.So really as a country we are not going to be moved by that,” he told AFP.Matonga’s comments came after the German presidency of the EU expressed its outrage at Sunday’s attack on MDC lawmaker Nelson Chamisa who was picked up en route to the airport, from where he was due to fly to Brussels.Opposition colleagues said he had suffered serious injuries to his head and one of his eyes and had to be hospitalised.A statement from Berlin said: “The EU presidency was outraged and deeply concerned by the news of the arrest and brutal treatment of the opposition MP Nelson Chamisa.”The United States also said it would hold Mugabe personally responsible for beatings sustained by opposition members.”The United States condemns the government of Zimbabwe’s continued attacks on the political opposition, including additional arrests, beatings and refusal to allow travel for necessary medical treatment,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.”We hold President Mugabe personally responsible for these actions, and call on him to allow all Zimbabweans the right to live without fear and to fully participate in the political process.”Chief MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai is currently recovering from an assault at the hands of the security services last week who arrested him and dozens of supporters as they tried to stage an anti-government rally on March 11.Although the activists were all later released, the head of an MDC breakaway faction, Arthur Mutambura, and two other senior officials were arrested when trying to fly out to South Africa on Saturday.Opposition to 83-year-old Mugabe, in power since independence in 1980, has been steadily mounting amid an economic meltdown with inflation standing at 1 730 per cent and four out five people out of work.Mugabe however has remained defiant in the face of virulent criticism, blaming the unrest on the MDC and its critics.”We have given too much room to mischief-makers and shameless stooges of the West,” Mugabe said in a speech over the weekend.”Let them and their masters know we shall brook none of their lawless behaviour…A new violence, sponsored and directed by our detractors has been trying to rear its ugly head.”he said.Tsvangirai however has identified the government’s tactics as a sign that its end is in sight.”Things are bad, but I think this crisis has reached a tipping point and we could be seeing the beginning of the end of this dictatorship,” Tsvangirai said in a BBC interview at the weekend.Nampa-AFPHowever Harare again accused its critics of stirring up trouble with ‘mischievous’ and ‘political’ statements, as well as siding with the opposition by failing to denounce attacks on the security forces last week.The government has already threatened ambassadors with expulsion for interfering in Zimbabwean affairs.”We find it disturbing in that we are not hearing anything on the three women police officers who are struggling for their lives in hospital and about three police officers who were badly beaten up by the MDC,” said junior information minister Bright Matonga.”We have not heard anything, any comment even from their ambassadors here.So really as a country we are not going to be moved by that,” he told AFP.Matonga’s comments came after the German presidency of the EU expressed its outrage at Sunday’s attack on MDC lawmaker Nelson Chamisa who was picked up en route to the airport, from where he was due to fly to Brussels.Opposition colleagues said he had suffered serious injuries to his head and one of his eyes and had to be hospitalised.A statement from Berlin said: “The EU presidency was outraged and deeply concerned by the news of the arrest and brutal treatment of the opposition MP Nelson Chamisa.”The United States also said it would hold Mugabe personally responsible for beatings sustained by opposition members.”The United States condemns the government of Zimbabwe’s continued attacks on the political opposition, including additional arrests, beatings and refusal to allow travel for necessary medical treatment,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.”We hold President Mugabe personally responsible for these actions, and call on him to allow all Zimbabweans the right to live without fear and to fully participate in the political process.”Chief MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai is currently recovering from an assault at the hands of the security services last week who arrested him and dozens of supporters as they tried to stage an anti-government rally on March 11.Although the activists were all later released, the head of an MDC breakaway faction, Arthur Mutambura, and two other senior officials were arrested when trying to fly out to South Africa on Saturday.Opposition to 83-year-old Mugabe, in power since independence in 1980, has been steadily mounting amid an economic meltdown with inflation standing at 1 730 per cent and four out five people out of work.Mugabe however has remained defiant in the face of virulent criticism, blaming the unrest on the MDC and its critics.”We have given too much room to mischief-makers and shameless stooges of the West,” Mugabe said in a speech over the weekend.”Let them and their masters know we shall brook none of their lawless behaviour…A new violence, sponsored and directed by our detractors has been trying to rear its ugly head.”he said.Tsvangirai however has identified the government’s tactics as a sign that its end is in sight.”Things are bad, but I think this crisis has reached a tipping point and we could be seeing the beginning of the end of this dictatorship,” Tsvangirai said in a BBC interview at the weekend.Nampa-AFP