Maravi

Bush accuses Mugabe of starving Zimbabweans

Bush accuses Mugabe of starving Zimbabweans
By George Chellah in Harare, Zimbabw,
Wednesday June 04, 2008 [04:00]

US President George Bush has accused Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe of starving his people due to misguided government policies. And President Bush has called for the cessation of all state-sponsored violence. According to a statement released by the US Embassy in Harare yesterday, President Bush condemned the attacks on the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

"The continued use of government-sponsored violence in Zimbabwe, including unwarranted arrests and intimidation of opposition figures, to prevent the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) from campaigning freely ahead of the June 27 presidential runoff election is deplorable," President Bush stated. "We call on the regime to immediately halt all attacks and to permit freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, and access to the media. We urge the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (UN), the United Nations (UN), and other international organisations to blanket the country with election and human rights monitors immediately."
President Bush also accused President Mugabe of starving his people.

"We also are concerned by reports that misguided government policies are projected to result in one of the worst crop harvests in Zimbabwean history. While Robert Mugabe makes political statements in Rome, his people continue to face empty markets at home," President Bush stated. "The United States currently feeds more than one million Zimbabweans and spent more than US$170 million on food assistance in Zimbabwe last year."

However, he stated that the US would continue these efforts to prevent government-induced starvation in Zimbabwe.

President Mugabe is in Rome for a global food summit, his first official trip abroad since the March elections condemned by Western and MDC leaders as not being free and fair.

Meanwhile, opposition MDC member of parliament-elect for Buhera West constituency Eric Matinenga has been arrested on allegations of inciting political violence.

Police chief spokesperson assistant commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena on Monday confirmed Matinenga's arrest. He said Matinenga was still assisting police with investigations.

"He was arrested for inciting political violence that gripped the Murambinda area for some time," he said.

Bvudzijena said Matinenga had a meeting attended by over 60 youths at Nerutanga Business Centre last Saturday.

He said Matinenga allegedly expressed gratitude to the youths for conducting a reign of terror on war veterans and ZANU-PF supporters in Buhera.

Bvudzijena said in one of the cases, the youths seriously assaulted a soldier and left him almost dying.

He said the soldier had visited his village to see his relatives who had been attacked by the opposition youths when he met his fate.

Bvudzijena said the other cases in which Matinenga was being investigated involve several attacks perpetrated by the youths within the Murambinda area.

"He is accused of having sponsored the youths to carry out the acts of violence, and on the day of his arrest he was paying the youths," said Bvudzijena.

About 70 suspected MDC supporters were arrested over the weekend in connection with last week's violent attack on veterans and ZANU-PF supporters in Buhera North.

Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 3:33 AM