Monday, April 28, 2014

(NEWZIMBABWE, REUTERS) Emergency declared in South Sudan
02/01/2014 00:00:00
by Reuters

COMMENT - Why are all these sellouts wearing cowboy hats? To signify that they have sold out to the United States camp? - MrK

Negotiators prepare for peace talks with rebels ... President Salva Kiir

SOUTH Sudanese President Salva Kiir declared a state of emergency in two states on Wednesday as his negotiators prepared for peace talks with rebels to end more than two weeks of violence that has pushed the country towards civil war.

Kiir called the emergency in Unity and Jonglei states, the two regions whose capitals are now controlled by rebel forces loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar, who Kiir has accused of plotting a coup.

Gunshots were heard near the presidential palace on Wednesday evening. A presidential spokesman said security forces most likely fired the shots at residents breaking a curfew.

Both sides are under mounting pressure from regional and Western powers to reach a deal to stop the bloodletting that has killed more than 1,000 people in the world's newest state and displaced nearly 200,000 more.

The White House has said it would deny support - vital in a country the size of France that still has hardly any infrastructure more than two years after secession - to any group that seizes power by force.

The rebel delegation earlier arrived in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa ready for the ceasefire talks. They said government negotiators had not yet arrived.

Both sides have agreed in principle to a ceasefire but neither has indicated when the fighting would stop and mediators are concerned that fighting around the flashpoint town of Bor will scupper the talks even before they begin.

South Sudan's defence minister earlier said government forces were battling rebel fighters 11 miles south of Bor, the capital of Jonglei state, which has untapped oil reserves and was the site of an ethnic massacre in 1991.

"There will have to be a fight because they want to defeat the government forces," Defence Minister Kuol Manyang Juuk told Reuters from the capital Juba, 190 km south of Bor by road.

Rebels loyal to Machar seized control of Bor on Tuesday.
US pressure

The Addis Ababa talks will focus on finding ways to roll out and monitor the ceasefire, the East African IGAD bloc that is mediating the talks said.

The clashes, which have spread to half the country's 10 states have unsettled oil markets and raised fears of the conflict spilling over in an already fragile region.

"We don't want to expose the people of South Sudan to a senseless war," South Sudan's Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said on a government Twitter feed on Wednesday.

Kiir has accused his long-term political rival Machar, who he sacked in July, of starting the fighting in a bid to seize power.
Machar has denied the charge, but he has taken to the bush and has acknowledged leading soldiers battling the government.

Clashes between soldiers erupted on December 15 in Juba. The violence quickly spread, dividing the country along the ethnic lines of Machar's Nuer group and Kiir's Dinkas.

South Sudan's neighbours, Washington and the United Nations played a central role in negotiations that ended decades of war with Sudan to the north and led to the secession of South Sudan in 2011, and have been scrambling to stem the latest violence.
The White House upped the pressure for the talks on Tuesday.

"We will hold leaders responsible for the conduct of their forces and work to ensure accountability for atrocities and war crimes," spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan said ethnic-based atrocities, often carried out against civilians by uniformed men, had taken place across the country.
Fighting across the country has displaced at least 180,000 people, according to the United Nations.

The clashes have revived memories of the factionalism in the 1990s within the SPLM, the now ruling group that fought Sudan's army in the civil war. Machar led a splinter faction at the time and Nuer fighters loyal to him massacred Dinkas in Bor.

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(NEWZIMBABWE, AFP) Rwanda ex-spy chief 'assasinated' in SA
02/01/2014 00:00:00
by AFP

A FORMER head of Rwanda's external intelligence service was found strangled in a hotel in Johannesburg, where he has lived in exile for several years, his opposition party said on Thursday.

"The Rwandan opposition is deeply saddened to announce the assassination of Colonel Patrick Karegeya in Johannesburg," the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) said in a statement. "His body was found in a hotel where he went for a meeting."

"It is true," Frank Ntwali, the party's chairperson for Africa told AFP early on Thursday. "He was strangled by agents of (Rwandan President Paul) Kagame."

Ntwali said Karegeya was killed at the Michelangelo Towers, an upmarket hotel in the Johannesburg suburb of Sandton. It was not immediately clear if he was killed on Tuesday night or on Wednesday.
Exile

Karegeya, in his early fifties, was for a long time very close to Kagame. He served as head of external intelligence for around a decade before being demoted to army spokesperson and was later arrested and jailed.

He was stripped of his rank of colonel in 2006 and fled into exile the following year.

Another prominent Rwandan dissident in South Africa, Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, survived two assassination attempts in June 2010.

The RNC statement said investigations had found "overwhelming evidence of the involvement of Rwandan intelligence operatives in those attempts".

Rwanda has vehemently denied involvement in the attacks.

Karegeya and Nyamwasa are both prominent figures in the opposition party, despite not holding specific posts. Karegeya leaves behind his wife Leah and three children.


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SI 103 is a big headache - ZECB
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Wed 01 Jan. 2014, 14:00 CAT

THE Catholic Church says government's lifting of tax exemptions for public benefit organisations and other non-governmental organisations through Statutory Instrument 103, will have enormous and long-term repercussions on the church's ability to help poor people.

In a New Year's message yesterday, Zambia Episcopal Conference spokesperson Fr Paul Samasumo stated that the Church would begin this year with a big headache caused to it by way of the Statutory Instrument No. 103 of 2013.

He stated it would become increasingly difficult for the Church to purchase field utility vehicles such as vans for pastoral and social activities, equipment for churches, schools and hospitals as well as spare parts.

Fr Samasumo stated that the Catholic Church in Zambia simply does not have the ability to pay the high customs duty that would now be required.

"This, in turn, will seriously and negatively impact on the Church's ability to help the poor, who are the beneficiaries of most of our social programmes. The impact will be felt more in the health and education sectors. However, our pastoral and Church programmes will similarly be affected," he said.

Fr Samasumo said if one considered that the Catholic Church provides close to 70 per cent of all rural health care in Zambia or the fact that the Church runs the largest number of grant-aided schools in the country, the Statutory Instrument had serious and far-reaching implications.

"Just to illustrate: We have three teacher training colleges; 38 grant-aided secondary/high schools; nine special schools for children with various disabilities; more than 100 nursery and community schools; numerous primary and secondary schools that are privately owned and fully run by our missionary congregations. These figures do not take into consideration nursing schools, many vocational training centres and schools such as carpentry, secretarial, home craft centres, hotel and catering schools as well as parish adult literacy clubs. All these in various ways will be affected by this Statutory Instrument," he said.

Fr Samasumo said most of the help for church programmes in Zambia comes from Europe and this aid had been dwindling over the years.

He said the few donors still remaining would not take kindly to the use of donated funds for customs duty or for donated equipment meant for the poor to be taxed here in Zambia.

"They will simply reduce or stop sending aid. In the end, it will be the poor to be affected. Our experience is that once donors move aid else where, they do not return. The government facility of tax exemptions has always been for non-luxury items and non-luxury vehicles. If government knows of anyone abusing this facility, the best thing would have been for the law enforcement agencies to prosecute those found wanting instead of punishing everybody," he said.

He said governments encourage and give incentives to anyone doing good charitable work because they realise that governments were not able to be everywhere.

Fr Samasumo said the Church was a partner of government and targeting the very institutions supplementing government work was "indeed very disappointing".

"We hope there can still be dialogue over this Statutory Instrument. As our Bishops come for their January meetings, this is something that they will certainly be keen to engage with government," he said.

And Fr Samasumo said Pope Francis has written a New Year message in which he has called the world to embrace fraternity as the foundation of peace.

"Fraternity is about treating each other as brothers and sisters because that is what we really are," he said.

"From the very start, Pope Francis has himself personified the very meaning of fraternity by his openness and concern for the poor. It is therefore, not surprising that in his first New Year's message, Pope Francis elaborates on the poor and on peace under the inclusive and meaningful heading of fraternity."

He said the Catholic Church in Zambia would this year continue to embrace the poor wherever they were.

Fr Samasumo said the Church would do this through the social and development wing known as Caritas Zambia.

"There is a branch of Caritas in every parish and diocese. Although normally one wants to be positive and hopeful at the beginning of the year, for us the year is beginning with a rather big headache (Statutory Instrument)," said Fr Samasumo.



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Govt won't allow sale of tax exempt goods - Yamba
By By Kabanda Chulu
Wed 01 Jan. 2014, 14:00 CAT

THE government will not allow tax exempted imported goods, including motor vehicles, to be sold without following guidelines and approval from the Zambia Revenue Authority, says Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba.

Following the coming into force of Statutory Instrument No 103 of 2013, all motor vehicles and spare parts imported by non-profit making organisations, including the Church, will no longer qualify for tax exemption.

Among other goods which would no longer qualify for tax exemption under the Public Benefit Organisation Scheme include wines and some other liquor or alcoholic beverages, electrical household goods, tobacco products, goods whose value is equivalent to a travellers allowance remission under Statutory Instrument Number 54 of 2000, Customs and Excise General Regulations, of 2000, and Firearms.

Goods on which Public Benefit Organisations will still enjoy exemptions are sacramental wine when imported by a religious order or church, beds, mattresses, linen and kitchen equipment.

Commenting on the matter, Yamba said the government was concerned that some Public Benefit Organisations had entrenched the practice of changing the terms of importation, purpose of usage and in some cases, selling tax exempt imported goods without the approval of the Commissioner General of the Zambia Revenue Authority.

"Under this piece of legislation, any organisation which violates the provisions under which existing tax exemption incentives have been granted shall face sanctions, including revocation of the approval and will be liable to pay requisite taxes on the goods imported under the scheme at the rate leviable at the time of the initial importation of such goods," said Yamba.

During the presentation of the 2014 National Budget to Parliament on October 11, 2013, Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda announced that the government had undertaken a review of tax incentive regimes in order to rationalise tax incentives as part of the tax reform process.

"To this effect, the Customs and Excise (Public Benefit Organisations) (Rebate, Refund or Remission) Regulations, Statutory Instrument No. 7 of 2009 was reviewed, to streamline exemptions provided to Public Benefit Organisations. In addition, the ministry also reviewed the administrative processes in order to provide efficient and timely delivery of services," said Chikwanda.


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UNZAWU calls for windfall taxes

By By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Wed 01 Jan. 2014, 14:00 CAT

UNIVERSITY of Zambia and Allied Workers' Union has joined calls for the reintroduction of windfall tax on mines. Union president George Katapazi said Zambians are not benefiting much from the mines and the reintroduction of the windfall tax would change the tide.

Katapazi in an interview said the government was doing well on infrastructure development but that this was not backed by a broad revenue base.

Finance minister Alexander Chikwanda last week said the government cannot be dictated to by feelings coming from the streets on the issue of windfall tax. His comments followed widespread calls for the reintroduction of the windfall tax which was scrapped by Rupiah Banda's government in 2009.

The windfall tax, introduced in 2008 by Levy Mwanawasa's government, sought to raise not less than US$415 million annually during periods of high copper prices on the international market.

For copper, the windfall tax was pegged at 25 per cent at a price of US$2.50 per pound, but below US$3.00 per pound; 50 per cent for the next 50 cents increase in price and 75 per cent when prices are about US$3.50 per pound. Katapazi said with an increased revenue base through the reintroduction of the windfall tax, the government would be able to embark on other developmental projects apart from those already started.

"What the government has embarked on is great in terms of infrastructure development such as the roads, stadiums, schools, clinics, administrative offices for new districts and hospitals, but it needs a broad revenue base for new developmental projects," said Katapazi.

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Govt to establish indeco
By By Joseph Mwenda
Wed 01 Jan. 2014, 14:00 CAT

PRESIDENT Michael Sata has set a 2014 national development roadmap focusing on job creation, industrial growth and intensified corruption fight. Addressing the nation on New Year's Eve, President Sata described the two years of the PF in power as peaceful owing to the support from the citizenry towards government's development programmes.

He said in 2014, the government would prioritise employment creation and uplifting the standards of living among people in rural areas.

"Employment creation remains our government's top most strategy for ensuring the stability of society and overall growth of the economy. To this effect, our government will in the New Year establish the industrial development corporation (indeco) which will focus on developing labour intensive industries and enterprises in the key areas of agriculture, construction, manufacturing, tourism, science and technology," President Sata said.

He said the government would continue to promote an open economy to attract investment and to expand the country's export opportunities through the accelerated development of multi-facility economic zones.

"Furthermore, steady progress is being made in infrastructure development such as roads, airports, rail and hydro-power stations in order to favourably compete in the global economy and create jobs. We are determined to revolutionise the infrastructure sector thus opening up this country in an unprecedented manner, thereby creating a competitive business environment and maximise economic growth activities," President Sata said and thanked Zambians for their support.

"As I address you on this New Year's Eve, I would like to thank the Almighty God for His continued blessings and mercy upon us. I would also like to thank the people of Zambia for their continued support to government and for maintaining peace and unity.

"After two years of the Patriotic Front in office, it is imperative for us to reiterate the goal of our government to accelerate progress in closing development gaps between our brothers and sisters in rural and urban areas, thus creating better opportunities for all."

He also promised an accelerated electrification of rural communities through the rural electrification programme.

"Looking forward in 2014, government will confidently accelerate the implementation of programmes such as the rural electrification programme whose focus is to connect rural communities to the power grid and will also commence an extension programme of mobile communications services to cover previously un-serviced rural areas in order to improve the people's living standards," President Sata said.

He pledged the government's commitment to ensuring more and affordable access to financial services among people of various income levels.

"This will promote the development of small-scale rural industries and improve agricultural production. In the same vein, we are determined to decentralise functions in our local government system to promote citizen participation and effective delivery of services in order to alleviate poverty," he said.

On education, President Sata said the government had placed a high priority on education and vocational skills development of youths as well as providing more Zambians access to quality health care services in a quest to create a better Zambia for all.

"In this regard, our government will in 2014 increase investment in the construction of schools, universities and trades institutes as well as the building and rehabilitation of health infrastructure across the country," he said.

President Sata further pledged to ensure that social justice continued to be at the core of government's policies.

"Our government is determined to take a giant step forward to raise our people's incomes, consumption and living standards. In 2014, we will continue to strengthen and uphold our democracy and good governance credentials as they are essential for national development," said President Sata.

"The fight against corruption remains one of the top priorities of my government's good governance agenda for next year and beyond. I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year."

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(GLOBALRESEARCH) Israel: Gas, Oil and Trouble in the Levant
By Felicity Arbuthnot
Global Research, December 30, 2013
Region: Middle East & North Africa

Israel is set to become a major exporter of gas and some oil, if all goes to plan. The giant Leviathan natural gas field, in the eastern Mediterranean, discovered in December 2010, is widely described as “off the coast of Israel.”

At the time the gas field was: “ … the most prominent field ever found in the sub-explored area of the Levantine Basin, which covers about 83,000 square kilometres of the eastern Mediterranean region.” (i)

Coupled with Tamar field, in the same location, discovered in 2009, the prospects are for an energy bonanza for Israel, for Houston, Texas based Noble Energy and partners Delek Drilling, Avner Oil Exploration and Ratio Oil Exploration.

Also involved is Perth, Australia-based Woodside Petroleum, which has signed a memorandum of understanding for a thirty percent stake in the project, in negotiations which have been described as “up and down.” There is currently speculation that Woodside might pull out of the deal: “ …since the original plans to refrigerate the gas for export were pursued when relations between Israel and Turkey were strained. That has changed, more recently, which has opened the door for gas to be piped to Turkey.”

The spoils of the Leviathan field has already expanded from an estimated 16.7 trillion cubic feet (tcf ) of gas to nineteen trillion – and counting:

”We’ve discovered nearly 40 tcf of gas, and we have roughly 19 tcf of that gas that’s available for export to both regional and extra-regional markets. We see exports reaching 2 billion cubic feet a day in capacity in the next decade. And we continue to explore.”, stated Noble Vice Chairman Keith Elliot (ii) There are also estimated to be possibly six hundred million barrels of oil, according to Michael Economides of energytribune.com (“Eastern Mediterranean Energy – the next Great Game.”)

However, even these estimates may prove modest. In their: “Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Levant Basin Province, Eastern Mediterranean”, the US Department of the Interior’s US Geological Survey, wrote in 2010: “We estimated a mean of 1.7 billion barrels of recoverable oil and a mean of 122 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas in this province using a geology based assessment methodology.”

Nevertheless, Woodside Petroleum, might also be hesitant to become involved in further disputes, since they are already embroiled, with the Australian government, in a protracted one in East Timor relating to the bonanaza of energy and minerals beneath the Timor Sea, which has even led to East Timor accusing Australia “of bugging East Timorese officials during the negotiations over the agreement.”(iii)

Woodside’s conflict in East Timor however, may well pale against what might well erupt over the Leviathan and Tamar fields. The area is not for nothing called the Levantine Basin. Whilst Israel claims them as her very own treasure trove, only a fraction of the sea’s wealth lies in Israel’s bailiwick as maps (iv, v, see below) clearly show. Much is still unexplored, but currently Palestine’s Gaza and the West Bank between them show the greatest discoveries, with anything found in Lebanon and Syria’s territorial waters sure to involve claims from both countries.

In a pre-emptive move, on Christmas Day, Syria announced a deal with Russia to explore 2,190 kilometres (850 Sq. miles) for oil and gas off its Mediterranean coast, to be: “… financed by Russia, and should oil and gas be discovered in commercial quantities, Moscow will recover the exploration costs.”

Syrian Oil Minister, Ali Abbas said during the signing ceremony that the contract covers “25 years, over several phases.”

Syria, increasingly crippled by international sanctions, has seen oil production plummet by ninety percent since the largely Western fermented unrest began in March 2011. Gas production has nearly halved, from thirty million cubic metres a day, to 16.7 cubic metres daily.

The agreement is reported to have resulted from “months of long negotiations” between the two countries. Russia, as one of the Syrian government’s main backers, looks set to also become a major player in the Levant Basin’s energy wealth. (vi)

Lebanon disputes Israel’s map of the Israeli-Lebanese maritime border, filing their own map and claims with the UN in 2010. Israel claims Lebanon is in the process of granting oil and gas exploration licenses in what Israel claims as its “exclusive economic zone.”

That the US in the guise of Vice President Joe Biden, as honest broker, acting peace negotiator in the maritime border dispute would be laughable, were it not potential for Israel to attack their neighbour again. In a visit to Israel in March 2010, Biden announced: “There is absolutely no space between the United States and Israel when it comes to Israel’s security- none at all”, also announcing on arrival in Israel:”It’s good to be home.”

Given US decades of “peace brokering” between Israel and Palestine, this is already a road of pitfalls, one sidedness and duplicity, well traveled. There is trouble ahead.

Oh, and in demonology, Leviathan is one of the seven princes of Hell.

Notes

i. http://www.offshore-technology.com/projects/leviathan-gas-field-levantine-israel/

ii. http://m.theage.com.au/business/options-widen-for-woodsides-leviathan-partners-20131219-2znu6.html

iii. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-04/east-timor-offers-funds-for-onshore- gas-processing/4933106

iv. http://www.offshore-technology.com/projects/leviathan-gas-field-levantine-israel/leviathan-gas-field-levantine-israel1.html

v. http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Leviathan+gas+project+Israel+map&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ntC2UvO7IcPE7Ab7rIDYCQ&ved=0CEQQsAQ&biw=1017&bih=598

vi. http://www.phantomreport.com/syria-inks-oil-gas-deal-with-russia-firm#more-20238

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(GLOBALRESEARCH) NYT Backs Off Its Syria-Sarin Analysis
By Robert Parry
Global Research, December 30, 2013
Consortiumnews 29 December 2013
Region: Middle East & North Africa

For months, the “slam-dunk” evidence “proving” Syrian government guilt in the Aug. 21 Sarin attack near Damascus was a “vector analysis” pushed by the New York Times showing where the rockets supposedly were launched. But the Times now grudgingly admits its analysis was flawed.

The New York Times has, kind of, admitted that it messed up its big front-page story that used a “vector analysis” to pin the blame for the Aug. 21 Sarin attack on the Syrian government, an assertion that was treated by Official Washington as the slam-dunk proof that President Bashar al-Assad gassed his own people.

But you’d be forgiven if you missed the Times’ embarrassing confession, since it was buried on page 8, below the fold, 18 paragraphs into a story under the not-so-eye-catching title, “New Study Refines View Of Sarin Attack in Syria.”

Secretary of State John Kerry (center) testifies on the Syrian crisis before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Sept. 3, 2013. At the left of the photo is Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. and on the right is Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. No senior U.S. intelligence official joined in the testimony. U.S. State Department photo)

Photo (right): Secretary of State John Kerry (center) testifies on the Syrian crisis before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Sept. 3, 2013. At the left of the photo is Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. and on the right is Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. No senior U.S. intelligence official joined in the testimony. U.S. State Department photo)

But this Times article at least acknowledges what has been widely reported on the Internet, including at Consortiumnews.com, that the Times’ “vector analysis” – showing the reverse flight paths of two missiles intersecting at a Syrian military base – has collapsed, in part, because the range of the rockets was much too limited.

There were other problems with the “vector analysis” that was pushed by the Times and Human Rights Watch, which has long wanted the U.S. military to intervene in the Syrian civil war against the Syrian government.

The analytical flaws included the fact that one of the two missiles – the one landing in Moadamiya, south of Damascus – had clipped a building during its descent making a precise calculation of its flight path impossible, plus the discovery that the Moadamiya missile contained no Sarin, making its use in the vectoring of two Sarin-laden rockets nonsensical.

But the Times’ analysis ultimately fell apart amid a consensus among missile experts that the rockets would have had a maximum range of only around three kilometers when the supposed launch site is about 9.5 kilometers from the impact zones in Moadamiya and Zamalka/Ein Tarma, east of Damascus.

The Times’ front-page “vectoring” article of Sept. 17 had declared: “One annex to the report [by UN inspectors] identified azimuths, or angular measurements, from where rockets had struck, back to their points of origin. When plotted and marked independently on maps by analysts from Human Rights Watch and by The New York Times, the United Nations data from two widely scattered impact sites pointed directly to a Syrian military complex.”

An accompanying map on the Times’ front page revealed the flight-path lines intersecting at an elite Syrian military unit, the 104th Brigade of the Republican Guard, based northwest of Damascus, near the Presidential Palace. This “evidence” was then cited by U.S. politicians and pundits as the in-your-face proof of the Syrian government’s guilt.

The Times/HRW analysis was especially important because the Obama administration, in making its case against the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, had refused to release any evidence that could be independently evaluated. So, the “vector analysis” was almost the only visible nail in Assad’s coffin of guilt.

Short-Range Rockets

In Sunday’s article – the one below the fold on page 8 – the Times reported that a new analysis by two military experts concluded that the Aug. 21 rockets had a range of about three kilometers, or less than one-third the distance needed to intersect at the Syrian military base northwest of Damascus.

The report’s authors were Theodore A. Postol, a professor of science, technology and national security policy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Richard M. Lloyd, an analyst at the military contractor Tesla Laboratories.

The Times noted that “the authors said that their findings could help pinpoint accountability for the most lethal chemical warfare attack in decades, but that they also raised questions about the American government’s claims about the locations of launching points, and the technical intelligence behind them. … The analysis could also lead to calls for more transparency from the White House, as Dr. Postol said it undermined the Obama administration’s assertions about the rockets’ launch points.”

Finally, in the article’s 18th paragraph, the Times acknowledged its own role in misleading the public, noting that the rockets’ estimated maximum range of three kilometers “would be less than the ranges of more than nine kilometers calculated separately by The New York Times and Human Rights Watch in mid-September. … Those estimates had been based in part on connecting reported compass headings for two rockets cited in the United Nations’ initial report on the attacks.”

In other words, the much-ballyhooed “vector analysis” had collapsed under scrutiny, knocking the legs out from under Official Washington’s certainty that the Syrian government carried out the Aug. 21 attack which may have killed several hundred civilians including many children.

The Times article on Sunday was authored by C.J. Chivers, who along with Rick Gladstone, was a principal writer on the now-discredited Sept. 17 article.

The erosion of that “vector analysis” article has been underway for several months – through reporting at Web sites such as WhoGhouta and Consortiumnews.com – but few Americans knew about these challenges to the Official Story because the mainstream U.S. news media had essentially blacked them out.

When renowned investigative reporter Seymour Hersh composed a major article citing skepticism within the U.S. intelligence community regarding the Syrian government’s guilt, he had to go to the London Review of Books to get the story published. [See Consortiumnews.com’s “Deceiving the US Public on Syria.”]

Even Ake Sellstrom, the head of the United Nations mission investigating chemical weapons use in Syria, challenged the vector analysis during a Dec. 13 UN press conference, citing expert estimates of the missiles’ range at about two kilometers, but his remarks were almost entirely ignored. [See Consortiumnews.com’s “UN Inspector Undercuts NYT on Syria.”]

A Replay of Iraqi WMD

Besides the deaths from the Sarin itself, perhaps the most troubling aspect of this episode has been how close the U.S. government came to going to war with Syria based on such flimsy and dubious evidence. It seems as if Official Washington and the U.S. mainstream news media have learned nothing from the disastrous rush to war in Iraq a decade ago.

Just as false assumptions about Iraq’s WMD set off a stampede over that cliff in 2003, a similar rush to judgment regarding Syria brought the U.S. government to the edge of another precipice of war in 2013.

The New York Times and other major U.S. news outlets propelled the rush to judgment in both cases, rather than questioning the official stories and demanding better evidence from U.S. government officials. In September 2002, the Times famously fronted an article linking Iraq’s purchase of some aluminum tubes to a secret nuclear weapons program, which — as Americans and Iraqis painfully learned later – didn’t exist.

In the case of Syria, another potential catastrophe was averted only by a strong opposition to war among the American public, as registered in opinion polls, and President Barack Obama’s last-minute decision to seek congressional approval for military action and then his openness to a diplomatic settlement brokered by Russia.

To defuse the crisis, the Syrian government agreed to destroy all its chemical weapons, while still denying any role in the Aug. 21 attack, which it blamed on Syrian rebels apparently trying to create acasus belli that would precipitate a U.S. intervention.

With very few exceptions, U.S. news outlets and think tanks mocked the notion of rebel responsibility and joined the Obama administration in expressing virtual certainty that the Assad regime was guilty.

There was almost no U.S. media skepticism on Aug. 30 when the White House stoked the war fever by posting on its Web site what was called a “Government Assessment,” a four-page white paper that blamed the Syrian government for the Sarin attack but presented zero evidence to support the conclusion.

Americans had to go to Internet sites to see questions raised about the peculiar presentation, since normally a decision on war would be supported by a National Intelligence Estimate containing the judgments of the 16 intelligence agencies. But an NIE would also include footnotes citing dissents from analysts who disputed the conclusion, of which I was told there were a number.

The Dogs Not Barking

As the war frenzy built in late August and early September, there was a striking absence of U.S. intelligence officials at administration briefings and congressional hearings. The dog-not-barking reason was that someone might have asked a question about whether the U.S. intelligence community was in agreement with the “Government Assessment.”

But these strange aspects of the Obama administration’s case were not noted by the major U.S. news media. Then, on Sept. 17 came the New York Times front-page article citing the “vector analysis.” It was the Perry Mason moment. The evidence literally pointed right at the “guilty” party, an elite unit of the Syrian military.

Whatever few doubts there were about the Syrian government’s guilt disappeared. From the triumphant view of Official Washington, those of us who had expressed skepticism about the U.S. government’s case could only hang our heads in shame and engage in some Maoist-style self-criticism.

For me, it was like a replay of Iraq-2003. Whenever the U.S. invading force discovered a barrel of chemicals, trumpeted on Fox News as proof of WMD, I’d get e-mails calling me a Saddam Hussein apologist and demanding that I admit that I had been wrong to question President George W. Bush’s WMD claims. Now, there were ugly accusations that I had been carrying water for Bashar al-Assad.

But – as John Adams once said – “facts are stubborn things.” And the smug certainty of Official Washington regarding the Syrian Sarin case gradually eroded much as a similar arrogance crumbled a decade ago when Iraq’s alleged WMD stockpiles never materialized.

While it’s still not clear who was responsible for the Aug. 21 deaths outside Damascus – whether a unit of the Syrian military, some radical rebel group or someone mishandling a dangerous payload – the facts should be followed objectively, not simply arranged to achieve a desired political outcome.

Now, with the New York Times’ grudging admission that its “vector analysis” has collapsed, the pressure should build on the Obama administration to finally put whatever evidence it has before the world’s public.

[For more details on this issue, see Consortiumnews.com’s “NYT Replays Its Iraq Fiasco in Syria.” For more of our early reporting on the Syrian chemical weapons attack, see: “A Dodgy Dossier on Syrian War”; “Murky Clues From UN’s Syria Report”; “Obama Still Withholds Syria Evidence”; “How US Pressure Bends UN Agencies”; “Fixing Intel Around the Syria Policy.”]

Investigative reporter Robert Parry broke many of the Iran-Contra stories for The Associated Press and Newsweek in the 1980s. You can buy his new book, America’s Stolen Narrative, either in print here or as an e-book (from Amazon and barnesandnoble.com). For a limited time, you also can order Robert Parry’s trilogy on the Bush Family and its connections to various right-wing operatives for only $34. The trilogy includes America’s Stolen Narrative. For details on this offer, click here.

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(GLOBALRESEARCH) The Destabilization of Africa. A Machiavellian Intrigue of Colossal Proportions
By Carla Stea
Global Research, January 01, 2014

On December 24th 2013, the United Nations Security Council voted to increase peacekeeping forces in South Sudan, whose independence from the North US-NATO powers celebrated only recently. Democratic elections in South Sudan did not, however, lead to peace and stability. Now, two ethnic groups, in South Sudan, the Dinka and Nuer are slaughtering each other. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated:

“We have reports of horrific attacks. Innocent civilians are being targeted because of their ethnicity. This is a grave violation of human rights, which could fuel a spiral of civil unrest across the country.”

South Sudan, which contains vast oil reserves, borders Ethopia, Uganda, Kenya, Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Spread of its crisis would further destabilize a significant part of Africa. Clearly, Western-style “democratic elections,” the panacea touted by Western agencies such as National Endowment for Democracy, and related Western NGOs, have not only failed to provide stability and enhanced standards of living for many countries where they have been implemented (or imposed, militarily by US-NATO intervention, such as in Iraq and Libya and Afghanistan), but are beginning to appear to be the precursor of ethnic and social violence and disintegration in many notable instances in Africa, and not only in Africa.0

On September 20, 2013, at the opulent Westgate mall in Nairobi, Kenya endured a deadly terrorist attack that slaughtered more than 40 people, including several Europeans. The Al Qaeda affiliated Shabab, the Islamic jihadist group based in Somalia took responsibility for the attack, ostensibly in reprisal for Kenya’s participation in the African Union’s mission to combat Shabab’s domination of large areas of Somalia.

Less than two months later, in Security Council action – or more accurately described – inaction) on November 15, the Security Council failed to support a resolution submitted by the African Union, in accordance with Article 16 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, to defer, for 12 months, prosecution of Kenyan President Kenyatta and Deputy-President William Ruto. The deferral would enable President Kenyatta to concentrate his efforts on combating the terrorism that is destabilizing Kenya, terrorism by the jihadist group who imposition of barbaric Sharia law includes the burial of young girls up to their necks in sand, and then stoning these innocent children to death.

The African Union pleaded for this deferral to prevent the serious distraction of the Kenyan President’s attention from his efforts to combat this recent upsurge of terrorism in Kenya. The Security Council failed to adopt this resolution, thereby abdicating its primary responsibility to protect peace and security. The Security Council’s failure to adopt this African Union resolution could also be perceived as a “double message” in the effort to eliminate terrorism. Following the vote, in explanation, each country spoke.

Mr. Mehdiyev (Azerbaijan):

“Our decision to vote in favour of the draft resolution before us today is based on the following understanding. First, Kenya and the region in which it is situated are facing complex security challenges. Kenya is a front-line State in and one of the key regional contributors to the fight against international terrorism. In that connection, the judicial proceedings against the country’s senior officials would undoubtedly create serious obstacles to the normal functioning of State institutions in Kenya and thereby pose a threat to the ongoing efforts to ensure and promote peace and stability in the region. Azerbaijan understands the concerns of Kenya and the African Union, and deems them legitimate and reasonable.”

Mr. Gasana (Rwanda):

“Terrorism is the most serious threat to international peace and security. It affects all the people of the world, without discrimination, from the World Trade Center in New York to the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya. Fortunately, we have countries; we have leaders. We are committed to the fight against terrorism, and Kenya and its President and Deputy President are with us. They are at the forefront of the fight against international terrorism, and we are greateful for their commitment and determination in the fight against Al-Shabaab in Somalia – a country where African blood is shed on behalf of this Council, which is supposed to bear the primary responsibility in the maintenance of international peace and security.

In that regard, His Excellency President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Roto should be respected, supported, empowered at this time – not distracted and undermined. That is why, after the vote this morning, Rwanda is expressing its deep disappointment over what transpired regarding the request for the deferral of the cases against the President and Deputy President of Kenya, despite the proactive efforts of Africa to engage the Security Council in a legitimate process in the interest of the maintenance of international peace and security.

That is why this is actually the right place, The failure to adopt the draft resolution before us today, which has been endorsed by the countries of the entire African continent, is a shame; indeed, it is a shame. Let it be written today in history that the Security Council failed Kenya and Africa on that issue.”

“It is not that, in coming before the Council today, we have sought confrontation. No we have not. We believed that the request was reasonable. We believed that the request was legitimate, as it was based on the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). …We were therefore hoping that, after extensive consultations, the Council would express solidarity with Kenya and with Africa, by negotiating in good faith and adopting the draft resolution. That did not happen, as some members of the Council even refused to negotiate on any single paragraph. We profoundly regret that.

Our colleagues who did not vote in favour of the draft resolution have argued – as members have heard – that the Kenyan situation does not meet the threshold needed to trigger the application of Article 16 of the Rome Statute. They have explained that article 16 shall be applied only when the investigation and prosecution could create, or worsen, a situation threatening international peace and security.

I am here and I am wondering: If a terrorist attack by members of Al-Shabaab – an Al-Qaida-linked movement that has killed more than 70 innocent victims and wounded 200 others – does not meet the threshold line that other situations have crossed, then which one would? If a clear and present threat of terrorism against the Kenyan people, resulting from their determination and courageous intervention in Somalia, does not meet the threshold, what other threat can be alleged to do so? Are we in the wrong place today? No.”

“May I request that all members of the Council recall why article 16 of the Rome Statute was proposed in the Council more than 10 years ago. Let me repeat that question. May I request that all members of the council recall why article 16 of the Rome Statute was proposed more than 10 years ago. That article was not proposed by an African State – not at all. It was proposed by some of the Western Powers present at the Council table to be applied solely in their interest. In other words, article 16 was never meant to be used by an African State or any of the developing countries. It seems to have been conceived as an additional tool for the big Powers to protect themselves and protect their own. Is that not so? That is how it appears here today.”

The [UNSC] President (spoke in Chinese)

“Kenya has long been at the forefront of the fight against terrorism and has been playing an important role in maintaining peace and stability in the Horn of Africa, Eastern Africa and the entire African continent. Deferring the ICC proceedings against the leaders of Kenya is not only a matter of concern to Kenya, but also a matter of concern for the entire African continent. It is in fact an urgent need in order to maintain regional peace and stability. It is therefore a matter of common sense that the international community should help the Kenyan leaders to focus their attention on discharging their mandate and to continue their role in maintaining peace and stability in Kenya and the wider region, in exercising their jurisdiction, international judicial institutions should abide by the norms of international relations, follow the principle of complementarity and respect the judicial sovereignty, legal traditions and current needs of the countries concerned. …. China believes that the request of the African countries is reasonable and well founded on the basis of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Their objective is to maintain peace, stability and security in the region and to effectively fight terrorism. They request that the democratically elected leaders of Kenya be accorded basic respect in matters of African peace, security and stability. …The Council should therefore heed and positively respond to the common call of the African Union and the vast majority of African leaders. China will continue to support the efforts of Kenya, the African Union and most African countries to find a real solution to the issue under consideration.”

Not only have democratic elections failed to enhance the quality of life and standard of living in numerous African countries – and elsewhere; Kenya is a country in which democratic elections in December 2007 unleashed horrendous inter-ethnic slaughter and violent destabilization in a country that had hitherto been a model of stability and economic and social development for Africa and the developing world. How can the sudden eruption of such clan and tribal warfare be explained in a country that had, for decades, not undergone such violent inter-ethnic conflict and destabilization?

Recently a highly placed diplomatic source accredited to the United Nations observed a pattern emerging in African countries where western NGOs with links to U.S. intelligence were based and operating: previously non-existent inter-ethnic violence suddenly erupted, and this phenomenon was occurring in even the most stable countries. One of these western NGOs, in particular, was based and operating in Kenya since 2003, a full four years before the sudden eruption of inter-ethnic warfare and violent destabilization that followed the December, 2007 democratic elections.

One can only question the “coincidental” nature of these violent inter-ethnic occurrences in many previously stable African countries. Recalling that Russian President Putin prohibited USAID and particular Western NGO’s from operating in Russia, one can only conclude that he was trying to spare Russia from the fate observed in too many African countries, and elsewhere.

In his book “The Grand Chessboard,” (1997) Brzezinski openly states, in Chapter 1:

“Hegemony of a New Type,”: “The American global system emphasizes the technique of co-optation (as in the case of defeated rivals – Germany, Japan and lately even Russia) to a much greater extent than the earlier imperial systems did. It likewise relies heavily on the indirect exercise of influence on dependent foreign elites.”

This “indirect exercise of influence on dependent foreign elites” could be the hidden trigger provoking and inciting the violent ethnic and political conflict that appears to be rapidly spreading, undermining previously functioning economies and national structures and institutions.

Who benefits? A substantial part of China’s oil supply comes from Africa. Chinese contracts with African nations are more equitable than those of US-NATO countries, and therefore have preferential status in many African countries, with China contributing to the construction of infrastructure, and offering considerably higher payment for oil extracted. It is, however, very much in China’s interest that internal stability prevail in these African countries, in order to perpetuate this arrangement. Chaos, spreading terrorism, civil conflict disrupt the functioning of these arrangements, and may ultimately serve the purpose of driving China out of Africa.

In the corridors of power at the United Nations, and elsewhere, is whispered that it is part of large-scale geopolitical engineering to to disrupt and deprive China of its oil supply in Africa, thereby implementing the first part of “hegemony of a new type.” What follows this “new type of hegemony” is a Machiavellian intrigue of colossal proportion.

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(WIKILEAKS) UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000116
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. WALCH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV PGOV PREL ZI
SUBJECT: Zimbabwe Sets Racial Quota for Business Ownership

¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: A Government of Zimbabwe (GOZ) minister from President Mugabe's ZANU-PF party has issued regulations meant to force "indigenization" of businesses. The new rules, published on February 5, say that any business worth US$500,000 or more must explain how it will "cede a controlling interest" to "indigenous Zimbabweans." The regulations are to take effect on March 1.

Existing businesses will have 45 days to submit their
indigenization plans. Failure to comply will be punishable by a
fine or up to five years' imprisonment. While the regulations
remove some of the uncertainties created by the thus-far unenforced
Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act of 2007, they also
raise new questions. Prime Minister Tsvangirai and his Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC) oppose the regulations. This latest
indigenization scare is bound to put another dent in Zimbabwe's
battered reputation and give investors another reason to stay away.
END SUMMARY.



¶2. (U) Statutory Instrument 21 of 2010, dated January 29 but
released on February 9 by Minister of Youth Development,
Indigenisation, and Empowerment Saviour Kasukuwere, says that every
business in Zimbabwe with an "asset value" of at least US$500,000
must submit an "indigenization implementation plan" to his
Ministry. The deadline for existing businesses is 45 days after
the regulations take effect on March 1. New businesses will have
60 days to submit a plan. The goal of each plan must be to
transfer within five years a controlling interest in the business
to indigenous Zimbabweans, who are defined in the Act to be any
person "disadvantaged by unfair discrimination on the grounds of
his or her race" before April 18, 1980, or the descendant of such a
person. A business need not submit an indigenization plan if it
can show that it does "development work," adds value to raw
materials for export, brings new technology or skills to Zimbabwe,
or will "achieve any other socially and economically desirable
objective."



¶3. (U) The regulations list 14 industries "reserved against foreign
investment." These include agriculture, transportation, retail and
wholesale trade, grain milling, advertising, bakeries, tobacco
processing, and milk processing. Given that the underlying
legislation explicitly provide for minority foreign ownership of
businesses, the regulations appear to have the effect of excluding
all foreign investment in the 14 designated industries. There are
also other ambiguities in the regulations. It is not clear whether
"asset value" is net or gross. And the regulations do nothing to
clarify the definition of an indigenous Zimbabwean, which does not
obviously include all black Zimbabweans or necessarily exclude
everyone who might be considered white or of some other race.
Another disturbing source of uncertainty is how the Minister may
choose to interpret the broad exemptions in the regulations. Nor
do the regulations spell out what might become of businesses that
do not meet the five-year indigenization deadline.



¶4. (SBU) So far there have been few public reactions from the
business community. One mining company has advised shareholders
that it is "studying" the regulations and noted that they provide
for future issuance of lower indigenization quotas for specific
industries. The Chamber of Mines, the mining companies' main
lobbying group, has long been engaged in discussions with the GOZ
on indigenization rules. Private reactions range from alarm to
resignation. One prominent businessman sees the issuance of the
regulations as a political ploy by Kasukuwere to curry favor with
Mugabe. In his view, the regulations do not have broad support
within ZANU-PF and are likely to be withdrawn or modified. But he
acknowledged that news of the regulations could have a devastating
effect outside the country on potential investors. Other business
contacts have expressed doubts about the capacity of the GOZ to
implement the regulations. If there is a high degree of compliance
with the reporting requirement, Kasukuwere's ministry could
collapse under an avalanche of paper. But that could also have the
effect of making enforcement all the more arbitrary.



¶5. (U) Press reports say Tsvangirai has called the regulations
"null and void" because they were not approved by the cabinet. His
MDC party released a statement on February 11 calling the statutory
instrument "provocative" and "a deliberate attempt to undermine the
country and its people." The MDC called on the GOZ to withdraw the
regulations.

HARARE 00000116 002 OF 002


¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: With ZANU-PF's popular support draining away,
release of the indigenization regulations now could be a move to
curry favor with the electorate. But sooner or later, the
indigenization law will give way to Stein's Law: "If something
cannot go on forever, it will stop." Until then, intermittent
indigenization scares will help keep Zimbabwe a high-risk zone for
lenders and investors, choking off the financing needed to rebuild
a battered economy. Zimbabwe's macroeconomic recovery is already
starting to look like a dead-cat bounce: the economy is better now
mainly because it could not have gotten worse. Investors and
lenders were already staying away in droves before Kasukuwere made
his move. Even if the just-issued indigenization rules disappear
or are watered down before March 1, Zimbabwe's battered reputation
will carry a new and lasting dent. If the rules stay in place,
prospects for meaningful economic growth this year will dim
significantly. END COMMENT.
RAY



http://wikileaks.org/cable/2010/02/10HARARE118.html

UNCLAS HARARE 000118

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. WALCH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON PREL EAID CN ZI
SUBJECT: CHINESE ENGAGEMENT IN ZIMBABWE

REF: 10 STATE 10152

¶1. (U) Although statistics are not readily available, anecdotal
evidence shows increasing Chinese involvement in Zimbabwe's
economy. The trend became pronounced with the Government of
Zimbabwe's (GOZ) "Look East Policy" in 2003, through which it
sought to emphasize new ties with China in place of traditional
links to Europe and North America. Chinese enterprises are
noticeably active in the retail and construction sectors. One
local press report suggests that 80 percent of Chinese-owned
enterprises are in the retail sector. But Chinese construction
projects receive far more public attention - often negative. For
example, an eight-year-old plan involving Chinese contractors to
widen the highway between Harare and Bulawayo collapsed after only
20 kilometers of construction amid allegations of poor workmanship
and corruption.



¶2. (U) There has been significant Chinese investment in industrial
enterprises. In 2007 Sinosteel Corporation bought Zimasco
Consolidated Enterprises Limited, Zimbabwe's largest ferrochrome
producer. Zimasco suspended production in 2009. In 2004 the China
Building Material Industrial Corporation entered into a joint
venture with the Industrial Development Corporation of Zimbabwe to
establish the Sino-Zimbabwe Cement plant in Midlands Province.
Chinese firms also provided agricultural equipment worth millions
of dollars under the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe's farm mechanization
program in order to show support for the GOZ's land reform program.
In 2009, Zimbabwean officials announced a multi-billion dollar
Chinese investment in platinum mining, but there is no evidence of
actual investment on this scale.



¶3. (U) The GOZ's severe fiscal constraints have put limits on
Chinese engagement. The GOZ is in arrears on its US$400 million in
official debt to China, and this has blocked access to lines of
credit reportedly worth as much as US$950 million. According to
GOZ figures, as of March 2009 Zimbabwe owed US$37.2 million to
China in unpaid principal and interest.



¶4. (SBU) There are no concrete examples of U.S.-China collaboration
in Zimbabwe. Ambassador Ray met with the Chinese ambassador who
indicated his desire to maintain a dialogue with the U.S. and other
Western countries. The principal aims of U.S. policy in Zimbabwe
are a return to democratic governance, restoration of the rule of
law, and protection of human rights. While China has remained
silent on these subjects, it has moved from sole support of ZANU-PF
to a more balanced approach and now has relationships with both
ZANU-PF and MDC-T. The Chinese embassy recently sponsored a golf
tournament in honor of Prime Minister Tsvangirai. While China
may share an interest with the U.S. in restoring Zimbabwe's
investment climate, progress in this area ultimately depends on
governance reforms.
RAY



http://wikileaks.org/cable/2010/02/10HARARE105.html

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000105

SIPDIS
AF/S FOR BRIAN WALCH
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR MICHELLE GAVIN
ADDIS FOR USAU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/16
TAGS: EINV ECON PREL PGOV ZI
SUBJECT: Zimbabwe: Doing Business Zimbabwe-style

REF: HARARE 116

CLASSIFIED BY: Charles A. Ray, Ambassador, STATE, EXEC; REASON:
1.4(B), (D)

¶1. (SBU) A recent conversation with businessman Kumbirai Katsande
illuminated the difficulties of doing business in Zimbabwe.
Katsande is the past president of the Zimbabwe Business Council and
the current head of the Confederation of Zimbabwean Industries. He
is the Managing Director of Ariston Holdings Ltd., which has major
horticultural and tea interests, and the Chairman of NestlC)
Zimbabwe Ltd.



¶2. (C) Katsande described how Ariston came to give up land to High
Court Judge Ben Hlatshwayo. In 2002, Hlatshwayo, in defiance of an
order from his own Court, seized a white commercial farm in the
agriculturally productive area of Banket, about 100 kilometers
northwest of Harare. The farm was near the Mugabe rural home. In
2009, the farm caught the eye of First Lady Grace Mugabe, who
apparently wanted it for her son from her first marriage. She
ordered Hlatshwayo off the land. He countered with a lawsuit but,
unsurprisingly, no judge was willing to hear the case. The powers
that be persuaded Hlatshwayo to leave his 600-hectare farm and
promised him another. He found another farm and demanded the white
owner leave. He then received a call from Minister of Local
Government, Urban and Rural Development Ignatius Chombo, a patron
of the owner, who told him to desist and look for another. He did.
This time he got a call from Minister of Lands and Rural
Resettlement Herbert Murerwa, who had a relationship with the
owner, Hlatshwayo moved on. He finally came to land owned by
Ariston Holdings which, under pressure, agreed to cede him land.
Katsande said Ariston was a bit miffed that Hlatshwayo's original
farm was 600 hectares and he demanded 900 from Ariston. They
ultimately negotiated.



¶3. (C) Last year, in the wake of an international outcry, NestlC)
Zimbabwe, which had been buying milk from Grace Mugabe's dairy
farm, decided to stop. After he and NestlC) workers were
threatened, Katsande contacted President Robert Mugabe's office.
He was told Mugabe had asked Minister of Industry Welshman Ncube to
handle the matter, and that the government would not interfere with
NestlC). Katsande then learned that Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
Governor Gideon Gono had frozen NestlC) accounts. He contacted
Gono, who said he was acting on Mugabe's behalf. Katsande
convinced him to call Mugabe. He did and backed off. Katsande was
subsequently contacted separately by Minister of Youth and
Indigenization Saviour Kasukuwere and Minister of State in the
President's Office Didymus Mutasa, both of whom threatened him if
he didn't resume buying milk from the first lady. He told them to
contact Ncube. Ncube convinced them that Mugabe had left the
matter with him, and told them that he (Ncube) was not going to
force NestlC) to buy milk from Grace Mugabe. NestlC) has resumed
operations and is not buying milk from Grace Mugabe.



¶4. (SBU) We talked to Katsande just after Kasukuwere had issued
new indigenization regulations (Ref). He said despite
difficulties, NestlC) had a large investment in Zimbabwe and was
going to invest an additional US$10 to US$15 million. But it was
going to make other major investments in Botswana and Mozambique
which would have been made in Zimbabwe but for the unsettled
political situation.



¶5. (C) Finally, Katsande told us about a legal dispute of Ariston
involving tea estates in Chipinge. War veterans tried to take over
some of Ariston's land and a legal case ensued. Ultimately, the
Supreme Court, in a decision signed by the Chief Justice, ruled in
Ariston's favor. But squatting war veterans refused to leave the
estates. When Ariston contacted the police, it was told that farm
invasions were a political matter and the police would therefore
not act. Katsande paid a visit to the local police commissioner in
Chipinge and was told the same thing. Katsande pointed out to the

HARARE 00000105 002 OF 002


police commissioner that the Chief Justice belonged to ZANU-PF and
that the judgment in the legal case was therefore political. He
then threatened to bring an action for contempt against her
personally for defying an order of the Chief Justice if police did
not remove the war veterans within three days. They did.



-------------

COMMENT

-------------



¶6. (C) Katsande's experiences demonstrate the difficulties of
doing business in Zimbabwe. ZANU-PF's abuse of power echoes
throughout the economy and the party's influence will certainly
inhibit economic recovery. Investors not yet active in Zimbabwe
generally understand this and accordingly choose to do business
elsewhere. Foreign companies already here - like NestlC), Chevron,
Implats, and others - will at most hedge their bets in existing
operations but not make major new commitments until Mugabe and the
likes of Kasukuwere have been forced from office. Consider, for
example, the continuing malevolent influence of Reserve Bank
Governor Gideon Gono. Even though the central bank no longer has
the means to disrupt the economy as it did during Zimbabwe's
hyperinflation, the very fact that Gono is still on the payroll
frightens anyone who might consider a financial commitment that
lasts more than a week. On Zimbabwe's current trajectory, Katsande
will have more amusing anecdotes for us next year. END COMMENT.
RAY




http://wikileaks.org/cable/2010/02/10HARARE152.html

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 HARARE 000152

SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. WALSH
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR L. DOBBINS AND J. HARMON
COMMERCE FOR ROBERT TELCHIN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: ZIM NOTES 02-19-2010

-----------

¶1. SUMMARY

-----------



Mugabe Welcomes Codel Meeks/Watt...

Journalist thrown out of Mugabe/Codel meeting...

Diamond Drama Continues...

Zim Agrees to KP Monitor...

Court Orders Mining at Chiadzwa to Stop...

EU Extends Targeted Sanctions on Zimbabwe...

ZANU-PF Hijacks Civil Servants' Strike...

Police Arrest WOZA Members...

Mexican Journalist Arrested...

HRW Calls Gov't a "Failure"...

Rising Cost of Living Fuels Wage Demands...

Tobacco Selling Season Starts on High Note...

Companies Resort to Rights Issues...



---------------------------------

On the Political and Social Front

----------------------------------



¶2. Congressmen Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Melvin Watt (D-NC), Jack
Kingston (R-GA), and Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) visited Harare this week
and had a nearly two-hour long meeting with President Mugabe at
State House. The delegation also met with Finance Minister Tendai
Biti and visited a USAID-funded livelihoods project. Friday's
Herald featured a large photo of Congressman Meeks and Mugabe
shaking hands next to the headline "US pledges dialogue."



¶3. Freelance journalist (and correspondent of the Zimbabwe Times)
Nkosana Moyo was escorted by the CIO out of a meeting between
President Robert Mugabe and the visiting Congressional Delegation.
Moyo tried to record the proceedings of the meeting when the CIO
accosted him and took him out of State House. He told PAS that they
gave him a 20- 30 minute lecture about patriotism. "They told me I
should not be used by the Americans to demonize Zimbabwe, and took
all my details- address, phone numbers, next of kin, rural home-
and let me go," said Moyo. Moyo said he could not go back to State
house to cover meeting because "I was no longer a in a state of
mind to do anything."



¶4. Transcripts of closed-door hearings led by the parliamentary
committee on mines and energy have revealed probable corruption and
a lack of oversight in the troubled Chiadzwa diamond fields. The
committee, led by the ZANU-PF former Mining Minister Edward

HARARE 00000152 002 OF 004


Chindori-Chininga, has grilled senior leadership from the
parastatals Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) and the
Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) on their lack of
oversight of the two joint ventures operating in Chiadzwa, Mbada
Diamonds and Canadile Miners in several hearings this month. Mining
Minister Obert Mpofu is allegedly due to testify soon as well.



¶5. This week Zimbabwe agreed to allow a South African
industrialist with extensive diamond mining experience, Abbey
Chikane, to serve as the resident monitor for the Kimberley Process
Certification Scheme (KPCS) after several other potential monitors
were rejected. Chikane's appointment is the result of the KP work
plan developed in October 2009 at the KP Plenary in Namibia.
Chikane is to have "unfettered" access to Chiadzwa is will need to
approve of diamond shipments before they can be granted a KP
certificate.



¶6. The Supreme Court has ruled that ZMDC and the MMCZ must stop
mining operations at Chiadzwa pending finalization of the ownership
dispute with African Consolidated Resources (ACR). Although ZMDC's
two partners, Mbada and Canadile, may remain on site, they have
been ordered to stop operations. In the meantime, the GOZ has
reportedly cancelled ACR's license to mine the Chiadzwa fields,
giving it up to March 10 to lodge an appeal. ACR contends the
cancellation is unlawful.



¶7. On February 16, the EU extended targeted sanctions on Zimbabwe
for another year and also removed six individuals (mostly deceased)
and nine companies from the list. Of note, sanctions were lifted on
Dumiso Dabengwa, a former ZANU-PF Minister of Home Affairs, who
left ZANU-PF two years ago to reform ZAPU. The EU justified the
extension on the lack of progress in the implementation of the GPA.
Although ZANU-PF dismissed the extension of the sanctions as a
non-event, it has nevertheless said it will not make any
concessions in the GPA talks until all the sanctions are removed.



¶8. Striking civil servants have said that ZANU-PF has hijacked the
strike for political reasons. Civil servants' representatives
reported that ZANU-PF was forcing teachers to join the strike. They
reported that in Masvingo province in southern Zimbabwe, ZANU-PF
and the CIO forced Victoria High School to close at gun point and
ordered the teachers to join the strike. The civil servants are
pressing the government to increase their $150 monthly wages to a
minimum of $630. The government has said it can only increase the
paltry wages by a further $16 because it has no money.



¶9. On February 17 the police arrested two members of Women of
Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) in the eastern city of Mutare. One of the
women, Rose Rukwewo, is an elderly woman who suffers from hyper
tension. The police arrested the women at their homes for no
apparent reason other than to harass them after they had
participated in a WOZA protest march on February 16. Although the
police admitted they have no evidence to charge the women, they
insisted on detaining them for 48 hours--the maximum period the
police can hold a suspect in detention before they must appear in
court. The women were initially denied access to their lawyer for
several hours.



¶10. In Masvingo on February 12, police arrested a Mexican
journalist who was filming potential tourist sites. The journalist,

HARARE 00000152 003 OF 004


who was in a vehicle belonging to Minister of Tourism Walter Mzembi
(ZANU-PF) and who had a letter of authorization signed by Mzembi,
was held for several hours before being released after Mzembi's
personal intervention. Mzembi later fumed, "We cannot attract
tourists if we do not look at our law and order. [The journalist]
wanted to film for Mexican tourists ahead of the World Cup in South
Africa, but the first call I received once he got there was he was
at a police station. He has understood that we are in a transition
and we have said it will not happen again."



¶11. Human Rights Watch issued a harsh statement this week, calling
the inclusive government a "failure." According to HRW's Director,
Georgette Gagnon, "The transitional power-sharing government is a
sham. From a human rights perspective, nothing has changed for the
better. Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF are still fully in control." HRW
went on to call for the government to begin preparations for
holding internationally supervised free, fair, and credible
elections that will lead to a legitimate and democratic government
with the political will to bring about change. An article in The
Economist this week also suggested early elections wouldn't be a
bad idea:
http://www.economist.com/world/middleeast-afr ica/displayStory.cfm?s
tory_id=15549373



-----------------------------------

On the Economic and Business Front

----------------------------------



¶12. According to the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ), the
average cost of a basket of goods for a family of six rose by about
seven percent from $488.11 in December 2009 to $520.53 in January
¶2010. The jump was attributed to an anticipated increase in civil
servants' salaries and high utility tariffs. To the extent that CCZ
figures are now the basis for determining minimum wages in the
public and private sectors, there will be more pressure for a
general rise in wages.



¶13. The opening of this year's tobacco selling season started on
February 9 amidst expecations of substantial growth in the quantity
sold. The Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB) projects sales
this year of 77 million kilograms, up from 56 million in 2009. The
TIMB cites favorable prices and an increase in the number of
farmers growing the crop as the main factors behind the increase.
The use of the out-grower schemes has attracted a lot of farmers
since they are well supported by tobacco merchants when compared to
other commercial crops.



¶14. Liquidity constraints in banks and the high cost of borrowing
have forced most companies to go for rights issues and private
placements to raise money for expansion projects. During the week
under review, for example, two publicly listed companies proposed
to raise a total of $40 million through both rights issues and
private placements.



¶15. "We know their attitude. They do not want anyone, any country
in the developing world to make any meaningful development
strides." -- President Robert Mugabe, referring to the West's
alleged efforts to block development in Africa, at the opening of

HARARE 00000152 004 OF 004


the Pan-African Tourism Investment Summit in Harare, February 17,
¶2010.



RAY
Dhanani


http://wikileaks.org/cable/2010/02/10HARARE170.html

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000170

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR BWALCH
DS/IP/AF, DS/TIA/ITA
DRL FOR SMORGAN, MMITTELHAUSER, AND TDANG
DOL/ILAB FOR SHALEY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: ZANU-PF Peacefully Protests Sanctions In Front Of U.S.
Embassy

REF: HARARE 74

---------------
SUMMARY
---------------



¶1. (U) A ZANU-PF organized group protested peacefully in downtown
Harare and in front of the U.S. Embassy on February 24. The
protesters, who were allegedly bused in from outside Harare,
shouted anti-sanctions slogans and appeared to have been paid at
ZANU-PF headquarters after the march ended. Although the group
reportedly intended to present petitions at the U.S. Embassy and at
the headquarters of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC),
neither has received such a petition. The police escorted the
well-organized protesters but did not inform the Embassy in
advance. Police briefly detained and released one journalist.
There are no other reports of arrests or injuries. END SUMMARY.



------------------------------
March on the Embassy
------------------------------



¶2. (U) At around 10:30 local time, approximately 1,000 ZANU-PF
supporters gathered in downtown Harare for a protest march against
sanctions. According to the MDC, ZANU-PF brought the group to
Harare from nearby rural areas in buses and trucks. The protesters
wore t-shirts that said "sanctions are criminal" and carried
professional-looking posters with slogans such as "We will defeat
sanctions to realize your dreams," "Sanctions are catastrophic to
us," and "Pirate radio stations are stealing our sovereignty." The
group chanted anti-sanctions and pro-ZANU-PF slogans as it was
escorted by police through town.



¶3. (U) At approximately 11:00 the group arrived on Herbert Chitepo
Avenue, about a block east of the chancery. The crowd, following
directions from its leaders, peacefully marched in front of the
Embassy, pausing for about three minutes to boo, pump fists, and
sing ZANU-PF songs. The group also shouted anti-American and
anti-U.S. government slogans, directing some of their comments at
our locally employed guard force. The comments included: "Don't
you want land? What are you getting from the Americans?"; "We know
where you live, we shall get you one by one"; "We want war with
you Americans we are not afraid of you"; "Charles Ray must go, he
is responsible for sanctions"; "You are responsible for our
problems." After jeering for a few moments, the crowd peacefully
moved down the street. While stopped in front of the chancery, a
few in the group attempted to stand on barricades in front of the
entrance but stopped when told to do so by Zimbabwean police.



¶4. (SBU) After moving away from the Embassy, the group returned to
ZANU-PF's headquarters, where it appeared protesters entered the
building in turns, possibly to receive payment for participating.
Although it was rumored throughout the day that the group was going
to present petitions at the Embassy and at MDC headquarters
downtown, no one submitted a petition at either location.
Beginning at approximately 15:00, the group was loaded into buses
in downtown Harare. It appeared that some of the protesters
commandeered some public transport, but the crowds quickly
dissipated when it began to rain heavily.



¶5. (SBU) Although the police succeeded in ensuring the march in
front of the Embassy was peaceful, no one in the Embassy received
advance notice of the protest. The Embassy only learned of it at
10:45 from a civil society contact who heard about it from an MDC
official. The Embassy is still without regular protection by the
Zimbabwean police (reftel).



---------------------------------------
Journalist Detained, Released
---------------------------------------

HARARE 00000170 002 OF 002


¶6. (SBU) Before the march began, plainclothes police detained
freelance journalist Andrisson Manyere for about 15 minutes.
According to Manyere, the police objected to his taking photos
without having first sought permission from the police or ZANU-PF.
According to another journalist in the area, Manyere was
photographing the ZANU-PF youths scrambling for free t-shirts in
front of ZANU-PF's headquarters. Manyere was taken to the nearby
ZANU-PF headquarters building, where ZANU-PF officials and
officers of the Central Intelligence Organization recorded his
details and forced him to delete all of the photos from his camera.
(NOTE: Manyere has been a frequent target of the police. He was
arrested on January 18 in Harare while filming a march by Women of
Zimbabwe Arise. Manyere was abducted in December 2008 and held
incommunicado for several weeks by security agents who tortured
him. He remained in prison until April 2009 and still faces
charges of participating in bombings of police stations. END
NOTE.)



---------------
COMMENT
---------------


¶7. (SBU) Today's protest came as a complete surprise, despite our
slowly improving communication with ZANU-PF and the police. Our
contacts in civil society, who usually hear of large events in
advance, were also caught off guard. Although the rhetoric
expressed by the protesters is nothing new, it is evidence that
ZANU-PF is once again exploiting rural youth to do its bidding,
using enticements of free food, t-shirts, and a trip to Harare.
This was one of the largest protests in Harare in recent memory and
the first to take place in front of the Embassy in at least three
years. END COMMENT.
Dhanani

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2014 will be a big headache - Catholic Church
By By Masuzyo Chakwe
Tue 31 Dec. 2013, 16:10 CAT

THE Catholic Church says government's lifting of tax exemptions for public benefit organisations and other non-governmental organisations through Statutory Instrument 103, will have enormous and long-term repercussions on the church's ability to help poor people.

In a New Year's message yesterday, Zambia Episcopal Conference spokesperson Fr Paul Samasumo stated that the Church would begin this year with a big headache caused to it by way of the Statutory Instrument No. 103 of 2013.

He stated it would become increasingly difficult for the Church to purchase field utility vehicles such as vans for pastoral and social activities, equipment for churches, schools and hospitals as well as spare parts.

Fr Samasumo stated that the Catholic Church in Zambia simply does not have the ability to pay the high customs duty that would now be required.

"This, in turn, will seriously and negatively impact on the Church's ability to help the poor, who are the beneficiaries of most of our social programmes. The impact will be felt more in the health and education sectors. However, our pastoral and Church programmes will similarly be affected," he said.

Fr Samasumo said if one considered that the Catholic Church provides close to 70 per cent of all rural health care in Zambia or the fact the Church runs the largest number of grant-aided schools in the country, the Statutory Instrument had serious and far-reaching implications.

"Just to illustrate: We have three teacher training colleges; 38 grant-aided secondary/high schools; nine special schools for children with various disabilities; more than 100 nursery and community schools; numerous primary and secondary schools that are privately owned and fully run by our missionary congregations. These figures do not take into consideration nursing schools, many vocational training centres and schools such as carpentry, secretarial, home craft centres, hotel and catering schools as well as parish adult literacy clubs. All these in various ways will be affected by this Statutory Instrument," he said.

Fr Samasumo said most of the help for church programmes in Zambia comes from Europe and this aid had been dwindling over the years.

He said the few donors still remaining would not take kindly to the use of donated funds for customs duty or for donated equipment meant for the poor to be taxed here in Zambia.

"They will simply reduce or stop sending aid. In the end, it will be the poor to be affected. Our experience is that once donors move aid elsewhere, they do not return. The government facility of tax exemptions has always been for non-luxury items and non-luxury vehicles. If government knows of anyone abusing this facility, the best thing would have been for the law enforcement agencies to prosecute those found wanting instead of punishing everybody," he said.

He said governments encourage and give incentives to anyone doing good charitable work because they realise that governments were not able to be everywhere.

Fr Samasumo said the Church was a partner of government and targeting the very institutions supplementing government work was "indeed very disappointing".

"We hope there can still be dialogue over this Statutory Instrument. As our Bishops come for their January meetings, this is something that they will certainly be keen to engage with government," he said.
And Fr Samasumo said Pope Francis has written a New Year message in which he has called the world to embrace fraternity as the foundation of peace.

"Fraternity is about treating each other as brothers and sisters because that is what we really are," he said. "From the very start, Pope Francis has himself personified the very meaning of fraternity by his openness and concern for the poor. It is therefore not surprising that in his first New Year's message, Pope Francis elaborates on the poor and on peace under the inclusive and meaningful heading of fraternity."

He said the Catholic Church in Zambia would this year continue to embrace the poor wherever they were.

Fr Samasumo said the Church would do this through the social and development wing known as Caritas Zambia.

"There is a branch of Caritas in every parish and diocese. Although normally one wants to be positive and hopeful at the beginning of the year, for us the year is beginning with a rather big headache (Statutory Instrument)," said Fr Samasumo./SM/News/WK

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Met expects increase in rainfall
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Tue 31 Dec. 2013, 14:00 CAT

THE expected improvement in rainfall activities will enhance crop development to get into the vegetative stage, says the Zambia Meteorological Department.

According to the crop weather forecast of up to January 4, 2014, the Meteorological Department expects an increase in rainfall due to the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) that is oscillating about the central and southern parts of the country.

"The expected improvement in rainfall activities in the next dekad will enhance crop development to get into the vegetative stage.
However, farmers that are still planting are advised to plant early maturing seed to ensure better yield," it stated.

The department added that rainfall activities experienced in most parts of the country enhanced soil moisture levels, making it favourable for planting and re-planting of maize seed especially over Lusaka, Central, Eastern and Muchinga provinces where commencement of the rainy season was delayed.

"A slight reduction in rainfall towards the end of the dekad was good for weeding and application of basal dressing fertilisers," the Meteorological Department stated.
Mongu recorded the highest rainfall amount at 196 millimetres during the dekad under review, followed by 178mm recorded in Livingstone.
Solwezi recorded 173mm while Kasama recorded 168mm.
"Other significant rainfall amounts include 113mm from Petauke, 112mm from Kasempa, 109mm from Choma and 103mm from Lusaka City Airport. The rest of the stations reported amounts less than 100mm, with the lowest of 15mm being recorded in Chipata. The number of rainy days was quite high as most stations recorded rainy days ranging between six and eight," it stated, adding that much of the eastern half of Zambia had continued recording below normal rainfall while the western half had recorded normal to above normal rainfall.

"Above normal rainfall has been recorded in most parts of Western Province and few areas over Southern Province. These include Livingstone and Chipepo with surpluses of 24 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively. The highest deficit of 77 per cent has been recorded in Chipata."

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TAZARA acquires new locomotives from China
By Gift Chanda
Tue 31 Dec. 2013, 14:00 CAT

TAZARA has announced the acquisition of four new mainline locomotives from China in a move that will boost the railway firm's operations.

According to a press statement issued yesterday, the railway company, which is jointly owned by the Tanzanian and Zambian governments, had sealed a contract with the Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) for the manufacture and supply of the four mainline locomotives with their accompanying consumables and spare parts at approximately US$12.45 million.

TAZARA acting managing director Ronald Phiri and Miao Zhong, the TAZARA-based Chinese Railway Experts team leader, who signed the contract on behalf of TAZARA and CCECC respectively, also confirmed that CSR Qishuyan Locomotive Company Limited of China would manufacture the 3000-horsepower Diesel Electric SDD20 locomotives.

The four SDD20 locomotives, expected to be delivered by December 2014, are the second batch of the type to be manufactured by CSR for TAZARA, the first batch of six having been introduced on the line this year.
Phiri stated that the acquisition of the additional four locomotives was a key and integral part of the recently approved five-year strategic plan which envisaged the enhancement of the Authority's hauling capacity in an effort to escalate the volume of cargo and revenue in the second year of the strategic plan in 2014.

"The sooner we get these locomotives and start delivering on our 2014/2015 targets, the better," Phiri said, emphasizing that the idea was to improve both the availability and reliability of the equipment.
The six locomotives are expected to enhance the railway line's motive power and reverse the declining performance that had been witnessed in past years.

The TAZARA board of directors recently approved the railway firm's new five-year strategic plan for 2013-2018, with an indicative budget outlay of US$211.0 million from which US$177.0 million would be applied on the enhancement of capacity in critical areas.

TAZARA now has a fleet of about 16 mainline locomotives at its disposal, six of which are newly acquired Diesel Electric SDD20 locomotives while the remaining 10 are the old Diesel Electric U30C locomotives that had worked for over 25 years.

Phiri observed that the first batch of the six SDD20 locomotives posed a few teething challenges when they were introduced onto the TAZARA line earlier this year, but had since been fine-tuned and were performing satisfactorily.

"We are confident that having observed the first batch of the SDD20 locos under three months of trials followed by three months of actual utilisation, the next batch of the SDD20 locos would come with even higher quality and level of reliability," he added.

Phiri said all indications were that TAZARA was heading for better times, especially that the two shareholding governments had given a go-ahead for private sector partnerships, which were expected to fill the investment gaps in needy areas of operations.

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Biofuel production to commence soon
By Gift Chanda
Tue 31 Dec. 2013, 14:00 CAT

COMMERCIAL production of biofuels in Zambia is expected to commence after the government's acceptance of producer prices, industry officials have said.

Energy Regulation Board executive director, Langiwe Lungu, last week told journalists that the government had finally set the producer prices for biofuels, but declined to give details saying, "the government will soon announce."

However, officials close to the development said bio-ethanol was pegged at about K5.204 per litre while bio-diesel at about K5.895 per litre.
The Zambian government launched an ambitious programme to promote biofuels production in 2008 after revising its energy policy as part of the efforts to reverse the negative effects of depending on petroleum products.
Commercial production was, however, put on hold due to the government's delay in announcing incentives and producer prices.

Early this year the Biofuels Association of Zambia (BAZ) said producers would only engage in large-scale production after the government's announcement of the pricing of the products as it would be difficult to start production before a pricing mechanism was put in place.

"Now that the government has agreed on the prices, we expect some serious works to commence on the producers' part because this was one of their key hindrance," an ERB official said, adding that biofuels would in the long run cushion the country from high fuel prices.

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(OSISA) The security forces use STA to oppress activists
Submitted by Richard Lee on Tue, 2013-11-19 12:59
By Richard Lee | November 19th, 2013

From George Soros' OSISA or Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa. - MrK

In a letter to Swaziland’s Prime Minister, 25 organisations called on the government to amend the reviled and unconstitutional Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA), which has been used to target opposition leaders and activists rather than ‘terrorists’ since its enactment in 2008.

“Instead of being narrowly used to target real terrorist threats, the STA is routinely used to suppress legitimate political speech in violation of fundamental rights that are guaranteed under the Swazi Constitution, including the rights to personal liberty, freedom of expression and freedom of association,” said Musa Hlophe, Chairperson of the Swazi Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations.

The local, regional, and international organisations are calling on the government to amend the STA so as to bring it into line with the Swazi Constitution. In particular, the organisations have urged the authorities to narrow the STA’s overly broad definition of ‘terrorist act’ and ensure that there is fair and adequate opportunity for organisations that are designated as ‘terrorist groups’ to challenge that classification.

In June, the then Minister of Labour and Social Security, Lutfo Dlamini, promised that the government would narrow the definition of ‘terrorist act’. However, the authorities have shown no sign of fulfilling this pledge.

“The Attorney General and the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs are given wide discretion to classify an organisation as a terrorist group,” said Simon Delaney, Media Law consultant at the Southern Africa Litigation Centre, which is one of the signatories to the letter. “There is a strong risk of incorrect identification as officials need only have reasonable grounds to believe that the group is engaging in terrorist activity – which is an impermissibly low standard. And groups have little recourse when they are designated.”

In addition to its constitutional obligations, Swaziland is a signatory to a number of international treaties, which place obligations on the country to ensure that its legislation, including the STA, adheres to international norms and standards.

“Although counter-terrorism measures are vitally important in any country, these measures must still adhere to domestic and international human rights law and comply with international standards,” said Sipho Gumedze, of Lawyers for Human Rights (Swaziland). “However, the STA fails this test. It is time that it was thoroughly overhauled.”

The following organisations have signed the letter:

Amnesty International
Coalition of Informal Economic Associations of Swaziland
Constituent Assembly of Civil Society Organizations
Concerned Christian Church Leaders
Council of Swaziland Churches
Foundation for Economic and Social Justice
Human Rights Institute – International Bar Association
Human Rights Watch
Lawyers for Human Rights (Swaziland)
Legal Assistance Centre
Luvatsi Youth Empowerment
Media Institute of Southern Africa (Swaziland Chapter)
Southern Africa Litigation Centre
Swaziland Agricultural and plantations Workers Union
Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organizations (SCCCO)
Swaziland Democracy Campaign (SDC)
Swaziland National Association of Teachers
Swaziland National Union of Students
Swaziland Positive Living
Swaziland Rural Women's Association
Swaziland United Democratic Front
Swaziland Youth in Action
Swaziland Young Women's Network
Trade Union Congress of Swaziland
Women For Women
Women in Law in Southern Africa (Swaziland Chapter)

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