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Zimbabwe: Limited Number of Media to Observe Poll
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BuaNews (Tshwane)
17 March 2008
Posted to the web 18 March 2008
Shaun Benton
Cape Town
It is unlikely that more than a handful of media outlets will be granted accreditation to cover the upcoming elections in Zimbabwe, the country's Ambassador to South Africa, Simon Khaya Moyo, said on Monday.
Mr Moyo was briefing members of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs on the 2008 elections in Zimbabwe.
He indicated that the Zimbabwean embassy in Pretoria has been inundated with requests for accreditation to cover the elections on 29 March, and that embassy staff were working through these.
However, he said many are called, but few are chosen, suggesting that there will be a limited number of media outlets granted permission to cover the country's election.
According to one Member of Parliament (MP) at the briefing, Zimbabwe has previously accused the South African public broadcaster of bias towards the country, raising the question as to whether the South African Broadcasting Corporation itself will be granted access to cover the election there.
Zimbabwe's ambassador also attacked western powers for the sanctions against Zimbabwe, sanctions which have apparently been caused by the country's recent human rights record.
These sanctions were not "targeted" sanctions, as stated by many in the West, he said, but were rather "comprehensive" sanctions that were felt widely in Zimbabwe.
The ambassador told the South African MPs: "Let those please who are in charge of these illegal sanctions, think twice, and remove them, otherwise they won't enter the Kingdom [of God]."
On the question of possible post-election violence - as has been witnessed in Zimbabwe's northern neighbour, Kenya - should the result of the election not be accepted by the overall population, Mr Moyo said: "We are all determined not to see the Kenyan situation repeated in Zimbabwe."
He pointed out that Zimbabweans are widely obeying a recent ban on the carrying of weapons.
He denied that voter intimidation has been taking place, and said that it was the job of the police to put a stop to intimidation where it may be occurring.
There is currently "so much peace, but peace is annoying some people", he said.
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As for the large number of Zimbabweans outside the country being allowed to vote, Mr Moyo said this had not been allowed, for logistical reasons, indicating that the Zimbabwean government did not have the capacity to identify each voter living outside the country.
Mr Moyo thanked President Mbeki and the people of South Africa for facilitating the peace process that has resulted in the country holding of elections.
He said Zimbabweans were very grateful for the role he had played, adding that there were over five million registered voters.
Mr. Benton would like us to believe that what happened to Kenya will happen to Zimbabwe. He is prepared to lie that Kenya is Zimbabweans'neigbor which is his propaganda line. Zimbabwe's neighbors are fairly democratic (Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, SA, Mozambique, Angola). Why on earth would Zimbabwe want to invite journalists that have shown bias in whatever they have written on Zimbabwe (And they are many - including Benton, BBC, SW Radio, VOA etc). Africans do not have public relations officers to defend themselves, so Benton and others take full advantage. Most Africans real should be countering the wrong impression that... [Read Full Text]
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