The South African government has said that it is determined to allow the export of a consignment of Chinese weapons and ammunition to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
AB Logistics is the state owned transport section of the South African Defence Forces, and they have been approached to handle this large shipment of weapons and ammunition to Zimbabwe. A number of private companies backed out of the contract. Not necessarily because of moral considerations, but because of concerns about the Zimbabwe government's ability to pay the costs. South African dock workers have refused to unload the cargo as their union says it does not agree with the government's position.
The Mail and Guardian newspaper reports that the weapons consignment was a rushed delivery, leaving China on March 15th and arriving in Durban on April 10th. The Chinese ship did not have the documents required to allow its entry into port.
There is a growing campaign to prevent this shipment reaching Zimbabwe as there is clear evidence that Mugabe is involved in a violent crackdown against the opposition. There are now so many injured that the hospitals are failing to cope. The Zanu PF militias are careful not to kill as that creates too much publicity globally, but there are many reports of people not recovering from the severe beatings. But as they die quietly in rural areas it is difficult to ascertain the numbers.
The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) has taken an urgent case to the High Court in Durban, South Africa, to try to block the arms shipment. Their coordinator in Johannesburg Joseph Dube said; 'The law states that the South African government must avoid authorising arms transfers that would contribute to internal repression or the systematic violation or suppression of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Permitting transport of these weapons over South African territory without a valid permit issued in accordance with South African law would be a serious breach of the law.'
South African Defence Secretary January Masilela said he had issued a permit on Monday, allowing the weapons to transit through South Africa. Such permits are supposed to be sought well in advance of any shipment of weapons.
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Every one of those bullets would probably kill an innocent Zimbabwean so We Salute You.
I salute South African Trade Unions for their resolute stance. I pray that the Angolans will have the same proactive stance and help to bring back nomalsy in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is not at war with anyone at the moment and with its population barely fed,with no fuel in the country, what does Mugabe's government need that amount of ammunition for? To torture the innocent for exercising their right in choosing whom they want as a leader? The money used on those weapons could be well spent to meet needs in hospitals, schools and mending those roads with knee-deep potholes. PASI NEVADZVANYIRIRI VASINGADI KUSIYA ZVIGARO.
Why is the blame never pointed towards the ones who deserve it like the british for not living up to the lancaster house accord and the u.s. (with embargoes and economical sanctions. All because a Black country fought and won its independence, whites don't want Zimbabwe to become a sucess because it might cause other Black countries to become truly free from white world terror. So this is why the stranglehold on countries such as Haiti, Cuba, etc. Magabe is not the problem the problem is white world terror
First of all,there is no embargo by any country in the world, or by any international organization against Zimbabwe. Secondly, embargos do not work. Unless the embargo is strictly unilateral, any embargo will have a gap. Thirdly, don't put the blame on western nations. Where is the African Union? As long as it and the ANC have had responsibility, they do almost nothing to relieve the tension on the continent.
James please check out the u.s governments official web site on Zimbabwe.
You might want to read the lancaster accord which was/is the problem that the west never lived up to. the African Union did not cause this problem nor can they correct it, as i said put the blame were it belongs.
http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs/zimbabwe/zimb.pdf
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