SW Radio Africa (London)
Violet Gonda
14 August 2008
The MDC leadership have had their travel documents returned, after they were confiscated on Thursday afternoon to block them from travelling to South Africa. President Morgan Tsvangirai, Secretary General Tendai Biti and Secretary for Foreign Affairs Professor Elphas Mukonoweshuro were heading to Johannesburg to attend the SADC summit this weekend, when they were prevented from boarding their flight by immigration officials.
SADC is expected to have a session on Zimbabwe and have invited the main political parties to attend, after talks broke down on Tuesday.
Biti told SW Radio Africa his party was still committed to the talks, despite the extreme provocation by the regime. But he warned that the MDC would have to decide on whether or not to continue with the dialogue, as ZANU PF was negotiating in bad faith.
The much needed food aid is still being politicised, politically motivated violence is taking place in some parts of the country and political leaders are still being victimized. The Secretary General said the seizure of their travel documents was a clear sign that "one party is not sincere."
He added: "They didn't even have the decency to remove our luggage from the plane."
"Even the ticket that I am personally using has been bought by the South African government so they expect to see us there as part of the SADC dialogue. The whole thing is a reflection of the insanity of this regime," Biti said.
In a statement the MDC said the seizure of their travel documents was an affront to the authority of SADC, the AU and to the broader international community, who are working hard for a peaceful resolution to the Zimbabwean crisis.
The MDC leadership is now expected to fly to South Africa on Friday morning.
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Oop's! Just checking to see if you fellows are clean,and not slipping Colonial (Bob)a suitcase pretaining to sanctions. Remember we must watch as well as pray.Here in America we still Love you all.God Bless Africa and America.Please,Tsv, and Biti ,have a safe trip and listen to Mbeki. Oweij Liebo.U.S.A.