Thread: Diplomats From U.S. and Britain Held in Zimbabwe

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

June 6, 2http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/06/world/africa/06zimbabwe.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss008
Diplomats From U.S. and Britain Held in Zimbabwe
By CELIA W. DUGGER and GRAHAM BOWLEY
JOHANNESBURG — A contingent of American and British diplomats investigating the political situation in Zimbabwe were stopped at a roadblock and detained by the police on Thursday, American officials said.

The diplomats were released from custody after five hours, according to the American ambassador to Zimbabwe, William McGee.

During a car chase of over 6 miles, the police tried to force the American diplomats off the road. When they were finally stopped, all four tires of their white S.U.V. were slashed and a local security official was punched.

The diplomats were part of a convoy of three vehicles from the American and British embassies in Harare. They had gone to a town about 55 miles north of the capital, Harare, Thursday morning and were talking to opposition activists and victims of political violence when they were approached by police officers and ordered to a nearby police station, American officials said.

The diplomats refused and, after a phone call to the American embassy back in Harare, set off in their vehicles in different directions. One car, containing American diplomats, took back roads and reached Harare safely. The second American car took the main road back to Harare before it was stopped at the roadblock north of the capital, near Mazoe. The British car was stopped at the same roadblock, the ambassador said.

Mr. McGee, who has been outspoken about state-sponsored violence against the opposition party and who was not part of the convoy, said the detention was a clear attempt by the government to stop outside observers witnessing attacks against the opposition and its supporters.

“The government is trying to intimidate diplomats from traveling to the countryside in order to witness the violence," he said. “The bottom line is this: Zimbabwe is a lawless country. The government of Zimbabwe is not following their own laws nor international law.â€

Print | Close this window

U.S. urges Zimbabwe explain detention of diplomats
Thu Jun 5, 2008 12:27pm EDT
(Adds more details, U.N. Security Council consultations expected)

WASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday called Zimbabwe's detention of U.S. and British diplomats for several hours "outrageous" and demanded President Robert Mugabe's government explain its actions.

"The Mugabe regime needs to not only explain its actions, but it (is) past time they stop the violence, let human rights and election monitors in and have a free and fair electoral process," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in a statement.

"The people of Zimbabwe deserve much better than what they are getting now," he added.

At the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said he expected the Security Council would hold consultations about Zimbabwe later on Thursday, and he hoped the council would express outrage about the incident.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States would also seek out the Zimbabwean delegation attending a food crisis summit in Rome to protest the issue. Mugabe is at the Rome meeting.

The U.S. Embassy in Harare said Zimbabwean police detained the U.S. and British diplomats for several hours after they visited victims of political violence ahead of this month's presidential run-off election.

McCormack told reporters the United States had protested vigorously to the Zimbabwean government over the incident and would not be intimidated by such actions.

"It is absolutely outrageous behavior and it is a taste of the kind of oppression and violence that this government is willing to use against its own people," said McCormack.

He said the United States was not pushing for a resolution in the U.N. Security Council against Zimbabwe, which close neighbor South Africa would likely opposed.

However, McCormack said, Washington wanted "to register our deep concern, unhappiness and distress about this particular incident," and highlight that the world was watching.

He said any "pretense" that the Zimbabwean authorities were surprised by the presence of the diplomats was a "diversion" and Zimbabwe's Foreign Ministry had been told in advance of their intention to travel there. (Reporting by Jeremy Pelofsky and Sue Pleming, and Patrick Worsnip at the United Nations; editing by Mohammad Zargham)






© Thomson Reuters 2008. All rights reserved. Users may download and print extracts of content from this website for their own personal and non-commercial use only. Republication or redistribution of Thomson Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters. Thomson Reuters and its logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Thomson Reuters group of companies around the world. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.

Reuters journalists are subject to the Reuters Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCr ... SN05372079

Well folks....seems that's what they want to declare here.....dog eat dog and no rules and every man for himself. It's getting more and more vile each day.