They nearly got us this time!

How the latest government plan to silence anti-Mugabe journalists came to naught - thanks to a kindly little mozzie

I'm lucky to be writing this today, and 13 colleagues of mine are equally fortunate. We should have been rounded up in dawn raids last Monday, made brief appearances in court, and be now confined in the grim cells of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).

Three days before the planned raids, all was in place.The detention orders were prepared. And yes, my name was on one of them. The hit squads were organised. All that was needed was the signature of the man in charge on the orders, a certain Chief Inspector A. H. Mataire.

But mosquitos don't care, do they? They have no taste. They'll bite anyone, even top CIO bullyboys. And sure enough, one had a chew on Chief Inspector Mataire, and he was suddenly taken very ill with malaria-like symptoms, and carted off to what we still, ironically, call a hospital. And, Zimbabwe being the crippled bureaucracy that it is, the whole operation collapsed and had to be called off.

Sounds an unlikely story? Perhaps. But I have seen one of the detention orders. And you will agree, it is evidence enough.

The order was headed DO No. 15J2007-15 (probably indicating that it was first drawn up last year) and it reads as follows:

"In exercise of the powers conferred upon me by regulation Public Order and Security Act (POSA) section 15 (publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state) as read with the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) considering to be necessary for the preservation of public order so to do, hereby direct that you...(guess who)...be detained at any place within Zimbabwe for the time being approved by me..."

Detained. Without proper trial. For an indefinite time. And no doubt with a few beatings and other bad treatment thrown in for good measure.

My CIO source, who told me of the scuppered plans and showed me the document, told me that there are fears in government that, as has happened in Kenya, there will be violence following the so-called elections called for next month. And that is not the kind of news they want in the world media. Hence the attempt to shut us up in advance.

The recent reports by a BBC television reporter from within Zimbabwe have also upset our rulers, said my source. "That incident exposed gross security lapses at entry points and there is a strong view that several foreign journalists are already in the country ahead of the elections."

Perhaps they are. And we're here too. For the moment. The CIO will no doubt try to grab us again. They may succeed. But without sounding too messianic, I can promise you this: if they do detain us, other Zimbabwean journalists will take our place. They will carry on the work of telling the world about the hell that is Zimbabwe today. Keep the faith.

Comments

[Michael Wilton]

It's a shame the mosquitos don't pick out the people who deserve it most all the time, the people of Zimbabwe would have our country back in no time.

However, on a serious note, it is good that the operation had to be called off ..... you have a way with words that cuts deeper than the run of the mill reporters (or is it the fact that you spare nothing to tell the truth about what's happening on the ground that cuts deep?)

Either way, keep doing what you do best and bringing the news to the former citizens outside the country.

[steve]

be very carefull guys out there. we do not want to lose u at such a crucial time.

[Wawona Tshumba]

Dear Fellow Zimbabweans,

Its very sad that poor Zimbabweans who are trying to make an honest though dangerouse are now being treated like enemies of the state.

Having a child, brother, sister or any other relative is a serious crime in Zimbabwe according to The Suppression of Foreign and International Terrorism Bill Gazetted on 25th March, 2006.

If you have any relative in the British army, please keep it a secret even to your not so close relatives. My own brother can not return to Zimbabwe after the police raided and found a vedeo tape of brother during a military graduation in UK.

To understand what the Zimbabwe Government mean, I urge those affected to read this bill. Its unfortunate these children are being viewed like this when they are just trying to earn an honest though dangerous living.