----- Original Message ----- 
From: The Norwegian Council for Africa <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 8:19 AM
Subject: [Mwananchi] Africa News Update 14/11/03


****************AFRICA NEWS UPDATE************************
2. Zimbabwe: South African firms to manage ZESA sell-off 

3**********************NEWSandBACKGROUND**************************

1. Zimbabwe: Armed rebel group 'thousands strong'
 
Mail&Guardian (South Africa),                    November 14, 2003
 
The existence of a new Zimbabwean underground movement prepared to adopt violent tactics to remove the president, Robert Mugabe, was claimed yesterday by the British human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

He said the Zimbabwe Freedom Movement had a network of cells throughout the country and thousands of members, primarily soldiers, police and members of the security services disillusioned with Mugabe. They had access to arms dumps and were serving notice on Mugabe to resign or face removal by "judicious use of appropriate force".

At a cinema at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, Tatchell showed an 18-minute video which he said had been smuggled out of the country, showing two men in balaclavas and camouflage. He identified one of them as the commander of the movement.

Tatchell said there were no links with the main opposition party in Zimbabwe, the Movement for Democratic Change. A long-time opponent of Mugabe, Tatchell added that he feared for his life as a result of hosting the press conference and had increased the security at his home.

Some credence to the existence of the movement was provided yesterday by the Foreign Office minister responsible for Africa, Chris Mullin.

Asked about the movement at a regular Foreign Office briefing, he said: "As far as Peter Tatchell is concerned, I have nothing to say." But he went on to reveal that someone from the movement had been in contact with the British high commission in Harare, and had been sent away.

"The British government have made clear we can have nothing to do with any attempt to overthrow the government of Zimbabwe by violence," he said.

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