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October 4, 2005 Dr. Stanford G. Mukasa
Press Release Zimbabwe's Dictator is Sending One of His Thugs to the U.S. The North American Coalition for a Free Zimbabwe (NACFREEZ) is outraged that the murderous regime of Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe is sending one of its notorious thugs to the U.S. to "donate" money to the Victims of Hurricane Katrina. We would like to condemn this act of high hypocrisy and urge the Mayor and citizens of the great city of New Orleans to reject any association with the regime of Robert Mugabe. In the past two months alone, President Mugabe has conducted a "tsunami" against his own people. In an act condemned by a United Nations fact finding team, Robert Mugabe has destroyed people's homes, bulldozed dwellings while children screamed inside, left AIDS patients out in the open, to face the elements and to die in the cold at night, forced people to go to rural "homes" that they have never seen, forced them to go hungry and not allowed churches and charities to feed them. He has the temerity to think that he can be of help to the suffering citizens of New Orleans when he has caused worse suffering to his own people. We understand that Mugabe has appointed one of his top thugs by the name of Joseph Chinotimba to lead a delegation that will bring this so-called donation to Katrina victims. This Chinotimba is the same man who has for the past five years led gangs of thugs that have tortured, beaten, raped, burned and murdered innocent Zimbabweans because they dared support opposition political parties. We also understand that an American based organization, the December 12 Movement is organizing the trip on behalf of this infamous thug and the oppressive regime that he represents. We urge all Americans to avoid associating with the government of Robert Mugabe. We urge the State Department not to grant visas to a representative of a murderous regime. We also urge the Mayor of New Orleans and all other officials in Gulf Coast communities, to loudly reject and condemn this hypocrisy. Mugabe has led a government that has behaved towards Zimbabweans as dangerously as has Katrina to the citizens of the Gulf Coast. The only difference is that in Zimbabwe the pain and suffering is man made. Money coming from Robert Mugabe is blood money coming from innocent, starving, ill and grieving Zimbabweans and they have the scars and the pain to prove it. They honestly do not deserve to have salt rubbed into their hurting wounds. We also urge all Zimbabweans who live in the United States to do their utmost to help their fellow neighbors who have been affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Zimbabweans who fled Mugabe's persecution know first hand what it means to live with destruction, destitution and death. We urge them to step up to the plate and demonstrate that Zimbabwe is a country of decent and God fearing people who care for the welfare of their fellow men. They must not let the brutal and dictatorial Mugabe regime soil their good name. The North American Coalition for a Free Zimbabwe is comprised of individuals and organizations advocating for the restoration of democracy, human rights and the rule of law to Zimbabwe. |
