Zimbabwe Defies EU Diplomat but Denies Visa Revoked

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe stood by its refusal on Friday to let the head of a European Union mission monitor next month's presidential election, leaving open the prospect of EU sanctions even though Harare denied revoking the Swede's visa.

Brussels has threatened sanctions if Zimbabwe thwarts EU monitoring of the March 9-10 poll, the campaign for which has been marred by violence and mutual accusations of dirty tricks between President Robert Mugabe and his main challenger.

The tussle over the accreditation of the head of the European mission, Swedish diplomat Pierre Schori, has fueled fears among Mugabe's opponents about the fairness of the voting.

The Zimbabwe government denied on Friday an accusation by the Swedish foreign minister that it had revoked Schori's visa. It added, however, that he could not act as an election monitor.

And in a cloak-and-dagger twist to the tense campaign, police on Friday began investigating a video, shot in Canada in December, purporting to show Mugabe's main opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai, discussing a plot to "eliminate" the president.

Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh said Zimbabwe had withdrawn the visa from Schori, who had arrived at the weekend.

"His visa has not been revoked. But what happened is that our immigration officers went to warn Mr. Schori to comply with the conditions of his tourist visa which he got when he came into the country," Home Affairs Minister John Nkomo said.

"Mr. Schori misrepresented himself by saying he was a tourist and we gave him a 14-day tourist visa...That visa does not allow him to engage in politics or to pose as an election observer."

The European Union has threatened to impose sanctions on Mugabe, who has been in power since independence from Britain 22 years ago, over alleged human rights abuses. EU foreign ministers are likely to discuss the issue again on Monday.

"Why has Mr. Schori not told the world that he actually came into Zimbabwe on a tourist visa and then began posturing as an election observer?" Nkomo asked. "We cannot be held to ransom."

Zimbabwe is under growing international pressure and approved 30 other EU monitoring team members on Thursday.

But it has pointedly failed to invite representatives from Britain and five other EU countries -- Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden -- which have criticized Mugabe over human rights and the seizure of white-owned farms.

South Africa, the biggest regional power, has also sent a monitoring team. It urged the EU to accept Zimbabwe's ban on Schori so it could keep the rest of its team there.

"They shouldn't fight a battle on the issue of a leader or not a leader. The issue is quite simple: Are they going to be able to put in observers to observe?" South African Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad told reporters in Cape Town.

The Secretary General of the Organization of African Unity, Amara Essy, adopted a harsher tone toward the Europeans, saying that Africans could look after their own.

"Really I am not happy to see foreigners coming to look at what we are doing. They do not ask us to go to the United States to see what is happening," he said in Lusaka.

Dozens of riot police armed with batons and guns broke up a protest by a coalition of civic groups in Harare on Friday.

No injuries were reported but a dozen protesters were arrested, said a spokesman for the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), which organized the rally.

Police said on Friday they had begun investigations into the alleged plot to kill Mugabe.

"The investigation has started, we are still looking at the information that is coming in and we are working out something," said police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena.

On Thursday, Tsvangirai denied any interest in plotting against Mugabe and charged that representatives of a Canadian consultancy firm had tried to lay a trap for him with the video.

(October 19, 2001) Mugabe Engages Libyan Special Unit-- Zimbabwe Independent (Harare) by Brian Hungwe -- A CRACK unit of Libyan intelligence officers is in the country to beef up President Robert Mugabe's security and intelligence system as the nation lurches towards the 2002 presidential election, now only five months away, the Zimbabwe Independent has learnt. Intelligence sources told the Independent this week that over 20 Libyan nationals were booked at a local hotel and could be seen driving around in government vehicles. They are understood to be re-training intelligence personnel and President Mugabe's close security unit.

(November 5, 2001) Terror Militias set up for election

(November 7, 2001) Gadaafi to supply Mugabe with death squads?

Zimbabwe farmer William Gau arrives at an emergency care center in Harare with multiple injuries after he was alledgedly attacked by two suspected war veterans on his farm in the Harare South area, Thursday, Feb 7, 2002. Thursday's attack followed an incident Wednesday in which 30 suspected government supporters trashed his workers' compound and badly injured several of his workers. (AP Photo)

New Laws Give President Mugabe Sweeping Powers (Election laws) Illegal to criticize Mugabe

A riot police officer arrests a woman protester who took part in a National Constitional Assembly March in Harare, Zimbabwe, Friday Feb 15, 2002. The march was held to press the government to accept that there is a need for a new constitution and that there should be free and fair elections next month. Twelve people were arrested during the march. (AP Photo)

'War Veterans' training youths to hunt down opposition supporters--The national chairman of the Zimbabwe Victims Rehabilitation Support Network (ZVRSN), Bopoto Nyandoro, said war veterans had also set up 10 bases in Mashonaland East where suspected opposition supporters were being tortured. He said a field study undertaken by ZVRSN had revealed that opposition Movement for Democratic Change supporters were being kidnapped, tortured and forced to reveal where their colleagues lived.

Zimbabwe rejects EU poll observer (murder and mayhem rule: opposition "stretched to the limit") [Excerpt] Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai poses the main election threat to Mugabe amid discontent with a collapsing economy and chronic food shortages in a land once known for agricultural abundance. Analysts say the food problems stem from Mugabe's seizure of white-owned land, which has disrupted commercial farming. [End Excerpt]

Canadian firm accuses Zimbabwe opposition leader of plotting to kill Mugabe --[Excerpt] A presidential election is scheduled for March 9-10. Tsvangirai poses the greatest challenge to Mugabe's 22-year rule since Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980. Mugabe has become increasingly unpopular amid the collapse of his country's economy and political violence against opposition supporters.

A man representing Tsvangirai's party approached Dicksen & Madson in November, said Ari Ben-Menashe, the firm's president.

The opposition officials appeared unaware the firm had done work for Mugabe's government for "a few years" and believed it had connections to assassins, Ben-Menashe said. It is currently representing the government as lobbyists. [End Excerpt]

67 rallies canceled: Zimbabwe opposition members attacked, murdered-- "To date we have had 67 rallies canceled either by the police or by ZANU-PF violence since the (laws were) passed three weeks ago," said Jongwe. "We will contest this election under the most severe circumstances but we have been stretched to the limit."

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