Chinese ship endeavours to get weapons to Zimbabwe

22/04/2008 / ZIMBABWE - CHINA

Chinese ship endeavours to get weapons to Zimbabwe

The An Yue Jiang in a Japanese port. Photo: niraikanai.sakura.ne (We couldn't find a recent amateur photo of the boat).

Refused in South Africa and turned away from Mozambique, 77 tons of weaponry bound for Zimbabwe are now heading towards Angola in hope of access to land. Will the Chinese vessel succeed in reaching its final destination? Unions, lawyers and anti-arms activists hope not.

Shortly after Zimbabwe's doomed elections more than three weeks ago, desperate and unpopular president Robert Mugabe ordered three million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 1,500 rocket-propelled and over 3,000 mortar rounds and mortar tubes from China. Last week, the An Yue Jiang arrived on the continent in Durban. But in the face of a 300,000-strong African union and refusal to transfer the goods from the country's high court, the ship fled on Friday. Its plan to offload in Mozambique was also rebutted and the vessel is now gambling on Angola, where it is thought to be headed. While Zambia's president urged everybody in the region to prevent the Cosco ship from docking on Monday, reports that it will offload to another vessel in the area have started circulating. Surrounding countries worry that the weapons will fuel escalating police brutality reported in Zimbabwe.

Contributeurs

Randall Howard

Nicole Fritz

Louise Rimmer

"The All-China Federation of Trade Unions is in support of us"

Randall Howard is the secretary-general of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU), which refused to deal with the An Yue Jiang when it anchored in Durban.

My first reaction when the boat docked was that it should turn around and go back to Beijing. I didn't want our workers handling that cargo, and everyone was in agreement with me. We did what was natural and what was just. Now we're building a global campaign to ensure this vessel doesn't dock at any port. There might be a struggle, but we got rid of it here and we kept it out of Mozambique. Next stop Angola, and we're working for them.

Our government took a view on the matter which we didn't agree with. To reduce this issue to mere trade is simply irresponsible. I have no doubt that all South Africans support us. We've received thousand of messages of thanks - plus a few hundred of from Zimbabweans. The All-China Federation of Trade Unions is also in support of us. They have members on the boat who would certainly not be carrying those materials if they had any choice."

Randall Howard

South Africa
Unionist

"The South African authorities are actively assisting in the delivery of arms to Zimbabwe"

Nicole Fritz is the director of the Southern African Litigation Centre which works to advance human rights in Southern Africa, particularly Zimbabwe.

We can't disclose where we get our information from but as far as we know the boat must be low on fuel because it's travelling at a reduced speed, which means it won't reach Angola until around Thursday. By then it will be forced to stop somewhere. What nobody seems to realise is that the ship is now travelling through South African waters, in clear violation of the court order issued on Friday. But although the authorities should be sending a Navy boat out, they haven't done anything. In fact they're actively assisting in the delivery of arms to Zimbabwe, and are making it difficult to track by giving out little information."

Nicole Fritz

South Africa
Director

"If these weapons reach Zimbabwe there will be an immediate increase in violence"

Louise Rimmer works for the International Action Network on Small Arms, which has launched a petition to stop the arms shipment.

We're concerned about any shipment of weapons to any country. Guns are not only used to harm people; they're also used to facilitate acts of brutality. If these weapons reach Zimbabwe there will be an immediate increase in violence: torture, beatings, rape and intimidation. We've mobilised teams of human rights lawyers, churches and trade unions to stop them getting through any country. We're going to send the petition to every government in the region to show them that the whole world cares about this. We were successful on Friday - there's every reason to believe we will be successful again."

Louise Rimmer

United Kingdom
Journalist and campaigner

Français

Commentaires

Mugabe's Brutality now open.

Soumis par Anonyme (non vérifié) le mer, 23/04/2008 - 14:38.

Thanx Guys for stopping thats ship with dangerous weapons. A job well done for real and it shows that there are people who have a heart out there. God is really working through other people for sure.
Instead of securing food for the hungry & sick, uncle Bob prefers to purchase dangerous weapons to destroy the hungry & defenceless citizens.
May the international communitty condemn it forever!

Utilisateur non inscrit

save zimbabwe

Soumis par MACHAMIRE (non vérifié) le mer, 23/04/2008 - 14:10.

May God bless all the people who are preventing the amunition ship.
Truly, its more than 10 people who have been killed in the post-election in Zimbabwe. If the world have known this, there was going to be immediate intervention. Most opposition suppoters are no longer sleeping in their homes fearing to be disappeared. The world can do not know this because the dictatorship of Mugabe have banned all foreign media and no independant media operates within Zimbabwe. The only Tv station only talks of Mugabe, and is controlled in such a way that it diverts people from the real facts making them to believe in lies of Mugabe. Mugabe is a lier, remember what he said he was going to respect the outcome of the votes in whatever way, but now look he is not respecting the outcome by engaging ZEC, High Court and Military to dislodge and to induce fear in the peoples mind. This is pure dictatorship. Therefore, this amunition must be distroyed as Mugabe is wedging a war eventhough he denies the charges against him.

Utilisateur non inscrit

thanks for saving us

Soumis par simba (non vérifié) le mer, 23/04/2008 - 12:29.

l want to express my gratitude to everyone involved in stopping the weapons from getting to our country. I feel deep pain when l hear african leaders like Thabo Mbeki declaring that the is no crissis in zimbabwe. Us zimbabweans we are suffering. Elections have been stolen just infront of their eyes, we are being beaten, killed, tortured by the Mugabe resime dogs CIO and militia. people are disappearing in towns without any tress of their where about. Go to any hospital you wont find even a pain killer but they are busy buying more weapons to murder us. no matter how Pharoh's heart was hard, GOD found a way to take out his chrildren from captive. the same will happen to zimbabwe. how are we suppose to survive when the money you are paid is equivalent to R150 per month?

Utilisateur non inscrit