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Travel ban for Mugabe critics
Caiphas Chimhete, The Standard (Zimbabwe)
September 04, 2005

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/read.php?st_id=2840

THE government, reeling from targeted sanctions imposed by the West, is drawing up a list of opposition politicians and human rights activists who will be banned from travelling abroad, sources have told The Standard.

Details of the list emerged a few days after the controversial 17th Amendment to the Constitution sailed through Parliament despite widespread criticism.

The Bill, which has been described as an assault on people's democracy, would, among other things, empower the government to withdraw passports from people deemed to be "unpatriotic", rendering them unable to travel abroad and therefore alert the international community to the growing crisis in Zimbabwe.

On top of the list, the sources said, is MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.

Sources said Zanu PF's department of information and publicity, headed by Nathan Shamuyarira, was charged with drawing up the list.

Other politicians on the list include MDC MPs such as Welshman Ncube, Job Sikhala, Trudy Stevenson, Gibson Sibanda and Sekai Holland.

"The list was there already but they are just updating it to include people like Jonathan Moyo, Pearson Mbalekwa and lawyers like (Arnold) Tsunga," said the source.

Tsunga heads the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, while Mbalekwa resigned from Zanu PF in a manner that rattled the ruling party.

Moyo, Mugabe's former right-hand man, was fired from the ruling party for indiscipline after he stood as an independent candidate for Tsholotsho in the 31 March polls.

He is championing the establishment of a Third Force.

Other names on the travel ban include that of the director of Human Rights Trust of Southern Africa (SAHRIT) Philliat Matsheza, and National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) chairperson, Lovemore Madhuku.

Both NCA and SAHRIT are perceived as anti-Mugabe and were candidates for closure under the non-governmental organisation Bill.

MDC spokesperson Paul Themba-Nyathi said the Bill was a satanic assault on people's rights, not only targeting MDC members but all critics of Mugabe.

Just before the 31 March parliamentary elections, Zanu PF's department of information and publicity produced a booklet entitled Traitors Do Much Damage to National Goals that listed perceived enemies of the State.

The list comprises politicians, human rights activists, journalists and clergyman viewed as "traitors," dating back to the First Chimurenga.

Archbishop Pius Ncube is one of the people listed in the booklet.

Patrick Chinamasa, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, who is one of the architects of the Bill, said all people who called for sanctions or demonised the country would have their passports withdrawn in the interests of national security.

"There are people who gallivant across the globe calling for sanctions against the country. Those are the ones we are targeting. I don't want to mention names because they know themselves. If you are one of them, you are in for it," Chinamasa warned.

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