Yugoslav Model: Zimbabwe Accuses US, Britain Of Plotting Coup

["David Quarter" <davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

[From Rick Rozoff]
---------------------------
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/06/08/wzim08.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/06/08/ixworld.html

Sunday Telegraph
June 8, 2003

Mugabe blames UK and US for wave of protests
By David Wastell, Diplomatic Correspondent

-"The actions are blatantly illegal in that they are
aimed at an unconstitutional removal of the country's
head of state," he told mourners at the state funeral
of the widow of the late Zimbabwean nationalist Joshua
Nkomo.


Robert Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe, has accused
Britain and the United States of instigating the wave
of protests which last week brought much of the
country to a halt.

Mr Mugabe threatened retaliation for what he claimed
were attempts by the two countries to topple his
government by encouraging the opposition-led protests
about Zimbabwe's economic plight, and food and fuel
shortages.

He also made it clear that his mission to silence
Morgan Tsvangirai, head of the opposition Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) by prosecuting him for treason
would continue.

"The actions are blatantly illegal in that they are
aimed at an unconstitutional removal of the country's
head of state," he told mourners at the state funeral
of the widow of the late Zimbabwean nationalist Joshua
Nkomo.

"I hope . . . the British and the United States
embassies realise that as they sponsor the MDC and
instigate it, they are doing so in order to achieve an
illegal objective . . . and I warn their instigation
cannot be tolerated forever by my government."

Last week, Mr Mugabe warned that he would "blow away
[Mr Tsvangirai] like a fly" if he led protest marches.

The opposition leader, who was arrested by police on
Friday, was brought to Harare courthouse yesterday
under heavy guard. According to his laywers, his court
hearing will now take place tomorrow. He is also due
to appear in the High Court tomorrow for a trial on
separate treason charges, brought earlier, of plotting
to kill Mr Mugabe in 2001.

Yesterday, police were still hunting for Welshman
Ncube, the MDC's second in command, who is also
charged with treason. State radio appealed for
information about him.