[Marxism] S.Africa union blocks arms headed for Zimbabwe

[Anand Gopal <ksalalah@xxxxxxxxx>]

S.Africa union blocks arms headed for Zimbabwe
18 Apr 2008 13:44:01 GMT
Source: Reuters

By Michael Georgy

JOHANNESBURG, April 18 (Reuters) - A South African union has refused  
to unload arms from a Chinese ship destined for Zimbabwe, in a  
politically charged move challenging President Thabo Mbeki's handling  
of relations with the neighbouring state.

Unions have been highly critical of Mbeki for not taking a tougher  
line against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who is locked in an  
election stalemate with the opposition over the delay of results from  
a March 29 election that has raised fears of violence.

The 300,000-strong South African Transport and Allied Workers Union  
(SATAWU) said it would not unload the weapons in the port city of  
Durban because Mugabe's government might use them to crack down on  
opponents in the disputed election.

The weapons were to be transported to land-locked Zimbabwe.

"We are concerned that the current standoff could mean the arms would  
fall into the hands of those who want to use military force against  
the people of Zimbabwe," SATAWU General Secretary Randall Howard told  
Reuters on Friday.

"The South African government cannot be seen as propping up a  
military regime," he said.

Howard said the union refused to handle four containers on the vessel  
which contain arms and ammunition.

A South African government spokesman has confirmed there are weapons  
on the ship, but said his country would not interfere in a trade  
matter between China and Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe's deputy information minister, Bright Matonga, said on  
Friday that no party had the right to stop the shipment.

"Every country has got a right to acquire arms. There is nothing  
wrong with that. If they are for Zimbabwe, they will definitely come  
to Zimbabwe," he told South Africa's SAfm radio.

"How they are used, when they are going to be used is none of  
anybody's business."

The vessel, An Yue Jiang, has been cleared to dock and unload its  
cargo in Durban, transport officials said.

SPOTLIGHT ON CHINA

China is under an international spotlight over its human rights  
record and rule in Tibet ahead of hosting the Olympics in August.  
Violent protests have followed the Olympic torch across the globe.

China's foreign ministry said in a short faxed statement to Reuters  
that it had seen the reports about the ship, but "did not understand  
the actual situation".

"China and Zimbabwe maintain normal trade relations. What we want to  
stress is, China has always had a prudent and responsible attitude  
towards arms sales, and one of the most important principles is not  
to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries," said the  
statement.

Mugabe is under heavy international pressure to release the result of  
the presidential election, which the opposition Movement for  
Democratic Change (MDC) says it won, ending the veteran leader's long  
rule.

Mugabe's ZANU-PF party lost control of parliament for the first time  
in a parallel election, but no results have been issued yet for the  
presidential poll.

Mbeki, who has been acting as a regional mediator between Mugabe and  
the opposition, has come under fire for his quiet diplomacy in  
Zimbabwe. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday called for Mbeki  
to be removed as a mediator.

"We are concerned that the Zimbabwean government will violate human  
rights and use these weapons against opponents," said Patrick Craven,  
spokesman for the COSATU umbrella trade union federation.

Mbeki's rival, ANC leader Jacob Zuma, has taken a harder line on  
Zimbabwe and analysts say he is capitalising on the South African  
president's unsuccessful mediation to boost his own image. He has  
wide backing from unions.

In a policy shift, Mbeki's government this week called for the  
results to be issued rapidly and said it was concerned by the delay.  
(Additional reporting by Phumza Macanda in Johannesburg and Ben  
Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Caroline Drees)


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