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ZIMBABWE
FREEDOM MOVEMENT
Mugabe warned: Step down or be removed by force
ZFM seeks bloodless democratic revolution, as in Portugal
1974
Chimurenga 4 - to restore democracy and human rights in
Zimbabwe
ZFM website -
www.zfm.cc
Harare – Zimbabwe
– 13 November 2003
The clandestine
Zimbabwe Freedom Movement (ZFM) has today announced its existence and its
intention to overthrow the regime of President Robert Mugabe by “the
judicious use of appropriate force”.
Based inside
Zimbabwe, the ZFM has been nearly two years in formation. Organised in
small, local underground cells in all regions of the country, it has
established a network of arms caches, safe houses and civilian supporters.
The ZFM consists
primarily of serving and former members in the Zimbabwe armed forces, police
and intelligence services – including ex-guerrilla fighters who fought in
the 1970s War of Liberation.
ZFM Communique 1,
released on 13 November 2003, declares:
“ZFM believes
that since we have not achieved democracy by peaceful means…it is necessary
to place the illegitimate President and government of Zimbabwe on notice
that they are about to be removed by the judicious use of appropriate
force”.
“Far from being a ‘coup d’etat’, we interpret our need to
intervene as a legitimate action carried out in terms of our respective
Service Charters to ‘defend Zimbabwe from a risk to our internal security
and stability’”.
“We reserve the right to take action at any time of our
convenience and in any manner that will assure the greatest results for the
minimum amount of collateral damage”.
“In honour of our true heroes of the Chimurenga (the 1970s War of
Liberation against Ian Smith’s white minority regime), this last action for
the people of Zimbabwe will be known as Chimurenga 4”.
The communique is
signed by Charles Black Mamba, National Commander, and Ntuthuko Fezela and
Daniel Ingwe, Deputy National Commanders.
During the 1970s
liberation struggle, Charles Black Mamba was a combatant with ZANLA and
Ntuthuko Fezela fought with ZIPRA. Both men are current members of the
Zimbabwe armed forces. Daniel Ingwe is a serving police officer. He was too
young to have fought in the War of Liberation.
Accusing
President Mugabe of “illegitimately ruling our Zimbabwe”, the ZFM says he is
“guilty of genocide” and are demanding that he be “put on trial”.
ZFM Communique 1
outlines the movement’s plan for the restoration of democracy and human
rights:
“ZFM requires
that Robert Mugabe step down immediately as President and that the present
government be dissolved in its entirety”.
If Mugabe refuses
to go, the ZFM will remove him and his cronies by “force”.
After Mugabe has
stepped down or been removed:
“ZFM expects that
an interim government be set up consisting of reasonable persons from ZANU
PF, MDC and other independent candidates or candidates from small opposition
parties…(to draft)…an acceptable new constitution…(followed by)…free and
fair Presidential elections…supervised by experts/observers from countries
with a known democratic track record”.
“Once all of the above has been achieved it is our hope that
the…democratically elected new President and government of Zimbabwe put in
place the mechanisms for Robert Gabriel Mugabe and his ilk to be put on
trial”.
“ZFM does not
harbour any desire to take power or to engage in any form of political
activity…once its objective of obtaining true freedom for Zimbabweans is
obtained, its role as a movement will no longer be required and it will be
dissolved” said Communique 1.
The ZFM has released its first communique and video via human rights
campaigner Peter Tatchell, who twice attempted a citizen’s arrest of
President Mugabe on charges of torture and other human rights abuses.
Mr Tatchell
previously, in the 1970s, campaigned in support of Mugabe’s liberation
struggle against white minority rule, believing it was a just struggle
against racism and colonialism. He was also long-time activist in the
anti-apartheid movement.
“Mugabe is a
liberation hero turned human rights abuser”, he says. “He has become Ian
Smith with a black face”.
Mr Tatchell is
merely a messenger for the ZFM leaders, helping them communicate their
message to the outside world. He was asked to perform this role solely
because of his organisational skills and his extensive media contacts. He
is not involved in the ZFM in any way.
“The ZFM is an
authentic, indigenous democratic movement of mostly black Zimbabweans, which
neither has nor seeks external aid or funding”, said Mr Tatchell. “It is
committed to a liberation struggle by and for the people of Zimbabwe
alone”.
Although he does
not speak on behalf of the ZFM, Mr Tatchell supports its bid to restore
democracy and human rights in Zimbabwe.
“Following the
rigged parliamentary and presidential elections, both marred by widespread
violence and intimidation, the ZFM concluded that peaceful, democratic
change is no longer possible”, said Mr Tatchell.
“The ZFM is
pursuing a strategy of minimal defensive violence to protect the people of
Zimbabwe against the aggressive police-state terror of the Mugabe
dictatorship. It is aiming for a bloodless democratic revolution, along the
lines of the military rebellion in Portugal, which overthrew the fascist
dictatorship in 1974 with hardly a shot being fired and with no one being
killed”.
“The ZFM rejects
terrorism and a re-run of the 1970s bush war. It has decided against the
assassination of President Mugabe and his leading officials, preferring
instead to arrest them and put them on trial on charges of unlawful
detention, abduction, murder, torture, rape, genocide and other crimes
against humanity, in accordance with Zimbabwean and international law”.
“As the ZFM
recruits more supporters within the defence and security forces, the noose
is slowly tightening around the Mugabe regime”.
“From now on,
President Mugabe can never relax or sleep peacefully. Wherever he goes, he
will risk seizure and arrest by military, police and intelligence officials
who are secret ZFM supporters. They are patiently biding their time, waiting
for the right opportunity to bring down the Mugabe tyranny”, said Mr
Tatchell.
Further
information:
www.zfm.cc and Peter Tatchell
peter@tatchell.freeserve.co.uk
Full text of
ZFM Communique 1
ZIMBABWE FREEDOM MOVEMENT
Communique 1 – 13 November 2003 – Harare, Zimbabwe
Introduction:
The Zimbabwe Freedom Movement (ZFM) is a non-political movement consisting
primarily of serving members in the Zimbabwe Security/Defence Forces but
also with a strong following from the civilian sector. For the purposes of
this communique the former will be referred to as “members” and the latter
as “irregulars”.
Members of the
ZFM cover the complete range from commissioned officers to
private/constable, across the whole range of brigades, regiments, units or
sections and similarly among the irregulars include people from different
occupations, backgrounds, income levels and levels of education. All of the
above are united for one sole purpose.
Position statement:
It is the unanimous position of the ZFM:
1. There is no one else to blame for the broad range of problems affecting
our country, Zimbabwe, than Robert Gabriel Mugabe, his ZANU PF party, his
ministers and the top command structures of the various arms of the
security forces.
2. Robert Gabriel Mugabe and his government are illegitimately
ruling our Zimbabwe and because they know that they are illegitimate and
that the majority of the people want change they have chosen to rape and
pillage our country before they reluctantly take their leave.
3. There is no conspiracy among western world powers such as the
United Kingdom or the USA to “re-colonise” Zimbabwe. There is no conspiracy
among white Zimbabweans, including those who do not particularly like us
black people, to re-take control of our country. Our true enemy is within.
4. Robert Gabriel Mugabe and many of his ilk are guilty of
genocide and must be brought to book.
5. Robert Gabriel Mugabe and his supporters have not addressed the
land issue correctly and after many years of their incompetence and
corruption they have destroyed the agricultural back bone of our nation, and
as a natural result of this destruction, are in the process of destroying
our whole economic future.
6. The position of the African leaders including those of
neighbouring states is totally unacceptable, and it is mainly as a result of
their weakness that the ZFM has felt that the time has come to take a stand.
Conclusion:
In light of the above the ZFM makes the following announcement to the people
of Zimbabwe, the people of Africa, and to the international community:
1. ZFM believes that since we have not achieved democracy by peaceful means,
despite the best efforts of the only viable opposition party in Zimbabwe, it
is necessary to place the illegitimate President and government of Zimbabwe
on notice that they are about to be removed by the judicious use of
appropriate force.
2. ZFM believes that the United Nations and international
community need to take heed of our position in this matter and to understand
that far from being a “coup d’etat”, we interpret our need to intervene as a
legitimate action carried out in terms of our respective Service Charters to
“defend Zimbabwe from a risk to our internal security and stability”.
3. ZFM does not harbour any desire to take power or to engage in
any form of political activity, and takes this opportunity to assure
Zimbabweans and all other interested parties that once its objective of
obtaining true freedom for Zimbabweans is obtained, its role as a movement
will no longer be required and it will be dissolved.
4. ZFM requires that Robert Mugabe step down immediately as President and
that the present government be dissolved in its entirety. Furthermore the
commanders/heads of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army,
Airforce of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Prison Service and Central Intelligence
Organisation must be immediately replaced with non-political interim
appointees that can be proposed by the ZFM for consideration by the interim
government.
5. ZFM expects that an interim government be set up consisting of
reasonable persons from ZANU PF, MDC and other independent candidates or
candidates from small opposition parties. The interim government must also
be representative of the ethnic and gender mix of our country. The first
role of this interim government is to work with experts, both local and
abroad to ensure that the people of this country are presented with an
acceptable new constitution which they can accept or reject at a referendum
organised by the interim government with the supervision and control of
independent
experts/observers from countries with a known democratic track record.
6. ZFM expects that once the new constitution has been voted in
that immediate preparations will be made for free and fair Presidential
elections to be held as early as feasible, and once again that all facets of
these elections including during the campaigning period be supervised by
experts/observers from countries with a known democratic track record.
7. Once all of the above has been achieved it is our hope that the
people of Zimbabwe will be given the opportunity to see true justice at work
when the democratically elected new President and government of Zimbabwe put
in place the mechanisms for Robert Gabriel Mugabe and his ilk to be put on
trial for the various crimes they have been accused of.
While it is accepted practice to give a deadline by which the ZFM
expects compliance with the above, it is our unanimous decision not to give
a deadline as we reserve the right to take action at any time of our
convenience and in any manner that will assure the greatest results for the
minimum amount of collateral damage.
It is also accepted practice to give some indication of what form
of repercussions or actions could ensue in the event of non-compliance. The
unanimous decision of the Zimbabwe Freedom Movement is to state that its
members and its irregular colleagues are well equipped and trained to deal
with this situation. Their will is of steel, their drive is that of striving
for true freedom. In honour of our true heroes of the Chimurenga, this last
action for the people of Zimbabwe will be known as Chimurenga 4.
Charles Black
Mamba, National Commander
Ntuthuko Fezela and Daniel Ingwe, Deputy National Commanders
Zimbabwe
Freedom Movement |