Mugabe warned: Step down or be removed by force.
ZFM seeks bloodless democratic revolution, as in Portugal 1974.
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 [email protected]
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