JOHANNESBURG: 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 neighboring state.

Unions have been highly critical of Mbeki for not taking a tougher line against President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, 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, known as 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," the union's general secretary, Randall Howard, said on Friday.
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"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.

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.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/18/africa/18zimship.php

zimbabweans are getting closer to eating mudpies. chia.

After,some incredibly nescient people will blame the West for most of the arms trade in Africa

bawomolo:

zimbabweans are getting closer to eating mudpies. chia.

One mudpie probably costs Z$200m.

oga 4him, that isn't much. all the geniuses in the Zimbabwean central bank have to do is get a photocopying machine and start printing more cash.

Arms Shipment?? I am thinking the man did expect to continue as president for him to have placed such an order for arms.LMAO!!!!

bawomolo:

oga 4him, that isn't much. all the geniuses in the Zimbabwean central bank have to do is get a photocopying machine and start printing more cash.

It would be more cost-effective to spend that time baking the mudpies. They will need scarce money to buy ink for their copiers not so.

4 Play:

After,some incredibly nescient people will blame the West for most of the arms trade in Africa

You keep exposing your inability to understand numbers. That ONE ship from China transported arms to South Africa and (allegedly) destined for Zimbabwe, is no indication of the origin of "most of the arms trade in Africa". Your overtly simplistic mindset is cause for much ponder, worry and concern for the future of he human race!

RichyBlacK:

You keep exposing your inability to understand numbers. That ONE ship from China transported arms to South Africa and (allegedly) destined for Zimbabwe, is no indication of the origin of "most of the arms trade in Africa". Your overtly simplistic mindset is cause for much ponder, worry and concern for the future of he human race!

I think you have to be a crass tit to deduce that my conclusion that most of Africa's arms trade isn't from the West comes solely from this article.

4 Play:

I think you have to be a crass tit to deduce that my conclusion that most of Africa's arms trade isn't from the West comes solely from this article.

4 Play:

I think you have to be a crass tit to deduce that my conclusion that most of Africa's arms trade isn't from the West comes solely from this article.

See bushman! This thread is for the article posted. What other articles are you referring to, Mr. Defender of the West?

RichyBlacK:

See bushman! This thread is for the article posted. What other articles are you referring to, Mr. Defender of the West?

Abeg,go somewhere and whine about Kobo.Tit,should we presume that your calling me "Mr Defender of the West" is due solely to comments on this thread and nothing to do with other things you have read?

4 Play:

Abeg,go somewhere and whine about Kobo.Tit,should we presume that your calling me "Mr Defender of the West" is due solely to comments on this thread and nothing to do with other things you have read?

Zuwo! The answer to your dumb question is YES.

My question: How many times had you been banned prior to my reporting you to Seun?

RichyBlacK:

Zuwo! The answer to your dumb question is YES.

My question: How many times had you been banned prior to my reporting you to Seun?

You are stupid then.If this thread was the first time ever you saw my posts,you would have concluded that calling me "Mr Defender of the West" is apt? That tells us how stupid you are.

How many times have you petitioned Seun to ban me?

I heard about the arms shipment on the BBC World Service, he obviously wants to stay in power by all means

4 Play:

You are stupid then.If this thread was the first time ever you saw my posts,you would have concluded that calling me "Mr Defender of the West" is apt? That tells us how stupid you are.

How many times have you petitioned Seun to ban me?

Cool down before you burst a vein hitting the keyboard frantically to type out "stupid".

You're a chronic defender of all things Western, admit it! Except you just recently changed your ways, then that's cool.

But please be honest. You had been banned before my personal intervention. No be so?

RichyBlacK:

Cool down before you burst a vein hitting the keyboard frantically to type out "stupid".

You're a chronic defender of all things Western, admit it! Except you just recently changed your ways, then that's cool.

You are getting more stupid by the minute.How could you assume that I was a chronic defender of the West solely on the strength of my post on this thread?

You are effectively admitting what I noted earlier-it smacks of stupidity to think that you can understand all posts within a thread as merely referring to only that particular thread.

I am still asking you:How many times have you petitioned Seun to ban me? Mr Petitioner.

4 Play:

You are getting more stupid by the minute.How could you assume that I was a chronic defender of the West solely on the strength of my post on this thread?

You are effectively admitting what I noted earlier-it smacks of stupidity to think that you can understand all posts within a thread as merely referring to only that particular thread.

I am still asking you:How many times have you petitioned Seun to ban me? Mr Petitioner.

4 Play, this is unlike you today. You used to take these hits with a smile . But now, you sound really cold. Wetin happen now? Okay, today is Friday. I hope your "babe" did not spoil your plans with her for the evening. Ol' by relax. Say hi to "Mary Jane", walai she'll keep you real happy.

@issue, I complained twice to Seun. Same reason for both of them.

Mohommed did not make you to talk like this. Go to Mosque dog

@Richy

You had to hit me where it hurts. I am "clean" these days. . . . .a right-winger doesn't do such.

so richyblack, what do u think about your man mugabe

4 Play:

@Richy

You had to hit me where it hurts. I am "clean" these days. . . . .a right-winger doesn't do such.

Okay, I'll be more sensitive next time

bawomolo:

so richyblack, what do u think about your man mugabe

Why do you think Mugabe is my man?

4 Play:

You are getting more stupid by the minute.How could you assume that I was a chronic defender of the West solely on the strength of my post on this thread?

You are effectively admitting what I noted earlier-it smacks of stupidity to think that you can understand all posts within a thread as merely referring to only that particular thread.

I am still asking you:How many times have you petitioned Seun to ban me? Mr Petitioner.

dis yahoo boy no get respect at all!

Why do you think Mugabe is my man?

i thought u believe the west was targetting him?

bawomolo:

i thought u believe the west was targetting him?

See this Chicago man don come o

So, whomsoever that the West targets, automatically becomes RichyBlack's man. Abi? LORL!

bawomolo:

i thought u believe the west was targetting him?

Leave am,make im dey deny his man.Mugabe is reaching the point where he is indefensible and all the people I know who used to defend him have started denying that they ever supported him.

A Ugandan once noted that Africans outside of Uganda used to defend Idi Amin.Idi Amin,like Mugabe,used to deploy anti-imperialist rhetoric to bamboozle Africans.

China: Ship carrying weapons to Zimbabwe may head home.

HARARE, Zimbabwe - A shipment of weapons to Zimbabwe may be returned to China, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, after the troubled southern African nation's neighbors prevented the cargo from being unloaded.

The Chinese freighter arrived in South Africa last week, and human rights groups and others said they feared the mortar grenades and bullets onboard could be used by President Robert Mugabe's regime to clamp down on its opposition.

Zimbabwean church leaders issued a joint statement Tuesday calling for international intervention, saying people were being tortured, abducted and some murdered in a campaign against opposition supporters.

A South African group persuaded a judge to bar the weapons from transiting through the country to landlocked Zimbabwe, and the An Yue Jiang then sailed away from South Africa. Private groups and government officials in Mozambique, Angola and Namibia also objected to the weapons, though Namibia said the ship could refuel there if necessary.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080422/ap_on_re_af/zimbabwe


Mugabe is slowly going to be roasted.

Yeye man. Simple election he can't conduct well, but he wants to kill people. Mad man Mugabe!!!!!!

Mugabe has gone crazy - we all know this. That man knows what he's doing. No one is supporting him anymore. Now he's screwed. Let's see how he wants to keep taking innocent lives. He sha wants to die in power. Useless man!!!!!!!