Text of report by London-based Zimbabwe independent Short Wave Radio Africa website on 16 SeptemberThere are two main excuses that ZANU PF has been using as reasons that the Global Political Agreement has not been fully implemented - the issue of the ’sanctions’ and the so-called ‘pirate’ radio stations broadcasting into Zimbabwe. The regime’s public criticism of ‘pirate’ stations has become more vocal of late, and even senior army senior army chiefs are accusing the stations such as SW Radio Africa and Studio 7 of treason, through their “asymmetrical warfare”.
Lieutenant-General Phillip Valerio Sibanda, the Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, told a study seminar of army officers in Harare on Monday that foreign-based radio stations are at ‘war with Zimbabwe’ and told the soldiers to remain on guard against such things.
He was addressing soldiers attending a five day seminar on ‘low intensity operations and asymmetric warfare’ at 2 Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Harare on Monday.
Online blogger Denford Magora quotes the army chief as saying: “Our country is undergoing asymmetric type of war where all means are used to achieve set objectives by our detractors. Zimbabweans must be aware and clearly understand that war is not only about guns and bullets. Zimbabwe’s detractors are using some NGOs and pirate radio stations to spread false and hate messages that will lead to rioting, despondency and eventually cause war.”
The Zimbabwe Times newspaper reports Sibanda saying it was imperative for army officers to be on guard and equip themselves with knowledge of different types of warfare that can be waged against a country by its enemies. The general accused foreign governments of funding this ‘campaign’ to reverse Mugabe’s land reform programme.
Another army official, Brigadier General Douglas Nyikayaramba, said: “There are so many instruments which are used in asymmetric warfare and we, as the Two Brigade, were tasked to equip our army officers with knowledge so that they do not only protect the country with guns.”
Journalist Angus Shaw said this is part of the new scenario where ZANU PF is trying to find blame for the non-implementation of the GPA. He said although Sibanda is generally considered a ‘moderate man,’ his latest statements show that he is now parroting what people are saying within the higher echelons of ZANU PF.
Observers say the regime’s extreme opposition to private radio stations shows that they understand how important radio is for providing access to independent news and information to all Zimbabweans. It also indicates they have no interest in freeing the media and that the only media they want is one that they can completely control, such as the ZBC and the Herald.
Shaw also said ordinary Zimbabweans are hungry for proper information and are frustrated with the subversion of the state media. The journalist said: “There is nothing but hate speech on the ZANU PF controlled media and there is now a smoke and mirror situation where just like the sanctions issue, they are trying to find excuses about why they haven’t moved forward with the constitution commission, media reforms and democratic reforms in general, plus the restoration of law and order.”
(Source: SW Radio Africa website, London, in English 16 Sep 09 via BBC Monitoring/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)