Zimbabwe Accuses Boy Scout Instructors of Terrorism

by Miriam Mannak | January 7, 2009 at 10:53 pm
331 views | 31 Recommendations | 6 comments

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By Miriam Mannak

Three boy scout instructors have been arrested by the Zimbabwean police and are accused of training terrorists to topple the government of president Robert Mugabe.

The white men run the outdoor training camp Kudu Creek, which is situated 30km from Zimbabwe's capital city Harare.  Here, tourists, boy scouts and outdoor fanatics are treated to some time outdoors while receiving in adventure sports.

According to the Zimbabwe Times "a heavily armed group of security agents, some arriving by helicopter,  stormed an outdoor training camp on the outskirts of Harare under the pretext that training of insurgents was underway in military strategies  in preparation for a coup against the government."

The men are likely to be faced with terrorism charges as they are accused of  being former Selous Scouts under the regime of Ian Smith, in a time when Zimbabwe was called Rhodesia. 

From the the early 1970s until 1980, when Zimbabwe gained its independence from Great Britain, the Selous Scouts were a notorious special-forces regiment which committed brutal acts against civilians and the parties fighting for independence.

Apart from the two white adventure trainers, forty people have been reported to be in custody of the police - all accused of plotting a coup or insurrection. Among them  human rights activist Jestina Mukoko. She was abducted from her home in tghe first week of December, and remains in custody.

This despite High Court judges have ordered for their release twice, so that they could be medically examined. Mukoko and other claim that they were tortured.

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Paschen

That is the What Mandela talk about once, " I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve." as I just read in another post to as a reminder. Strange how things can be connected.Not in Zimbabwe though, not yet at least.

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Miriam Mannak

Nope, not in the least. I just hope this madness in Zim will have an end soon.

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Dave Keating

very interesting story

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Miriam Mannak

Thanks Dave - it is ... A sad one too

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AlvarezGalloso

I am not surprrised at the actions of Mugabe.

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Hopenow

Well done!

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Paschen
First Flagged at 11:19 PM, Jan 7, 2009 by Paschen
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