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A28 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 5 august 2020
Zimbabwe president vows to 'flush out' critics in clampdown

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) wa, who rights groups ac-
— Zimbabwe's president, cuse of using COVID-19 as
calling the main opposi- a cover to clamp down on
tion party "terrorist," vowed dissent, said Zimbabwe's
to flush out opponents in security forces would not
an ongoing clampdown in relent.
which scores of opposition "Security services will carry
members and government out their duties with appro-
critics have been arrested priate astuteness and re-
and rights groups allege se- solve. The protection of the
curity forces have carried right to life is paramount,
out illegal abductions and especially in light of the
torture. COVID-19 pandemic and
President Emmerson Mnan- machinations by the de-
gagwa described critics as structive terrorist opposition
"dark forces," and "a few groupings," he said.
bad apples" that should be Mnangagwa pledged to
"overcome," in an address fight corruption and fix
on state television Tuesday. the collapsing economy,
The arrests started last whose poor performance
week when the military and he blamed on "divisive
police thwarted an anti- politics of some opposi-
government protest and tion elements, illegal eco-
Mnangagwa indicated Zimbabwean main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, right, accompanied by his lawyer Thabani nomic sanctions, cyclones,
that they will continue. Mpofu leave Harare remand prison after visiting prominent journalist Hopwell Chin'ono in Harare, droughts and more recent-
"We will overcome at- Tuesday, Aug, 4, 2020. ly the deadly COVID-19
tempts at the destabiliza- Associated Press pandemic."
tion of our society by a few Tensions are rising in the
rogue Zimbabweans act- in the capital, Harare, and media in support of the an- cob Ngarivhume, an offi- southern African country
ing in league with foreign other major cities last week ti-government demonstra- cial of the opposition party as the economy implodes.
detractors," he said, warn- to foil the protest planned tion and made a series of who had helped to orga- Inflation is more than 700%,
ing that "bad apples who for Friday, resulting in emp- allegations of government nize the foiled protests, who the second-highest in the
have attempted to divide ty streets that day. Some corruption. Chin'ono awaits is also jailed. world, while the World Food
our people and to weaken people who tweeted in a bail hearing this week on "They are in high spirits Program has projected
our systems will be flushed support of the demonstra- charges of allegedly en- and they really want to that 60% of the population
out. ... Enough is enough." tions or tried to hold low key couraging violence. see a better country," said could be food insecure by
Mnangagwa made the protests were arrested, and Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa of the two jailed the end of the year.The
speech as local and inter- some were assaulted and Chamisa visited Chin'ono in men. pandemic has brought a
national pressure mounted tortured, according to hu- prison Tuesday. Other arrests include inter- new layer of suffering. In
on his administration over man rights groups and Ten- "Clearly we must do some- nationally known author Ts- public hospitals, doctors
the allegations of human dai Biti, spokesman for the thing about what is hap- itsi Dangarambga who was and nurses are frequently
rights abuses. main opposition party, the pening. ... It is time that we held in police cells over- on strike and infrastructure
The hashtag #Zimbabwe- Movement for Democratic take care of Zimbabwean night last week after stag- is so dilapidated that "un-
anlivesmatter has been Change Alliance. lives that matter ... We must ing a small protest. Journal- born children and mothers
used in social media to Investigative journalist be serious about the situa- ist Mduduzi Mathuthu and are dying daily," accord-
draw attention to the wave Hopewell Chin'ono has tion," said Chamisa, leader several members of the ing to the Zimbabwe So-
of arrests. been in jail for two weeks of the MDC Alliance, after MDC Alliance are in hiding. ciety of Obstetricians and
Security agents deployed after he posted on social visiting Chin'ono and Ja- In his speech, Mnangag- Gynecologists.q
3 men rescued from Pacific island after writing SOS in sand

WELLINGTON, New Zealand July 30 and had intended on board as we fulfill our
(AP) — Three men have to travel about 43 kilome- obligation to contribute
been rescued from a tiny ters (27 miles) to Pulap atoll to the safety of life at sea
Pacific island after writ- when they sailed off course wherever we are in the
ing a giant SOS sign in the and ran out of fuel, the de- world," said the Canber-
sand that was spotted from partment said. ra's commanding officer,
above, authorities say. Searchers in Guam asked Capt. Terry Morrison, in a
The men had been missing for Australian help. The mili- statement.
in the Micronesia archipel- tary ship, Canberra, which The men were found in
ago for nearly three days was returning to Austra- good condition, and an
when their distress signal lia from exercises in Ha- Australian military helicop-
was spotted Sunday on waii, diverted to the area ter was able to land on the
uninhabited Pikelot Island and joined forces with U.S. beach and give them food
by searchers on Australian searchers from Guam. and water. A Micronesian
and U.S. aircraft, the Aus- The men were found about patrol vessel was due to
tralian defense depart- 190 kilometers (118 miles) pick them up.
In this photo provided by the Australian Defence Force, an Aus- ment said Monday. from where they had set SOS is an internationally
tralian Army helicopter lands on Pikelot Island in the Federated The men had apparently out. recognized distress signal
States of Micronesia, where three men were found, Sunday,
Aug. 2, 2020, safe and healthy after missing for three days. set out from Pulawat atoll in "I am proud of the response that originates from Morse
Associated Press a 7-meter (23-foot) boat on and professionalism of all code.q