JONATHAN Moyo’s article “Of African governance and dead horse flogging” (Sunday Mail, August 23) is a classic case of putting the cart in front of the donkey. He darkly implies that Zimind group projects editor Iden Wetherell has access to intelligence information about the alleged spying activity of his journalist friends expelled from Zimbabwe —— Joe Winter and I in 2001, Andrew Meldrum in 2003. Our expulsions were illegal, arbitrary and unfair. The immigration authorities and police never produced any scrap of evidence about our so-called “illegal activities”. In my case, not even a letter informing me that my valid work permit would be cancelled and that I had been given 24 hours to leave the country. I learned about it because a man, purporting to be a reporter from the Herald, called my editor at the Mail & Guardian in South Africa, told them the news and asked for my job!My job had been to report on gross human rights violations, on Dr Chenjerai “Hitler” Hunzvi’s torture clinic, Zanu PF militia in Mberengwa, the repression of the MDC, and the “signature bombing” of the Daily News which, I said, only trained army engineers could have rigged so expertly with dynamite and anti-tank landmines. The next week I was expelled.A few days later, in reply to a question from MDC MPs, Patrick Chinamasa accused me in parliament of being a spy for Unita and Jonas Savimbi. Not one shred of evidence except his word was shown.I guess that it is difficult to tie my home country, Uruguay, to a neo-colonial British plot, so Savimbi was the closest thing. I speak Spanish, Savimbi spoke Portuguese —— there is a connection! Bingo! I am a new Latin Mata Hari. Thank you for the comparison but accusations must be substantiated. Otherwise, they are allegations, rumour and gossip.“ Those responsible for the security of the country” who decided on our expulsions should bring proof to the court of justice. They can’t. This is why they are attacking Wetherell: shoot the messenger who reminds the world how press freedom was, and is, under attack in Zimbabwe.
Mercedes Sayagues,South Africa.
