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Does Channel 4 News fabricate stories for the MDC?

Simon | 06.08.2008 12:32 | Analysis | Anti-racism

Channel 4 News on 5 August 2008 produced the most obvious evidence that it uses dishonest PR tactics to support regime change in Zimbabwe. We are supposed to believe that a reporter for the Western media would travel into the Zimbabwean countryside with a self-confessed Zanu-PF thug to meet other Zanu-PF thugs!

I wish to complain about Channel 4 News' story on Zimbabwe's 'torture camps' and its abandonment of professional journalism standards in its coverage of Zimbabwe.

Channel 4 News should verify that its 5 August 2008 report was what it claimed it was.

There were too many anomalies in last night's story to explain it away as poor journalism. I contend that the reporter used by Channel 4 News for this story collaborated with Mugabe critics to fabricate an anti-Zanu-PF story.

I contend that any allegation of abuse and violence against Zanu-PF by opponents of Zanu-PF is regarded as fact.

I contend that Channel 4 News and other UK news media use NGOs as cover for their reports when the NGOs also publicise unsubstantiated claims of Zanu-PF human rights abuses as fact.

I contend that Channel 4 News, and other UK news media, claim they deliver impartial news on Zimbabwe yet in effect act as an uncritical public relations vehicle for the Movement for Democratic Change and will give a platform to anti-Mugabe and anti-Zanu-PF fabrications.

I contend that Channel 4 News and other news media actively marginalize views that are critical of the regime change agenda in Zimbabwe.

I contend that despite the position of the Southern African Development Community and the African Union on Zimbabwe, Channel 4 News and other Western media are committed to 'regime change' in Zimbabwe and their reports support this objective.

I contend that the 5 August 2008 'torture camp' story revealed no evidence that any of the 'torture camp' or funeral was anything other than events staged for the camera by opponents of Zanu-PF. The ‘torture camp’ story was part of the regime change agenda.

Channel 4 News’ website,

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/snowmail+zanupfs+mdc+torture+camps/2380382, states:
‘Snowmail: Zanu-PF's MDC torture camps
Last Modified: 05 Aug 2008
By: Krishnan Guru-Murthy

On tonight's show...

Hi there. There's a powerful film tonight from Zimbabwe. We have footage from inside one of the camps used by Zanu-PF militia to terrorise MDC people. It graphically shows how gangs of men, egged on by women present, beat and taunt those they have captured. Our guide boasts of how his thugs torture and mutilate their opponents. It is very strong stuff and they claim to have more than 100 such camps around Zimbabwe.

Clearly some of them want to publicise this to scare the MDC, hence the invitation to film. But the MDC seem as determined to continue the negotiations for a political settlement as they were last week when we spoke to their leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Those talks are ongoing and reports suggest they are making progress.’

The Telegraph picked up the story:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/zimbabwe/2506621/Zimbabwe-attacks-filmed-despite-opposition-agreement-with-Robert-Mugabe.html

The key elements of the story that suggest collaboration in fabricating torture camp allegations are:
- that it is ridiculous to suggest that a reporter for the Western media would risk injury and death at the hands of anti-Western Zanu-PF thugs by being taken into the countryside by them;
- that a shot of a torture camp victim being attacked by Zanu-PF thugs was obscured by smoke due to the deliberate selection by the reporter so that the film could not disprove that any real taken took place;
- that there was no evidence of any limbs being cut off despite the claim made by Krishnan Guru-Murthy

Other anomalies in last night’s include:
- Zanu-PF thugs needing a Channel 4 News report to tell people that supporting MDC risks injury from Zanu-PF thugs;
- Zanu-PF thug’s desire to remain anonymous despite wanting to publicise that Zanu-PF attacks MDC supporters;
- Zanu-PF thugs were shown to carry axes to promote the image of violence;
- the ‘torture camp’ was out in the open;
- only one person was in the camp at that time despite allegations that Zanu-PF are engaging in mass torture of people;
- the outrageous claim by a Zanu-PF thug that torture is an “African custom”.

There are other general anomalies about Zimbabwe:
- no evidence of torture camps accepted by a Zimbabwean courts, despite the fact that the courts regularly deliver decisions against the government;
- Channel 4 News recently carried an interview where Tsvangirai (MDC leader) did not say that Mugabe was a ‘brutal dictator’ but rather a “human being”, who “was in denial about violence”;
- the UK government seeks to deport Zimbabwean Mugabe critics back to Zimbabwe where they claim there are widespread human rights abuses.

Reporters know that Mugabe critics fabricate stories. This was demonstrated when the Sunday Times had to retract a 26 June story about a child whose legs had been broken by Zanu-PF thugs. The mother had made the claim:
- ‘Doubts Raised Over Haunting Image From Zimbabwe’, The Sunday Times, July 6, 2008,

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article4276338.ece
- ‘Iconic Image Blurred Along Its Global Trail, Poynter Online’,

http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=101&aid=146534

Reporters also know that MDC engage in violence but this remains unreported. The magazine, ‘New African’ published an article in May 2007 entitled: ‘David Coltart, ‘Why I cannot join Tsvangirai’s faction’,

http://www.africasia.com/uploads/zimbabwe_special_may_2007_new_african___part_2.pdf

The article’s introduction stated:
‘Last year, David Coltart (pictured), a former Rhodesian police officer and now the MDC’s white MP for Bulawayo South, wrote a piece for the website, NewZimbabwe.com, explaining why he could not join Morgan Tsvangirai’s faction of the MDC. His major reason: Tsvangirai’s faction has a propensity for violence and has not taken any action to discipline its members who had used violence in the past. In fact, it had rehired members who were expelled or suspended for using violence against fellow MDC members. Coltart’s piece undermines Tsvangirai’s recent claims that he doesn’t “believe in violence” and has “on many occasions restrained [his] supporters from being violent”.’

This means that the Channel 4 News cannot report as fact claims that it is Zanu-PF alone that is responsible for violence against MDC when there is a history of violence within MDC.

Channel 4 News reports will be accepted as true by the vast majority of its viewers. Yet, the reports only serve to discredit any reporting of real human rights abuses by the Zimbabwean government.

Simon
e-mail: s2005@blueyonder.co.uk

Comments

Hide the following 12 comments

I contend

06.08.2008 13:27

That you are a sad apologist for a sick regime.

the watcher

Pro-dictatorship crap`

06.08.2008 13:45

Someone hide this pro-Mugabe shite.

Gives indymedia a bad reputation.

Militant

C4 do it like they all do it.

06.08.2008 13:49

Not to be labelled an apologist for Mugabe and his cabal of thugs but the issue here is about western media reporting.

One pertinent accusation contained within this report is that C4, and others, through reporting the news, appear to be doing it in such a way as to be supporting the British governments covert policy of regime change in Zimbabwe. It isn't difficult to see that UK media corporations are producing reports from the country that are either pitiful (no access, or lack of decent contacts) through to openly offensive (this report and others).

What is happening in Zimbabwe is clearly dangerous and people have/are dying and are in distress. This constant harassing of Mugabe makes him desperate and terrible things happen when powerful people are backed into corners...War on Terror anyone!

British media corporations, as usual, are pouring fuel onto fires. It doesn't matter to them of course, if it all goes wrong they can run to the border. Its the poor sods who are left behind that pick up the pieces.

Modern Mojo

Put some effort in.

06.08.2008 14:03

I'm impressed that you guys have taken the previous criticism on board - you've gone from making obviously (and verifiably) untrue claims about Mugabe's selfless dedication to his countrymen to casting aspersions about the quality of domestic reporting. Impressive.

However, you still give yourself away with a couple of real schoolboy errors:

"The key elements of the story that suggest collaboration in fabricating torture camp allegations are:
- that it is ridiculous to suggest that a reporter for the Western media would risk injury and death at the hands of anti-Western Zanu-PF thugs by being taken into the countryside by them;
- that a shot of a torture camp victim being attacked by Zanu-PF thugs was obscured by smoke due to the deliberate selection by the reporter so that the film could not disprove that any real taken took place;
- that there was no evidence of any limbs being cut off despite the claim made by Krishnan Guru-Murthy "

Let's look at this first claim, "that it is ridiculous to suggest....", would you like to give some reasoning for why it is ridiculous? Western reporters have often gone to dangerous regimes to report what is happening and we have plenty of evidence of this. To deny it outright assumes that your audience are too stupid to have noticed. Thanks a lot.

You then claim that 'smoke' obscurring the picture was a deliberate act to hide the lack of evidence, but then conveniently ignore the fact that they could quite easily have created a convincing recording of torture without the smoke obfuscation if that had been there aim.

Thirdly, Channel 4 are not in the habit of broadcasting people having limbs amputated during the evening news. Even if they had interviews with victims, you'd just claim that they lost their arm in a farming accident and are lying about it for money.

"Other anomalies in last night’s include:
- Zanu-PF thugs needing a Channel 4 News report to tell people that supporting MDC risks injury from Zanu-PF thugs;
- Zanu-PF thug’s desire to remain anonymous despite wanting to publicise that Zanu-PF attacks MDC supporters;
- Zanu-PF thugs were shown to carry axes to promote the image of violence; "

How in the world could you possibly use the term "anomalous" to describe pictures showing hired thugs carrying axes? That's not anomalous, that's exactly what you'd expect to see them carrying!

I'll stop there before I get carried away, but in the future, at least try and pretend that you're not just an apologist for a murderous bastard. You need to condem the violence on both sides and that way people are more likely to believe your claims about the evil MDC villains and you can muddy the political waters in the hopes that the rest of the world loses interest.

MonkeyBot 5000

Where's the evidence

06.08.2008 15:33

The problem with some of these comments is that they are made by racist Rhodesians who want to steal black people’s land and who are pretending they are left wing. The effort is to ensure that white Left keeps on following the agenda of white racist Rhodesians on Zimbabwe. This is why you do not get white Left people on this site asking why the people opposed to Mugabe are apparently backing an MDC that is more capitalist and right-wing than Zanu-PF and appear to show no significant support at all for left movements. And why on Earth would I be CIA?

But I'll go over this again. We are told that Zanu-PF thugs are psychopathic. They murder, torture, cut off limbs, attack children and old people, use axes, use clubs, terrorise and kill. The Western media claim they are condemning their murderous oppression and are therefore opponents of Mugabe and Zanu-PF. A Zimbabwean opponent of Mugabe is hardly likely to voluntarily get into a car with a Zanu-PF thug, drive off with him into the countryside and expect not to be killed or injured. Yet, a Western reporter did this. What this shows is that the reporter does not believe his own propaganda about how dangerous Zanu-PF thugs are supposed to be.

Why does the UK government condemn the widespread human rights abused carried out by Mugabe, the government and Zanu-PF, say they care about the Zimbabwean people, suggest military invasion to stop it and then seek to deport Mugabe's critics back to Zimbabwe and into the hands of Mugabe's killers? They clearly do not believe their own propaganda.

You need to do your own research to find out the rubbish that is talked about Zimbabwe.

Below is more on what the US State Department say about Zimbabwe. Please compare this with what could be said about the US, particularly what black people or Native Americans could say about the US.

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78765.htm
ZIMBABWE, COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES - 2006

‘a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life
Unlike in the previous year, there were no reports of politically motivated killings by the government or ruling party supporters…

b. Disappearance
There were no reports of disappearances during the year…

c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Although the constitution prohibits torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, security forces continued to engage in such practices. Police reportedly used excessive force in apprehending and detaining criminal suspects, as well as ordinary citizens, for holding meetings or participating in demonstrations. Government supporters continued to assault suspected opposition members. Violent confrontations between various youth groups aligned with either the government or the opposition continued…

Prison and Detention Center Conditions
Prison conditions remained harsh and life threatening…

d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention
The constitution and law prohibit arbitrary arrest and detention; however, some laws effectively weakened this prohibition, and security forces repeatedly arbitrarily arrested and detained persons…’

This is a report of a fact-finding mission by US politicians in 2002:

http://www.swradioafrica.com/Documents/zimtripreport.htm
One of their conclusions is:
'We found the media accounts to be exaggerated in many respects when dealing with the modalities of the land reform program, freedom of the press and human rights conditions. In fact, despite its current financial difficulties through a combination of drought and external sanctions, Zimbabwe remains one of the most stable countries in Africa. Its economy also is still the largest on the continent after South Africa’s.'

http://www.sadc.int/news/news_details.php?news_id=927
Communique from the Southern African Development Community.

2007 EXTRA-ORDINARY SADC SUMMIT OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
28TH - 29TH MARCH2007

DAR-ES-SALAAM

The Extra-Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of SADC met in Dar-es-Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania on 29 March 2007 to discuss the political, economic and security situation in the region, with special focus on the situations in Lesotho, DRC and Zimbabwe.

The meeting was chaired by His Excellency President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation…

…ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE

The Extra-ordinary Summit noted and appreciated the briefing by H.E. President Robert G. Mugabe on the current political developments in Zimbabwe.

The Extra-Ordinary Summit recalled that free, fair and democratic Presidential elections were held in 2002 in Zimbabwe.

The Extra-Ordinary Summit reaffirmed its solidarity with the Government and people of Zimbabwe.

The Extra-Ordinary Summit mandated H.E President Thabo Mbeki to continue to facilitate dialogue between the opposition and the Government and report back to the Troika on the progress. The Extra-Ordinary Summit also encouraged enhanced diplomatic contacts which will assist with the resolution of the situation in Zimbabwe.

The Extra-Ordinary Summit mandated the SADC Executive Secretary to undertake a study on the economic situation in Zimbabwe and propose measures on how SADC can assist Zimbabwe recover economically.

The Extra-Ordinary Summit reiterated the appeal to Britain to honour its compensation obligations with regard to land reform made at the Lancaster House.

The Extra-Ordinary Summit appealed for the lifting of all forms of sanctions against Zimbabwe.

Where is the well-researched evidence of Mugabe and Zanu-PF's violent repression?

Where are the bodies of the 20,000 or so people Mugabe is supposed to have murdered during the 1980s?

Simon

Polarised past the point

06.08.2008 16:15

Well done everyone for jumping down this poster's throat. He criticised the Channel 4 reporting which is not the same thing as supporting Mugabe.
Mugabe is another human being deserved of being understood rather than instantaneously demonised, particularly by people that have no direct knowledge of Zimbabwe or expertise to offer.
An analysis of the Zimbabwe situation without passion or prejudice is something I advise you all to undertake. There is one person who is never mentioned by the know-it-alls in the media. This one person arranges the arms-deals, slips Mugabe a few $$$ when times get hard and has walked off with half the land, the mines and plenty of other assets that matter more than cash. This uber-patron is British and never gets onto the sanction lists or the evening news. Although BAE have done nicely out of this arms-dealers handiwork there is no reason why you cannot work out whom he is and post a mature story to Indymedia. Please do not jump down the throat of someone that raises legitimate concerns regarding the mainstream reporting of Zimbabwe. Thankyou.

Cecil

Again..

06.08.2008 16:37

If at all possible can INDYMEDIA stop the hijacking of the wire for the purpose of propaganda.
Or would it be acceptable to post in defense of say Apartheid. It was after all the wicked western media that had it completely wrong....

Ben

Land grab

06.08.2008 19:39

"The problem with some of these comments is that they are made by racist Rhodesians who want to steal black people’s land and who are pretending they are left wing."

Yeah I'd just love loads of fucking land in Zimbabwe, that's exactly why I'm commenting.

Idiot.

"Where are the bodies of the 20,000 or so people Mugabe is supposed to have murdered during the 1980s?"

No you're not just an idiot, that's a sick denial of an act of mass murder.

For the record, in the 1980's in Matabeleland the North Korean trained Fifth Brigade, answerable only to Prime Minister Mugabe, massacred at least 10,000 Ndebele.

If you deny reality in order to defend tyrants then I have nothing to say to you.

Militant

Out of date, out of context

07.08.2008 09:28

Love Simon's decision to cite a series of reports from 2006 and 2002 to justify claims that nothing is happening in Zimbabwe 2008. That's a bit like the US saying that noone was killed by the US military in Iraq (the year before the war occured...)

Also cute that, even when he tries to find proof that everything's OK, he cites a report from 2006 saying "Unlike in the previous year, there were no reports of politically motivated killings by the government or ruling party supporters…"

So even the studies Simon quotes in Mugabe's defence acknowledge politically motivated killings by the government. I despair.

(and no I'm not a Rhodesian farmer either - not sure where I'd keep all the cattle in London)

Norville B

How informative

07.08.2008 09:28

What I would like to know from the white Left is:
1. Why it is that they are meant to support the MDC when the MDC is more right-wing than Zanu-PF?
2. Why it is that working-class, and rural black Zimbabweans who oppose Zanu-PF appear to have no regard whatsoever for a socialist movement in Zimbabwe?

Now let’s look at some of the evidence and arguments posted here to challenge my contention on Channel 4 News and Zimbabwe and answers to my other questions:

1. you are a sad apologist for a sick regime
2. Someone hide this pro-Mugabe shite
3. No you're not just an idiot, that's a sick denial of an act of mass murder.

Hmm, that all helps me understand, doesn’t it? But who exactly would post such stuff?

The US Defence Department have admitted that they pay people to post their views on websites while pretending that they are ordinary people. If so, they have a lot of sites to visit and can’t spend too much time actually researching and finding evidence to counter views they don’t like. So, they just insult.

I could be wrong. If I am can someone please explain what happened to the remains of 10,000 - 20,000 Ndbele's massacred by Mugabe's Fifth Brigade? Has their been any exhumation that has demonstrated that such numbers had been massacred?

You should note that Ndbele's make up 13% of the Zimbabwean population - that number are not such a threat that a tribalist Shona leader would want to massacre them. And that the leaders of the Ndbele's rejoined the government after the conflict in the 1980s. Why would they do that if Mugabe had just massacred 10,000 - 20,000 of their followers?

Simon

Ignorant people mouthing off on Zimbabwe

07.08.2008 16:31

Am I out of date or does Norville B know what he's talking about?

Western criticisms of Mugabe's brutal dictatorship, theft of elections, killings etc did not begin in 2008. Clearly, this is the reason why US politicians went to Zimbabwe and wrote a report about it. Indeed, in 2002, the Conservative Foreign Affairs spokesperson was arguing for military intervention to stop (supposed) human rights abuses.

Perhaps, Norville B is arguing that Mugabe was a brutal dictator from 2000 but only really started getting brutal until this year.

One of the reports I quote is from the US State Department who with the UK want regime change because of 'human rights abuses'. Yet, their 2006, could find no REPORTS of government killings. This is reports of killings not proven government killings. The year before was an election year when both some members of MDC and Zanu-PF killed one another.

Glad that he is not a Rhodie. Perhaps, he can explain why the Left say nothing about the apparent lack of support by any large number of people in Zimbabwe for Left movements and why they, apparently, vote for a right-wing party.

Unlike Norville B, I have recently travelled to Zimbabwe (March 2007) and saw some of what was going on myself and spoke to ordinary black Zimbabweans who was critical of Mugabe. They did complain about the economic situation and land going to people who, supposedly, could not properly farm it. One claimed he stole the election but could not point to any evidence of this (he said Mugabe lost past election because all his friends did not vote for him) Human rights was not an issue for them.

Simon

Misleading

08.08.2008 14:11

Simon – you accuse me of ignorance then provide a totally misleading account of that report.

You suggest the US state department report somehow suggests there was a lack of human rights abuses in Zimbabwe by citing the line:
“Unlike in the previous year, there were no reports of politically motivated killings by the government or ruling party supporters;”

But that’s not how the sentence ends. The sentence ends: “however, security forces killed several persons during apprehension”. You deliberately cut that out.

You then quote the line about disappearances, but you miss the crucial disclaimer; “Domestic human rights organizations believed that many such incidents were not reported due to fear of retribution by progovernment factions. The government often did not investigate reported abductions and torture of MDC supporters.”

There’s a shedload of stuff in that report on the torture of those who’ve spoken out against the Zanu PF. It even quotes a report that states "police have arbitrarily arrested hundreds of civil society activists" for participating in "routine meetings or peaceful demonstrations, often with excessive force, and in some cases subjected those in custody to severe beatings that amounted to torture."

I’d be happy to bow to your better knowledge of Zimbabwe on many matters – if I couldn’t see, so quickly and easily, that you had distorted the evidence because you provided a link to what it really said.

Norville B

UK Indymedia

Does Channel 4 News fabricate stories for the MDC?

Comments

I contend

Pro-dictatorship crap`

C4 do it like they all do it.

Put some effort in.

Where's the evidence

Polarised past the point

Again..

Land grab

Out of date, out of context

How informative

Ignorant people mouthing off on Zimbabwe

Misleading

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