Monitor to Clear Zimbabwe Diamonds

Summary: Zimbabwe government is close to giving consent to the exporeting of Zimbabwean diamonds. Many people are upset becasue some of the workers that mined the diamonds were attacked and raped by soldiers. Abbey Chikane, the Kimberley Process monitor for Zimbabwe, said he will recommend that diamonds from Zimbabwe's Marange field be sold as certified, conflict-free diamonds. The Kimberley team said in July that security forces had beaten diamond miners with batons, set dogs to attack them, and raped women who were illegally mining in the Marange fields. It also said some government officials were benefiting from sales of those stones. Army soldiers will remain in the Marange field to keep illegal panners from moving into the area.
Opinion: I think that it is very sad that these people are forced to work under these conditions because they have no other choice. I think that the government should be doing more about protecting these worker's rights, and should thoroughly inspect the mines before they allow them to re-open. But the economy really needs the diamond exports because of the horrible economic state it is in right now.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703630304575270681883985308.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsTop

Zimbabwe Launches Child Immunization Campaign

Summary: Recently the Zimbabwean Ministry of Health has launched an effort to vaccinate five million children between six months and 15 years. This vaccine will help the children fight off the measles which has taken about 400 lives, and 7,000 cases of the disease have been recorded recently. In addition to measles vaccinations, the intensive campaign will also provide children with vital immunization against polio, diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus.
Opinion: I am glad that they are taking these steps to help protect the children against these horrific diseases. Although many are opposed to this, i think it is so great to prevent a child from having to go through all of the pain and stress from having such a terrible disease. It also will make Zimbabwe a much healthier place to live and a better place to be.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/189932.php

Two New Papers Provide Competition for the Zimbabwe Herald

Summary: In Zimbabwe for the past seven years they have only posted a government owned and operated news paper, the Herald. Through this newspaper the Zimbabwean President Mugabe has been able to supervise what goes into the newspaper. This was a form of propaganda in Zimbabwe, only saying nice things about the president and his political party. But recently there have been two new news papers about to begin publishing, both privately owned which means that Mugabe can no longer control everything that goes into these newspapers. One of the news papers, called the Daily News, was shut down seven years ago by the police. These new papers will definatly prove to be some competition for the Herald, and will bring Zimbabwe even closer to a democratic society.
Opinion: I think that after the people in Zimbabwe read these new news papers will get a different side to the stories, not just what the government whats them to read. But i think the writers and editors of these papers better be very careful about what is put into these newspapers because if they over step their boundaries by even just a little bit the government will immediately shut them down and they will just be even farther away from the democracy that this society is wanting.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/world/africa/28zimbabwe.html

Zimbabwe Police Free Gay Rights Activists

Summary: Recently in Zimbabwe two gay men were arrested and have just been released as of today. The two men are being tried for the possession of pornographic material and insulting the Zimbabwean President Mugabe. The trial is set for June 10Th, and the men will face either large fines or time in prison. The men claimed that while they were in jail they were assaulted by the police officers after they were arrested last Friday. Homosexual acts are illegal in Zimbabwe, but arrests are not common.
Opinion: It seems to me that there is alot of discrimination against gays in Zimbabwe, and the majority of the people do not believe in homosexuality. Even President Mugabe has said degrading things about gays and this has just made things even worse. In my opinion i think that the government should stop trying to control this situation in Zimbabwe, because no matter what they do, the people will still do what they want.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/africa/10178826.stm

Zimbabwe Born Acrobat Accused of Spreading AIDS

Summary: A Zimbabwe-born trapeze artist who recently appeared on Australia's Got Talent has been accused have knowingly transmitting AIDS to women. As this man was travelling the world performing he had unprotected sex with multiple women. Health officials said the women were thought to include seven in the northeastern state of Queensland as well as others in neighbouring New South Wales and Victoria. The acrobat, Australian citizen Godfrey Zaburoni, 31, was due to face a magistrate on Wednesday.
Opinion: I think that these women should defiantly go get tested because AIDS is very serious and is very dangerous. Many people have AIDS and do not tell the people they are having sex with and then transmit it to many more people. More people should be informed about the consequences of getting AIDS so they will want to be safe.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/article468242.ece/Zim-born-acrobat-accused-of-spreading-AIDS

Zimbabwe Police Raid Gay Group Offices, Arrest Two

Summary: Two men were recently arrested for posting a letter in their office that was criticizing the Zimbabwe president's views on homosexuality. They were arrested for undermining the president and for breaking Zimbabwe's censorship laws. The men could face a fine or little time in prison. The human rights organizations have called for the president to face a trial at the International Criminal Court on charges of political violence, vote-rigging and human rights violations. Many people are very upset because cases like this are occuring all over Africa. For example, in Uganda, lawmakers are considering a bill under which homosexuals could be sentenced to life in prison and "repeat offenders" could be executed.
Opinion: This debate has gone on for many years, and in my opinion is an argument that will never be settled. Many people believe that since being a homosexual is considered in the Bible a sin, that it should be illegal. But others believe that it is OK, and gays should be able to live their life how they want. I think that it is not up to the government how people live their life, and even if you make one million laws against homosexuality, and have the worst penalties, people are still going to be the same way. I think that people should just leave homosexuals alone because if you discriminate or commit acts of violence against them, then you are sinning to try and stop some one from sinning.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gqIL2SR2spukciRtWsCvkGi6j6RgD9FTHSP80

Man in Zimbabwe Rapes and Impregnates Daughter-in-Law

Summary: A woman was allegedly raped by her father-in-law in 2009. The father-in-law told her that it was a family tradition and when she refused her raped her. The woman found out that her husband and her father-in-law had planned this. They told her that if she were to tell anyone about what had happened that she would die. The father-in-law raped her multiple times within a few months and he eventually impregnated the woman. The woman gave birth to a son, but the baby died within a month of his birth. She tried to commit suicide because she believed that she had no one to turn to, but after the death of her son her family learned about the abuse that was going on and her village forgave her and accepted her back.
Opinion: This is very upsetting what has happened to this young woman. She was trapped and had no one she could confide in and had no one that would help her. Cases like this are going on all around the world, and many of the men raping these young girls are men that they are supposed to trust. Many of these girls do not have a place where they can go and get help, and it is sad because even if they did have a chance to get help, they are so brain washed that they would not come forward.


http://allafrica.com/stories/201005240057.html