http://news.yam.com/afp/international/200804/20080425068692.html
中國：無法卸下軍火交付辛巴威的貨輪正返國
法新社╱F57陳昶佑 2008-04-25 02:20     
 
 
（法新社北京二十四日電）中國政府今天說，因企圖運送武器給辛巴威而引發國際譴責的中國貨輪，現正駛返中國。

中國外交部發言人姜瑜告訴記者：「就我所知，中方公司已決定原船撤回。」

美國已要求中國將這批原定運往辛巴威的武器撤回，並且停止進一步運送武器前往該國。

姜瑜說：「貨船沒有卸貨，是因為辛巴威方面沒有按照原計畫接收，所以這家中國公司根據狀況做出決定。」

姜瑜重申，這筆軍火交易的契約是去年簽定的，並未違反任何法律或國際義務。

對於美國國務院要求中國停止運送武器至辛巴威，姜瑜說，「美國有些人總是喜歡批評，把自己當成世界警察，這種做法在世界上並不受歡迎。」

她說：「將這個問題政治化是沒有道理的。」

這艘貨輪「安岳江號」為中國國營的中遠公司所有，該船上週在南非德班港被迫放棄卸下軍火的計畫。

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080424/wl_asia_afp/zimbabwevotechinaweapons_080424135552;_ylt=AhSf8dbdopib9NKrWjSY_bbtOrgF
Chinese arms shipment to Zimbabwe turning back: Beijing

36 minutes ag

BEIJING (AFP) - A Chinese ship that sparked international condemnation for attempting to transport weapons to Zimbabwe is being brought back to China, the government said Thursday.

"To my knowledge, the Chinese company has decided to bring back the boat," Jiang Yu, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, told reporters.

The news comes after the United States asked that China withdraw the weapons shipment destined for Zimbabwe and halt further arms shipments to the increasingly isolated African regime.

"The cargo was not unloaded because the Zimbabwe side failed to receive the goods as scheduled, so the Chinese company made the decision according to this situation," Jiang said.

She reiterated that the contract was signed last year and that it did not break any laws or international obligations.

"Some people in the US are always critical, positioning themselves as the world's policeman, but they are not popular in the world," Jiang said about the US State Department's demand that China halt the shipment.

"It's pointless... to politicise this issue," she said.

The ship, identified as the An Yue Jiang and belonging to COSCO, a state-owned shipping firm, was forced to abandon plans to off-load the arms in the South African port of Durban last week.

This came after activists won a court case which prevented it from transporting the load overland to the Zimbabwe border.

There were fears that the arms could be used to crack down on protests following parliamentary and presidential elections in Zimbabwe last month, both of which the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says it won.

The ship reportedly then headed towards Angola, but Washington asked Angola and Zimbabwe's other neighbours, including South Africa, Mozambique and Namibia, not to allow it to dock or offload the weapons.

The An Yue Jiang was carrying three million rounds of assault rifle ammunition, 3,000 mortar rounds and 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades, according to its inventory, published by a South African newspaper.

A COSCO official in charge of shipping lines with Africa declined comment when approached by AFP on Thursday.

China is a major foreign supporter of Zimbabwe's beleaguered ruler Robert Mugabe, who has touted a "look East" policy of closer cooperation with the Asian giant.

However, Beijing has shown signs of increasing embarrassment over its close association with Mugabe.

China reportedly said last year that it had decided to halt all assistance to Zimbabwe except humanitarian aid. It was unclear if the order of the weapons cache was signed before that pledge.

The European Parliament said Wednesday that the European Union should maintain an embargo on weapons sales to China as long as Beijing helps armed forces and groups involved in African conflicts.

The parliament adopted a report which said the embargo should continue for "as long as China continues to export arms to armed forces and armed groups in countries, many of them in Africa, that fuels and perpetuates conflicts and perpetrates gross violations of human rights."

Jiang, the foreign ministry spokeswoman, said Thursday the move "ignored facts."

"We always strictly follow (UN) Security Council resolutions, and we never export weapons to countries or regimes on the embargo list, so the European Parliament's resolution is totally irresponsible and groundless," she said.

http://news.yam.com/afp/international/200804/20080423062779.html
中國貨船運送軍火前往辛巴威 美要求撤回
法新社╱F60樊劍萍 2008-04-23 01:35     

 
（法新社華盛頓二十二日電）美國國務院今天表示，美國已經要求中國將準備運往辛巴威的一批武器撤回，並停止對愈益孤立的辛巴威政權繼續運送武器。

國務院發言人凱西說，華府要求北京「停止進行其他的運輸，以及如有可能，撤回這批武器。」凱西是指一艘載運軍火前往辛巴威的貨船，據報導，這艘貨輪如今正駛往安哥拉。

華府已經要求安哥拉與辛巴威的其他鄰國，包括南非、莫三比克與納米比亞，禁止「安岳江號」貨輪停泊或是卸下船上的武器，

凱西說：「考慮到辛巴威的政治危機，我們認為在目前的情形下，任何人都不應該增加辛巴威的武器與軍火的數量。」

中國今天為運送這批軍火辯護，聲稱這是正常的雙邊貿易，但暗示，由於卸貨問題，這批軍火也許無法運到辛巴威。 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080422/pl_afp/zimbabwevotechinaweaponsus_080422145842;_ylt=Aq4UEKd5XgGXucoeF_NBky6sOrgF
US asks China to pull back arms shipment to Zimbabwe

1 hour, 50 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States has asked China to withdraw a cache of its weapons destined for Zimbabwe and to halt further arms shipments to the increasingly isolated African regime, the State Department said Tuesday.

Washington asked Beijing "to refrain from making additional shipments and, if possible, to bring this one back," department spokesman Tom Casey said, referring to a Chinese ship loaded with arms destined for Zimbabwe and now reportedly headed to Angola.

It has also asked Angola and Zimbabwe's other neighbors, including South Africa, Mozambique and Namibia, not to allow the ship, identified as the An Yue Jiang, to dock or offload the weapons.

"We don't think that under the present circumstances given the current political crisis in Zimbabwe that now is the time for anyone to be increasing the number of weapons and armaments available in that country," Casey said.

China on Tuesday defended the shipment, saying it was part of normal bilateral trade, but suggested the arms might not be delivered due to problems offloading the cargo.

"This is normal trade in military products between the two countries. The relevant contract was signed last year and has nothing to do with the situation in Zimbabwe," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters in Beijing.

"As Zimbabwe could not receive the cargo as scheduled, China Ocean Shipping Corp had to give up the Durban port and is now considering carrying back this cargo," she said, referring to the state-owned COSCO shipping firm.

The An Yue Jiang was carrying three million rounds of assault rifle ammunition, 3,000 mortar rounds and 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades, according to its inventory, published by a South African newspaper.

The ship was forced to abandon plans to offload the arms in the South African port of Durban last week after activists won a court case which prevented it from transporting the load overland to the Zimbabwe border.

There were fears that the arms could be used to crack down on protests following parliamentary and presidential elections in Zimbabwe last month, both of which the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says it won.

The shipment was also likely to inflame a debate about China's growing diplomatic and economic role in Africa, which has focussed on the country's links with the Sudanese government, accused of human rights abuses in Darfur.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080422/wl_afp/zimbabwevotechinaangolaweapons_080422115457;_ylt=AiadUHPYD8QHr_Ueg7y7r_2QOrgF
China defends Zimbabwe arms shipment headed for Angola

by Dario Thuburn
Tue Apr 22, 7:54 AM ET

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - A Chinese ship loaded with arms intended for Zimbabwe was headed to Angola, the agent handling the ship said on Tuesday, as China defended the shipment against international criticism.

"According to the documentation, the next calling port is Angola. This vessel is causing a lot of attention. The information is very sensitive," said Wang Kun Hui, representative of the Cosren shipping agency in Durban.

Asked where exactly in Angola the ship was headed, Wang replied: "Luanda."

The ship, the An Yue Jiang, was carrying three million rounds of assault rifle ammunition, 3,000 mortar rounds and 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades, according to its inventory, published by a South African newspaper.

The ship was forced to abandon plans to offload the arms in the South African port of Durban last week after activists won a court case which prevented it from transporting the load overland to the Zimbabwe border.

There were fears that the arms could be used to crack down on protests following parliamentary and presidential elections in Zimbabwe last month, both of which the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says it won.

The shipment was also likely to inflame a debate about China's growing diplomatic and economic role in Africa, which has focussed on the country's links with the Sudanese government, accused of human rights abuses in Darfur.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu on Tuesday defended the shipment, saying she hoped there would be no attempt to "politicise" the arms cargo, although she hinted that China may be forced to take it back.

"This is normal trade in military products between the two countries. The relevant contract was signed last year and has nothing to do with the situation in Zimbabwe," she told reporters in Beijing.

"As Zimbabwe could not receive the cargo as scheduled, China Ocean Shipping Corp had to give up the Durban port and is now considering carrying back this cargo," she said, referring to the state-owned COSCO shipping firm.

Zimbabwe's ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party, battling to stay in power after last month's disputed elections, has also defended the regime's right to buy weapons from any legal source.

"It's our sovereign right to defend ourselves, it's our sovereign right to buy weapons from any legitimate source worldwide and we don't need clearance from anyone," Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said earlier.

Port authorities in Angola, where President Jose Eduardo dos Santos is a long-time ally of Zimbabwe's veteran leader Robert Mugabe, said on Monday they had not yet received any formal request for authorisation to dock the ship.

Were the weapons to be offloaded in Angola, they would then most likely have to be flown into landlocked Zimbabwe as the countries' common neighbour Zambia is strongly opposed to the arms reaching Harare.

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, head of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which is mediating in the political crisis in Zimbabwe, said he was "glad" that South Africa had refused the shipment.

"The Chinese can play a very useful role in Zimbabwe without the use of arms. We don't want to escalate the situation in Zimbabwe more than what it is," Mwanawasa was quoted as saying by state media on Tuesday.

Human rights lawyers in Namibia, which lies between South Africa and Angola and where the ship could be forced to stop for refuelling, said they would prevent any possible unloading of the arms in Namibian ports.

International trade unions have mounted a campaign to stop the ship from unloading its arms cargo and the Southern Africa Litigation Centre said it was tracking the ship through South Africa's territorial waters.

http://news.yam.com/cna/international/200804/20080422062602.html
又是中國貨？南非人錯把星製坦克誤為中國製
中央社╱中央社 2008-04-22 21:00
    
（中央社記者劉正慶約翰尼斯堡二十二日專電）南非瓜祖魯那他省省會彼德瑪莉茲柏格市郊外，今天清晨出現一輛輛載運坦克的軍用卡車隊，當軍用偽裝帆布袋覆蓋的坦克露出一部分時，在當地引起不小的騷動，以為中國籍貨輪「安岳江號」在神不知鬼不覺的情況下，將運往辛巴威的軍火彈藥悄悄透過陸路準備送抵辛巴威。

國防部武器管制委員會官員馬錫里接到「南非通訊社」記者的電話查詢時，驚訝的說，「坦克？你是說坦克嗎？」

雖然有退伍軍官懷疑，這批軍用卡車隊載運的可能是「安岳江號」一部分武器，不過代理這批坦克清關的報關行老闆范仁斯柏格說，這是新加坡的坦克啦！

范仁斯柏格表示，這批新加坡坦克和其它兵器是在二十一日抵達，準備參加下週在北開普省舉行的斐星聯合軍事演習，這次聯合軍演預定五月結束，他可以保證，軍火絕對不是運到辛巴威。

中國廣州籍貨輪「安岳江號」，在德班高等法院裁決原訂運往辛巴威的AK47衝鋒槍、迫擊炮等兵器彈藥，不得經南非領土送抵辛巴威後，已於十八日晚間駛離德班港，而在莫三比克、納米比亞、安哥拉相繼遭拒絕泊靠後，這艘在南部非洲人人喊打的中國貨輪，將被迫折返原出發港。

當初向德班高院緊急遞狀、要求「安岳江號」不得將軍火運往辛巴威的「南部非洲法律訴訟中心」主任佛瑞茲表示，現在還有另兩艘中國貨輪分別於二十日、二十一日抵達德班和理察德斯港，該中心將嚴密監視這兩艘貨輪的動態，並設法證實是否與「安岳江號」屬於同一家海運公司。

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2310249,00.html
Tanks spark Zim arms fears
22/04/2008 12:14  - (SA)  

Johannesburg - A truckload of "Chinese-looking" tanks spotted by a military buff outside Pietermaritzburg early on Tuesday caused a brief stir over whether the controversial arms consignment bound for Zimbabwe had slipped through the net.

"Tanks? Did you say tanks?" said Defence Secretary January Masilela. "I know nothing about that."

The tanks, seen under a partially open tarpaulin flapping in the wind, were seen driving through Cato Ridge, outside Pietermaritzburg at 07:40, and a former military officer suggested that they may form part of the controversial consignment bound for Zimbabwe.

However, ship's clearing agent Anton van Rensburg said: "They are going to the military in the Northern Cape for joint military exercises between Singapore and South Africa.

"They have been temporarily imported for the exercises which will take place next week and finish in May. They are Singaporean tanks and they arrived yesterday (Monday).

"I can assure you, and Zimbabweans, that they are definitely not going to Zimbabwe. They have got nothing to do with Zimbabwe. They will be re-exported at the end of the month."

Van Rensburg said members of the Singaporean armed forces also arrived in South Africa, as they are the only people permitted to drive the tanks.

The An Yue Jiang lifted its anchor off Durban on Friday night moments after the Durban High Court ordered it to dock in Durban and offload its controversial cargo into the custody of the sheriff of Durban.

Meanwhile, Nicole Fritz, director of the Southern African Litigation Centre, which secured the court order, said they were monitoring two other ships, the Feng Shun Shan and the Le Shan, which arrived in Durban and Richards Bay on April 20 and 21 respectively.

"We are still trying to confirm that they come from the same shipping company (as the An Yue Jiang)," said Fritz.

http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/apr/20/today-int1-3.htm
自由時報2008年4月20日

軍售辛巴威 中國再惹非議
〔編譯魏國金／綜合約翰尼斯堡十九日外電報導〕準備借道南非德班港，將滿載的七十七噸重軍火運往辛巴威的中國貨輪安岳江號，本週引發南非的政治騷動。由於這批武器恐被辛巴威政府用來鎮壓異己，中國的舉措引起非議。目前該船已駛離德班，動向不明。

由中國國營「保利科技有限公司」運送的軍火包括三百萬發AK47自動步槍彈藥、一千五百枚火箭推進榴彈與逾三千枚迫擊砲彈與砲管，價值達一百二十四萬美元。

據紐約時報報導，這批軍火是辛巴威政府在三月總統大選前向中國訂購的，運抵時間十分敏感。辛巴威大選已結束三週，然而結果竟還未公佈，獨立監督團咸信執政黨落後在野對手民主改革運動黨。

南非運輸工會秘書長霍華德十八日明確表示，德班的碼頭工人拒絕為安岳江號卸貨，如果政府請他人代勞，恐引發暴力抗爭。

儘管如此，南非政府卻積極協助辛巴威，希望讓軍火通關。南非國防部長馬西列拉指出，武器管制委員會已核准讓這批武器從德班運送至辛巴威首都哈拉雷。

南非政府發言人馬塞柯解釋，目前尚未有國際組織對辛巴威施以武器禁運，因此作為貿易中樞的南非別無選擇。中國也表示，中國軍售原則就是不干涉他國內政，這批軍火是與辛巴威間的正常交易。

聖公會主教菲力普與南非訴訟中心主任佛瑞茲十八日午間緊急向高等法院遞狀，要求暫時禁止該批軍火穿越南非，德班的法官立即同意該要求，這道命令的有效期限到二十五日。安岳江號十八日晚間駛離德班。

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/19/africa/19zimbabwe.php
Zimbabwe arms shipped by China spark an uproar

By Celia W. Dugger
Published: April 19, 2008

JOHANNESBURG: A Chinese ship loaded with armaments for Zimbabwe steamed into the port of Durban this week and set off a political firefight, putting newfound pressure on South Africa — and now China — to reduce support for Zimbabwe's government as it cracks down on its rivals after a disputed election.

Dock workers at the port, backed by South Africa's powerful unions, refused to unload the ammunition and weapons on Friday, vowing protests and threatening violence if the government tried to do it without them.

Meanwhile, the Anglican archbishop of the province appealed to South Africa's High Court to bar transporting the arms across South Africa, arguing that they were likely to be used to repress Zimbabweans. The court agreed, and by late Friday the ship had pulled up anchor and set sail.

The arms shipment was ordered from China before the elections, but its arrival amid Zimbabwe's political crisis illuminated deep fissures within South Africa over how to respond, and brought new scrutiny on China at a time when its human rights record is already under fire for suppressing protesters in Tibet and supplying arms to the government of Sudan.

Three weeks after Zimbabwe's presidential election, officials there have yet to announce the outcome. Independent monitors believe the governing party trailed behind its main rival, the Movement for Democratic Change, but the government has responded by systematically beating, arresting and harassing its opponents, human rights groups say.

The Chinese ship, packed with ammunition, rockets and mortar bombs, quickly became a symbol of clashing approaches to the Zimbabwean dilemma: Should South Africa confront Zimbabwe's autocratic president, Robert Mugabe, in power for 28 years, or continue to pursue the policy of quiet diplomacy that has drawn international criticism?

For China, long an ally of Mugabe's, the opening of a new front of controversy is equally thorny. Despite its sensitivity to criticism as it prepares to hold the Olympic Games this summer, it is wooing African nations in hopes of building its diplomatic clout and securing access to minerals and other resources.

For the union, though, the matter seemed clear. Randall Howard, general secretary of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union, said the dock workers had no intention of allowing the cargo to be unloaded. "If they bring in replacement labor to do the work, our members will not stand and look at them and smile," he said.

But the government, led by the African National Congress, a party that counts the trade unions among its most important partners, took a far more conciliatory approach, giving Zimbabwe's military a helping hand at the border.

In fact, the South African government on Friday was actively helping Zimbabwe to clear the shipment through customs. South Africa's defense secretary, January Masilela, said in an interview on Friday that the National Conventional Arms Control Committee's scrutiny committee, of which he is the chairman, had issued a permit to move the goods from Durban to Harare.

With a go-ahead from superiors, Armscor, South Africa's arms procurement agency, was busy lining up the needed documentation. "We are sorting out the paperwork necessary to get the consignment cleared by customs, like a normal shipping clearance agent," said Armscor's spokesman, Bertus Celliers.

Themba Maseko, a spokesman for the South African government, explained in regretful tones the government's rationale: No international body has yet imposed an arms embargo on Zimbabwe. And so South Africa has little choice, as the trading hub, but to allow a deal between two other countries, even if it is unhappy with a particular transaction.

"So it would be difficult for South Africa to prevent the delivery of any kind of goods, including weaponry," he said. "It is our hope that these arms were not ordered because of the current impasse and that the guns will not be used to resolve the political problems in Zimbabwe."

China took a somewhat similar stance, describing the shipment as standard business with Zimbabwe. "China has always had a prudent and responsible attitude toward arm sales," its Foreign Ministry told Reuters. "One of the most important principles is not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries."

But as the clashing views over the arms shipment show, the political conflict in Zimbabwe has spilled well over its border with South Africa to become a highly charged moral and political issue.

The South African government's handling of the arms shipment has intensified questions about whether President Thabo Mbeki, the region's official mediator in the Zimbabwean crisis, has the credibility to negotiate a way out of a deepening stalemate.

2008 the International Herald Tribune

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article3772113.ece
Dockers refuse to unload China arms shipment for Zimbabwe

April 18, 2008

Philippe Naughton, and Jane Macartney in Beijing
South African dockers are refusing to unload a Chinese cargo ship carrying 77 tonnes of small arms destined for Zimbabwe.

The arms, including three million rounds of ammunition suitable for AK47s and 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades, were ordered by the Zimbabwean military at the time of the March 29 election – which Britain and other Western powers have accused Robert Mugabe of trying to rig.

The arms arrived at Durban, South Africa, on Wednesday aboard the Chinese-owned An Yue Jiang and must be taken by road to landlocked Zimbabwe, where the Government has been accused of arming rural militias before a possible run-off vote for the presidency. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has even accused Mr Mugabe's Zanu (PF) of preparing for a "war" against the people.

January Masilela, the South African Defence Secretary, said yesterday that the shipment had been approved this week by the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), which he chairs. "This is a normal transaction between two sovereign states and we don't have to interfere," he said.

But opposition parties slammed the decision to grant the transit permit and the country's main transport union said that its members would refuse to unload the cargo.

“We do not believe it will be in the interest of the Zimbabwean people in general if South Africa is seen to be a conduit of arms and ammunition into Zimbabwe at a time when the situation could be described as quite volatile,” said Randall Howard, a spokesman for the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU).

“As far as we are concerned the containers will not be offloaded”.

Rafeek Shah, defence spokesman for the Democratic Alliance, the main South African opposition party, added: "The world's astonishment at President Mbeki's political defence of Robert Mugabe will likely turn into outright anger as we are now not only denying the existence of a crisis in Zimbabwe, but also actively facilitating the arming of an increasingly despotic and desperate regime."

AfriForum, a regional business lobby group, has said that it would organise protests along the shipment's route. The South African Institute of Race Relations said that if the shipment goes ahead, "South Africa's culpability in the Zimbabwe crisis would then be without question."

Meanwhile, the South African Government's decision to allow transit of the shipment was the subject of an urgent legal challenge at the Durban High Court.

Nicole Fritz, head of the Southern African Litigation Centre, told Times Online that under the 2002 National Convention on Arms Control, which the NCACC monitors, the permit should not have been granted. That law, she said, specifically prohibits the shipment of arms that will "contribute to internal repression".

In addition, allowing the arms shipment would violate South Africa's international commitments under a range of agreements including the 1996 Wassenaar Arrangement.

"This is a very clear example of a situation in which the committee will be obliged to review a permit," she said, predicting that the High Court would order a stay on the shipment.

There have been persistent reports about Chinese arms sales to Zimbabwe, although the details are hard to pin down.

Zimbabwe announced in 2006 that it had bought six fighter jets from China, adding to a fleet of six it bought the previous year in a deal believed to be based on barter – with China obtaining precious mineral raw materials needed in its economic boom.

Zimbabwean officials said that the aircraft deal also included the purchase of 100 military vehicles from China to replace existing items that were no longer operational since Western sanctions halted imports of spare parts and maintenance equipment.

China’s sales of military hardware are believed to have amounted to more than US$200 million in recent years. There have also been reports that the Chinese have sold water cannons and mobile phone bugging equipment to the security forces in Harare – although it is not clear whether or not those sales were instigated by companies operating outside the control of central government.

Mr Howard, the SATAWU spokesman, said that the An Jue Yiang was carrying 36 containers, 30 of which were equipment for the mining industry in South Africa and Botswana.

“The balance is earmarked for Zimbabwe, four of which have arms and ammunition in them and the other two military aircraft ejector seats," he said.

Times Online© Copyright 2008 Times Newspapers Ltd.

http://news.yam.com/cna/international/200804/20080419055155.html
輿論壓力大 運載軍火中國貨輪駛離南非
中央社╱中央社 2008-04-19 17:14
   
（中央社記者劉正慶約翰尼斯堡十九日專電）在南非巨大的輿論壓力下，準備運載大批武器彈藥至辛巴威的中國籍貨輪「安岳江號」，已於昨天晚上駛離南非德班港，目前仍不知這艘貨輪將駛往何處。

雖然南非行政部門已允許這艘貨輪泊靠德班港，待完成一切清關手續後便可透過陸路將軍火運往辛巴威；但德班高等法院昨天傍晚受理「南部非洲法律訴訟中心」的訴狀後，約一小時，法官皮雷便宣布這一批軍火不得越過南非境內運至辛巴威。

法院的這一臨時命令，效期到二十五日為止。

在南非全國運輸工會揚言所屬會員不會替安岳江號卸貨、民間組織也計畫發動示威後，來自廣州的安岳江號在法院命令生效後便立即離開。

南部非洲法律訴訟中心主任佛瑞茲女士表示，安岳江號已於昨晚六時到七時之間駛離德班港。如果它下一個目的地是莫三比克，該中心將在當地採取類似的法律行動，阻止包括AK47衝鋒槍、迫擊炮在內的軍火物資，流到辛巴威政府手上。

http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/&articleid=337295
Zille: Don't give Chinese arms to Zim

M&G(Mail&Guardian) Online reporter, Sapa and I-Net Bridge
Johannesburg, South Africa
18 April 2008 02:40

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zille on Friday urged President Thabo Mbeki and national conventional arms-control committee (NCACC) chairperson Sydney Mufamadi to stop the transfer of arms aboard a ship, the An Yue Jiang, in Durban harbour to Zimbabwe.

The ship has been at anchor off the port of Durban since Monday.

The Mail & Guardian reported on Friday that AB Logistics, state-owned Armscor's transport arm, had been approached to handle the transport of the weapons to Zimbabwe, after several private logistics firms backed out of the transport contract because of the sensitive cargo and concerns about the ability of the Zimbabwean government to pay the transport costs.

This week, noseweek editor Martin Welz blew the whistle on the arms shipment, following the leaking to noseweek of the delivery documentation.

The documents, which the M&G obtained, show that six containers of weapons destined for the ZDF were shipped to Durban by the Chinese government-controlled conglomerate Poly Technologies for onward transport to Harare.

The consignment comprises three million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 1 500 rocket-propelled grenades and more than 3 000 mortar rounds together with mortar tubes.

Writing in her weekly newsletter on the DA website, Zille said the Cabinet this week, instead of moving swiftly to halt the transport of Chinese arms from Durban through South Africa to Zimbabwe, did nothing.

"This was because, in the words of [government communications head] Themba Maseko, we have to 'tread very carefully' in relations with our neighbour.

"Why? For fear of upsetting Robert Mugabe, who is no doubt preparing for the next phase of the intimidation campaign he is already waging against opposition supporters as he tries to force a presidential run-off election?" Zille asked.

Transporting the arms across South African territory to Zimbabwe is illegal under certain circumstances.

In terms of the National Conventional Arms Control Act, anyone who conveys, freights or transfers weapons is required to apply for a conveyance permit that can only be granted by the NCACC after consideration of how those weapons will be used.

The law clearly states the NCACC cannot allow the transfer of arms to governments that suppress human rights.

"It prohibits the conveyance of weapons to countries where the weapons are likely to escalate conflict and endanger peace. Zimbabwe fits the bill on both counts," Zille said.

It is encouraging that the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu) is reportedly refusing to off-load or transport the weapons cargo," she said.

"If neither Mufamadi nor Mbeki intervened, they could be complicit in state-sponsored terror of genocidal proportions," Zille added.

She said it is worth remembering that it was a consignment of Chinese machetes that prefaced the killing of 800 000 people in Rwanda in 1994.

"The mind boggles when one considers the damage that could be done with the consignment of rocket launchers, grenades and semi-automatic weapons that are sitting in the Durban harbour," Zille said.

No 'scab labour'
Police officers should not be used as "scab labour" to offload the shipment of arms, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) said on Friday, following Satawu's announcement that its members would not offload the ship.

Popcru spokesperson Benzi Soko said: "Satawu has very good reasons for offloading the ship. We understand their objection. Police cannot be used as scab labour."

Asked what Popcru's position would be if police were asked to offload the ship, Soko said: "We are of the view they should not offload this ship." He said Popcru would consider taking legal action if its members were asked to offload the ship.

The United Transport and Allied Trade Union said on Friday that its members would also not help offload the ship.

Defence secretary January Masilela said on Thursday that the scrutiny committee of the NCACC, which he chairs, had approved the conveyance permit on Monday.

He said an inspection team from the NCACC would still have to ensure the cargo met the requirements of the permit before the cargo could be transported to Zimbabwe. The permit would be endorsed by the NCACC when it meets next month.

Asked about the controversy surrounding the shipment, Masilela said: "This is a normal transaction between two sovereign states. We are doing our legal part and we don't have to interfere."

However, by Friday an urgent court application was being brought to suspend the granting of the conveyance permit for the cargo, pending an application for a court order declaring the decision to grant the conveyance permit to be unlawful and invalid.

The application is being brought on behalf of two individuals, Bishop Rubin Phillip and Gerald Patrick Kearney, acting in the public interest, with the support of the Southern Africa Litigation Centre.

Nicole Fritz, director of the Southern Africa Litigation Centre, said: "Given the current situation in Zimbabwe, with increasing accounts of widespread attacks on Zimbabwe's civilian population by government forces, it is hard to imagine clearer circumstances in which South African authorities were obliged to refuse the grant of any conveyance permit."

http://news.yam.com/cna/international/200804/20080418053277.html
南非工會不同意中國軍火卸貨運往辛巴威
中央社╱中央社 2008-04-18 21:04     

（中央社記者劉正慶約翰尼斯堡十八日專電）裝載AK47衝鋒槍和迫擊炮的中國籍貨輪「安宇江號」（譯音），正泊靠在南非德班港口，等南非政府批准並完成一切通關手續後，這批軍火將運往目的地國辛巴威，由於事涉敏感，南非運輸工會祕書長霍華今天表示，旗下會員將不會為「安宇江號」卸貨並託運。

三月二十九日大選過後，打算以暴力鎮壓手段對付反對黨的辛巴威，在南非傳出中國資助軍火加強辛巴威軍警武裝力量後，此事在南非引起軒然大波，擔心這批武器可能製造出辛巴威更多的血腥鎮壓事件。

霍華今天指出，全國運輸工會不同意南非政府對此事採取不干預的立場，在辛巴威朝野緊張局勢岌岌可危之際，工會的看法是，沒有人可以要求會員替中國卸下這批軍火物資，南非更不能被外界視為幫辛巴威傳送武器者，「安宇江號」應該立即駛返中國。

南非通訊社引述國防部「武器管制委員會」主席馬錫里表示，委員會十四日批准這批武器彈藥入境許可，但在運往辛巴威之前，委員會將組成一檢查小組前往德班監督，確保各項要求符合標準，下個月召開的委員會議將決定是否放行。

馬錫里補充說，這一批武器彈藥是兩個主權國家之間的正常交易，南非只能在領土管轄的合法範圍內監督，沒有必要干預。

不過，民間智庫「非洲論壇」執行長卡里爾表示，南非應極力避免這批軍火運往辛巴威，「南非族群關係研究中心」發言人克朗杰認為，南非讓極具爭議的武器送抵辛巴威是說不過去的，如果這麼做，南非毫無疑問的將受到譴責。