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Germany protests to Zimbabwe over attack on priest

Nov 18, 2009 2:49 PM | By Sapa-dpa

The German government has sent a written protest to the Zimbabwean over an alleged attack by Zimbabwean soldiers on a German priest last weekend.

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A Zimbabwe soldier standing guard
A Zimbabwe soldier standing guard
Photograph by: TSVANGIRAYI MUKWAZHI
Credit: AP
quote No one has so far been arrested quote

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In a letter to the ministry dated Tuesday, the German embassy expressed its "utter consternation about a violent attack on Father Wolfgang Thamm SJ, by four junior members of the Zimbabwean Army on 15 November 2009 at the city of Banket."

Thamm, a Jesuit priest, was stopped without apparent reason by soldiers as he was driving past an army barracks in the farming town of Banket, about 100 kilometres west of Harare, according to the embassy letter disclosed on Wednesday.

One soldier took the priest's glasses and slammed him in the face, the embassy wrote.

The cleric was then ordered by the soldiers to kneel on the ground in a large puddle of water.

When he hesitated to follow the order, he was "brutally kicked several times," the embassy added, calling the incident "totally unacceptable" and "particularly despicable" in view of Thamm's long years of service in Zimbabwe.

Joey Bimha, the foreign affairs permanent secretary confirmed that the letter had been delivered on Tuesday. Bimha said Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi was out of the country and that the ministry had not yet issued a reply.

Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena could not be reached for comment, but a police official in Banket confirmed that Thamm had reported the assault.

"No one has so far been arrested, that is all I can say about that incident," the official said.

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Comments

Nov 18 2009 03:02:06 PM
IT_Spec
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The priest is so fortunate by not got eaten up by this batallion. How on earth a hungry police can arrest someone?
Zimbabwe has to take a fresh care Germans have strong military hardware and rich and fatal military history emrges from there.
Nov 18 2009 03:06:31 PM
Mommacyndi
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No good deed goes unpunnished
Nov 18 2009 03:08:30 PM
VinceRSA
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Well, South Africa under the ANC has OFFICIALLY LEGISLATED iteslf as The Most Racist Nation on Earth Today BUT that does not compare to the reality on the ground neither here in RSA nor in Zimbabwe.

Tacitly the extermination of especially white minority groups or individuals and BLATANTLY the farming or outlying rural based people is th edriving force of the dictatorial paternal tribal leadership.

The rest of the world seemingly sits back and accepts all this regardless of the publishings, or of the overwhelming evidence of mismanagement of governance, funds or even of the LACK of simple humanity and conscience person to person.
AFRICA is not some mystical dream of Dark Continent phantasies!
It is a cold calculating and cruel irrational and forceful brutal continent, that has covered the eyes of the international community with a blanket (a Facade) of guilt called colonialism and a host of other very profitable guises and THOSE SAME NATIONS continue to throw money & support at them in increasing volumes.
Nov 18 2009 03:10:58 PM
mcritic
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A few issues not raiseed in the report. The prest is 82 years old and was transporting a seriously ill boy from a clinic to a hospital for better treatment.

Have these dogs of Mugabe no self-respect. Soldiers like tht should be court marshallled and send to jail for at least five years.

However, the Zim unirformed foorces have a licence to kill, maim and torture anyone they want to - so nothing will happen in this case.

Mugabe should be in the hague answerring charges of genocide and groass human rights abuses. he should be in jail for looting and having billions in foreign aid currency.
Nov 18 2009 03:18:56 PM
VinceRSA
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TRAGICALLY AFRICA'S SHAMEFUL TRUTH - whether from far right facist postings or not, these are NOT for the feint hearted.

http://www.africancrisis.co.za/Article.php?ID=63881&

http://www.christianaction.org.za/firearmnews/2004-03_Thefarmmurderplague.htm

http://stopwhitegenocide.praag.org/?tag=farm-murders
Nov 18 2009 04:01:13 PM
TheWisdom
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And what do you think ole Bob will do with your letter...
Nov 18 2009 04:05:54 PM
august rain
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Germans are such crybabies!
Nov 18 2009 06:01:18 PM
samurai14
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It will land up as toilet paper.....A letter, are they for real....lol...
Nov 18 2009 06:06:46 PM
cynicaloldliberal
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august rain. you will be targeted by anc thugs in the near future in exactly this same way, you have now called that upon yourself. then let us see whether you still comment like this.

anc follows zanu-pf. we beat those who are doing good for the poor and the sick or helpless, to show that we are true africans.
Nov 18 2009 09:04:24 PM
bart
user name
And some people still believe Bob is doing good for his nation - insanity prevails.


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