France releases Rwandan official

Rose Kabuye's arrest sparked anger among Rwandans
The French authorities say they will allow detained Rwandan government official Rose Kabuye to travel back to Rwanda for a holiday over Christmas.
She was arrested last month in Germany at France's request under an international warrant.
The French accuse the former Tutsi rebel commander of taking part in the 1994 killing of former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana.
His death was the spark for the Rwandan genocide of some 800,000 people.
Ms Kabuye, the chief of protocol for current Rwandan President Paul Kagame, has repeatedly protested her innocence.
Free woman
She was already on bail but she could not move out of France - these conditions have now been changed so that she can return to Rwanda.


She is a free woman and she is coming home
Tharcisse Karugarama, Rwandan Justice Minister
After the ruling was made, Rwandan Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama said she would be proven innocent and declared:
"The international arrest warrant will no longer be applied, she is a free woman and she is coming home.
"The information I have is that her initial appearance will be on 10 January next year. She will travel there on that date," he said.
Ms Kabuye was detained on arrival at Frankfurt airport in Germany in November following an arrest warrant issued by a French judge.
Her arrest sparked anger in Rwanda, with large protests by people asking for her immediate release.
She is one of nine senior Rwandan officials wanted over the shooting down of Habyarimana's plane.
President Kagame's Tutsi-led Rwanda Patriotic Front - a rebel group at the time, now the ruling party - has always strongly denied responsibility.
The RPF insists that the plane was shot down by Hutu extremists to give them a pretext to attack ethnic Tutsis and moderates.
Correspondents say Ms Kabuye, a former RPF guerrilla has heroic status in Rwanda.
She has served as an MP and mayor of the capital Kigali, and is one of President Kagame's closest aides.

Rwanda genocide suspect home goes for Christmas

The Associated PressPublished: December 23, 2008



KIGALI, Rwanda: A senior Rwandan official arrested in Europe in connection with the death of Rwanda's former president will be allowed to fly home for Christmas, the government said Tuesday.

In Germany, federal prosecutors announced that another Rwandan, a town mayor, was arrested Monday on suspicion of genocide.

The senior official, Rose Kabuye — chief of protocol for current President Paul Kagame — was detained in Germany Nov. 9 and later transferred to France. She is held in connection with the shooting down of a plane carrying Rwanda's former president Juvenal Habyarimana in 1994, The assassination sparked 100 days of genocide that killed more than 500,000 people.

French authorities are investigating the attack because Habyarimana's two pilots were French. A judge authorized her Christmas leave. Rwandan justice minister Tharcisse Karugarama says Kabuye will return to Rwanda on Wednesday and return to Paris on Jan. 10 to appear before a French judge.

"The government of Rwanda considers this development a step in the right direction," a Rwandan government statement said. ... "Outstanding arrest warrants against Rwandan officials should be nullified, as there is no need to arrest and humiliate individuals who have never been asked and refused to cooperate with justice."



In a separate development, a former Rwandan mayor suspected of involvement in the central African country's genocide was arrested.

The 51-year-old man, identified only by the initials O.R., was arrested in the Frankfurt area on Monday, federal prosecutors said.

They said the man is a Hutu who served in 1994 as the mayor of a municipality in northern Rwanda and allegedly called for, led and coordinated killings of Tutsis. In particular, he is believed to have been involved in a massacre at Nyarubuye in mid-April 1994, prosecutors said.

The Rwandan government did not comment on his arrest.

More than 500,000 minority Tutsis and political moderates from the Hutu majority were killed in the slaughter, which was organized by the extremist Hutu government then in power. Government troops, Hutu militia and ordinary villagers spurred on by hate messages broadcast over the radio went from village to village, butchering men, women and children.

German federal prosecutors said the 51-year-old former mayor was previously arrested in Frankfurt in April on a Rwandan extradition request, but was released again in early November after judicial authorities decided that they could not extradite him.

German prosecutors said his second arrest was based on information that they gleaned in their own investigation, begun in March. They did not elaborate.

Un Rwandais accusé de génocide à nouveau arrêté en Allemagne

BERLIN (AFP) - 23/12/2008 15h13


Un Rwandais soupçonné de participation au génocide de 1994, arrêté en Allemagne sur mandat international émis par le Rwanda puis relâché le 5 novembre, a été de nouveau incarcéré lundi, sur mandat allemand, a annoncé mardi le parquet général fédéral allemand.

Onesphore Rwabukombe, un Hutu de 51 ans, "est fortement soupçonné d'assassinats et de génocide (...) au détriment des membres de l'éthnie Tutsi", selon un communiqué du parquet général fédéral.

Le suspect a déjà été incarcéré de juillet à novembre, jusqu'à ce qu'un tribunal de Francfort ordonne sa remise en liberté. Les juges avaient tiré les conséquences d'une décision du 8 octobre de la chambre d'appel du Tribunal pénal international pour le Rwanda (TPIR) selon laquelle les conditions d'un procès équitable pour génocide au Rwanda n'étaient garanties pour aucun accusé.

M. Rwabukombe est l'ancien maire de Muvumba. Kigali l'accuse d'avoir ordonné et participé à des massacres de Tutsis, principales victimes du génocide qui a fait 800.000 morts en 1994, selon l'ONU.

En novembre, pour la même raison, le tribunal de Francfort avait également remis en liberté Callixte Mbarushimana, un des dirigeants en exil des Forces démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), mouvement hutu rebelle basé dans l'est de la République démocratique du Congo.

Mais le 18 décembre, le procureur général fédéral a lancé un nouveau mandat d'arrêt basé sur "les propres informations dont dispose le parquet fédéral", selon un communiqué de ce dernier.

Le suspect, arrêté lundi dans la région Francfort, a été présenté devant un juge qui l'a placé sous mandat de dépôt, selon ce communiqué, qui précise que les motifs ne peuvent être dévoilés pour l'instant. La justice allemande enquêtait sur lui depuis mars, a-t-on indiqué de même source

Le 9 novembre, les autorités allemandes avaient arrêté, toujours à Francfort, Rose Kabuye, 47 ans, une proche du président rwandais Paul Kagame.

Sous le coup d'un mandat d'arrêt international délivré en 2006 par la France, Rose Kabuye avait été transférée à Paris où elle avait été placée sous contrôle judiciaire après avoir été inculpée pour complicité d'assassinats et association de malfaiteurs, le tout en relation avec une entreprise terroriste.

Paris la recherchait dans le cadre de l'enquête sur l'attentat contre le président Habyarimana en 1994, qui a déclenché le génocide. Mme Kabuye a été autorisée lundi à retourner au Rwanda pour les fêtes.


© 2008 AFP

Rwanda: une partie civile "estomaquée" par le retour à Kigali de Rose Kabuye

23.12.08 | 13h13




L'avocat d'Agathe Habyarimana, veuve du président rwandais assassiné en avril 1994, a indiqué mardi à l'AFP que sa cliente était "estomaquée" par l'autorisation accordée par la justice française à Rose Kabuye de retourner à Kigali pour les fêtes.
"Ma cliente est estomaquée par cette décision qui est contraire à ce qui se pratique habituellement dans ce type d'instruction", a déclaré à l'AFP Me Philippe Meilhac.



"Ainsi, la seule personne mise en cause dans ce dossier est autorisée à retourner au Rwanda où elle aura tout loisir de discuter avec les autres personnes visées par la procédure", a constaté l'avocat en ajoutant que sa cliente en vient "à douter de la volonté de la justice de vouloir arriver à la vérité".

"La partie civile a du mal à comprendre ce qui se passe. Elle se demande si dans trois mois, le contrôle judiciaire de Mme Kabuye ne va pas être purement et simplement levé. On est très pessimiste", a ajouté Me Meilhac en regrettant que cette "volte-face opérée pour des raisons diplomatiques se fasse sur le dos des parties civiles".

Rose Kabuye, une proche du président rwandais Paul Kagame mise en examen et placée sous contrôle judiciaire dans l'enquête sur l'attentat contre le président Habyarimana en 1994, a été autorisée lundi à retourner au Rwanda pour les fêtes.

"C'est une décision qui prend en considération la situation humaine dans laquelle se trouve ma cliente et qui montre que la justice peut fonctionner efficacement tout en étant modérée", s'est félicité l'un de ses avocat, Me Léon-Lef Forster, en précisant que Mme Kabuye, est tenue de revenir en France le 10 janvier.

"Au niveau du gouvernement, nous nous en réjouissons mais ce n'est qu'une étape vers la justice qui lui est due", a commenté à Kigali la ministre rwandaise de l'Information et porte-parole du gouvernement, Louise Mushikiwabo.

Sous le coup d'un mandat d'arrêt international délivré en 2006 par la France, Rose Kabuye, 47 ans, avait été interpellée le 9 novembre en Allemagne et transférée à Paris où elle avait été mise en examen par le juge antiterroriste Marc Trévidic pour complicité d'assassinats et association de malfaiteurs, le tout en relation avec une entreprise terroriste.

Le juge la soupçonne d'avoir pris part à l'attentat le 6 avril 1994 contre l'avion du président rwandais Juvénal Habyarimana, signal déclencheur d'un génocide qui a fait selon l'ONU environ 800.000 morts, essentiellement parmi la minorité tutsie. Elle nie les faits qui lui sont reprochés, selon ses avocats.

Présentée à un juge des libertés et de la détention (JLD), elle a été laissée en liberté sous contrôle judiciaire avec notamment l'interdiction de quitter la France sans autorisation.

Kigali se félicite du retour de Rose Kabuye pour les fêtes

23.12.08 | 15h55



Le gouvernement rwandais s'est dit satisfait mardi de la décision de la justice française de laisser Rose Kabuye, une proche du président rwandais Paul Kagame mise en examen et placée sous contrôle judiciaire en France, retourner au Rwanda pour les fêtes.
"Au niveau de gouvernement, nous nous en réjouissons mais ce n'est qu'une étape vers la justice qui lui est due", a déclaré à l'AFP à Kigali la ministre rwandaise de l'Information et porte-parole du gouvernement, Louise Mushikiwabo.



Le ministère de l'Information rwandais a précisé mardi dans un communiqué que "Mme Kabuye était attendue à Kigali mercredi 24 décembre dans l'après-midi".

"Nous maintenons que c'est une femme innocente qui a été arrêtée en violation des conventions internationales", a poursuivi la ministre en exigeant une fois de plus "un procès rapide, juste et équitable" pour Mme Kabuye.

"Pour des raisons familiales, nous avions demandé à ce que Mme Kabuye puisse se rendre à Kigali pour la période des fêtes", avait expliqué à l'AFP lundi soir l'un de ses avocat, Me Léon-Lef Forster, annonçant que cette demande avait été acceptée par les juges après un avis favorable du parquet.

Sous le coup d'un mandat d'arrêt international délivré en 2006 par la France, Rose Kabuye, 47 ans, avait été interpellée le 9 novembre en Allemagne et transférée à Paris où elle avait été mise en examen par le juge antiterroriste Marc Trévidic pour complicité d'assassinats et association de malfaiteurs, le tout en relation avec une entreprise terroriste.

Le juge la soupçonne d'avoir pris part à l'attentat le 6 avril 1994 contre l'avion du président rwandais de l'époque Juvénal Habyarimana, un Hutu, signal déclencheur d'un génocide qui a fait selon l'ONU environ 800.000 morts, essentiellement parmi la minorité tutsi. Rose Kabuye nie les faits qui lui sont reprochés, selon ses avocats.

Présentée à un juge des libertés et de la détention (JLD), elle avait été laissée en liberté sous contrôle judiciaire avec notamment l'interdiction de quitter la France sans autorisation.

Nagui FAM

Nagui présente "Tout le monde veut prendre sa place" et "Taratata".

Alexandrie-Paris alller simple vers les médias

Nagui FAM, dit Nagui, est né le 14 novembre 1961 à Alexandrie (Egypte), d'un père égyptien et d'une mère française, tous les deux professeurs de français. Il passe ses premières années à Alexandrie, 3 ans à Aix en Provence, 2 ans au Canada et aux USA et enfin vient s'installer à Cannes, région dans laquelle il fera ses débuts. En juin 1979; son baccalauréat C en poche, il entame une fac de Sciences à Nice (Deug B) puis 2 ans de prépa HEC à Paris.

L'intégralité de sa vie professionnelle concerne les médias.

Il est présentateur de radio, puis, parallèlement présentateur et producteur de télévision.

En janvier 1993, il crée sa société AIR PRODUCTIONS, afin de produire l'émission TARATATA pour France 2. Il est Gérant de cette société et actionnaire unique depuis le début.

En 1994, il crée la filiale IMAGE ON AIR, d'abord avec une société partenaire (IMAGE FACTORY). En 1997 AIR PRODUCTIONS achète à cette société les parts qu'elle détenait dans IMAGE ON AIR et Nagui FAM en devient le Président.



Des radios "libres" à RTL: parcours sans faute.


Il fait ses débuts à "Radio Vintimille Internationale" pendant l'été 1979.

- 1979/1980 : "Radio Continentale" (FM pirate dans le Sud Est)

- Juin 80 à Juin 81 : "Radio Midi" (FM pirate dans le Sud Est)

- Juin 81 à Août 82 : "Radio galère" qu'il monte avec ses amis à Cannes

- Octobre 82 à Nov 85 : "Radio France Côte d'Azur"

- Nov 85 à Mars 86 : "Radio France Provence"

- Mai 86 à Mai 87 : "95.2 FM"

- Juin 87 : "Chic FM"

- Depuis le 15 février 1988 : Entrée à RTL

- Février 88 à juin 88 : "RTL an 2000" de 20 h à 21h

- Septembre 88 à juin 89 : "Satell Hits" de 20 h à 21h30

- Septembre 89 à Juin 90 : "Challeng Hits" de 19h à 20h30
"Satell hits" de 20h30 à 21h pendant la semaine
"Studio 22" le samedi de 18h30 à 20h

- Septembre 90 à Août 91 : "Génération laser" de 19h à 21h
"Studio 22" le samedi de 18h30 à 20h

- Septembre 91 à Juillet 93 : "Départ immédiat" le vendredi de 8h30 à 10h
"Studio 22" le samedi de18h30 à20h

- Septembre 93 à Juin 94 : "Le Cékoidon" de10h à 11h

- Depuis septembre 94 : "Malice aux pays des merveilles" de 8h30 à10h du lundi au jeudi

- Sur Europe 2 depuis Septembre 2006


De la musique et des jeux: Nagui sur France2.


- Juillet 92 à septembre 95 : "Que le meilleur gagne" - France 2 animée par Nagui (Bi-quotidienne - 12h30 et 19h20)

- Janvier 93 à juin 96 : "Taratata" - France 2 animée et produite par Nagui (Hebdomadaire - 2éme partie de soirée)

- Octobre 93 à décembre 93 : "Ovations" - France 2 animée et produite par Nagui (Mensuelle - 1ère partie de soirée)

- Février 94 : "Les victoires de la musique" & " les 7 d'or" - France 2
Co-animateur (Emissions exceptionnelles - 1ère partie de soirée)

- Septembre 94 à juin 96 : "N'oubliez pas votre brosse à dents" - France 2 animée et produite par Nagui (Mensuelle - 1ère partie de soirée)

- Février 95 : "Les victoires de la musique" - France 2
Co-animateur (Emission exceptionnelle - 1ère partie de soirée)

- Juin 95 à Février 96 : "MirOir mon beau mirOir" - France 2 animée et produite par Nagui (Mensuelle - 1ère partie de soirée)

- Septembre 96 à juin 97 : "Taratata" - France 2 animée par Alexandra Kazan et produite par Nagui (Hebdomadaire - 2ème partie de soirée)

- Avril 98 : "Sidaction 98, Fête l'amour" - France 2 produite par Nagui
(Spéciale - 22h30)

- Septembre 98 : "Hymne à Piaf" - France 2 produite par Nagui (Spéciale - 20h50)

- Septembre 98 : "Ophélie de folie" - France 2 produite par Nagui (Spéciale - 22h30)

- Novembre 98 : "Y'a quoi à la télé?" - France 2 animée par Thierry Beccaro et produite par Nagui (Spéciale - 20h50)

- 20 et 27 décembre 98 : "Le monde est merveilleux" - France 2 animée par Antoine et produite par Nagui (Dimanche - 2ème partie de soirée)

- Janvier 99 : "Starmania, Miss Saigon, Notre-Dame de Paris... et les autres" - France 2 Documentaire produit par Nagui

- Avril 99 : "Taratata Symphonique n°1" - France 2 animée et produite par Nagui (Spéciale - 20h50)

- Novembre 99 : "Taratata Symphonique n°2" - France 2 animée et produite par Nagui (Spéciale - 20h50)

- Janvier 2001 à Avril 2001 : "Tutti Frutti" - France 2 animée et produite par Nagui

- De Déc 01 à Déc 02 : "Le Numéro Gagnant" - France 2 animée et produite par Nagui

- De Juillet à Août 2002 : "Slap" - France 2 produite par Nagui

- 27 décembre 2003 : "Prix Constantin" - France 2 animé par Nagui

- 17 janvier 2004 : "le coffre" - France2 animé par Nagui.

- 25 décembre 2004 : "Encore + libre" - France 2

- 28 décembre 2004 : "Ça va être votre fête" - France 2 - animé par Nagui

- 2005 : "Taratata" - France 3, France 4 - animé par Nagui

- été 2005 : "Intervilles" - France 2

- 2006 : "Tout le monde veut prendre sa place" et "Y'en aura pour tout le monde" - France 2

- Palmarès des chansons : 28/04/2006

- fin 2006 : Retour de Taratata sur France 2

PETA Names Oprah Its "Person of the Year"

PETA Names Oprah Its "Person of the Year"
Dec 20, 2008 09:48 AM ET

by Adam Bryant

Continuing her way toward total world domination, talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey has been named "Person of the Year" by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Winfrey was selected for using her talk show to bring light to issues important to the Norfolk, Va.-based animal rights group's mission, with episodes that have, for example, focused on puppy mills and the treatment of chickens and other animals in factory farms. Winfrey also went on a vegan diet for a week, and in April, dedicated an episode of her show to her late cocker spaniel Sophie, who died at age 13.

Winfrey has "used her powerful voice to defend those without one," PETA president Ingrid Newkirk said in a statemement. Winfrey, who was unavailable for comment, according to The Associated Press, will receive a plaque and a letter of appreciation.

Previous winners of the PETA award include U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia in 2007 and the founders of the San Francisco-based cleaning product company Method in 2006.

EALA Common Market public hearing sets for next week

BY IRENE V. NAMBI



Sunday, 21st December 2008


The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is set to conduct public Hearings on the East African Community (EAC) Common Market on Monday, 22 December 2008 at Prime Holdings, Kimihurura.

According to Aime Uwase, the Director of planning in the Ministry of East African Community, the workshop will among other things hear issues and general concerns of the civil society, private sector, academics, politicians and government officials as representatives of the people of East Africa.

The decision by the regional parliamentarians to conduct the hearings emerged earlier this month during the just-concluded EALA session in Kampala, Uganda.

“They want to gather views of people in different sectors so that they too can contribute to the integration process. So far, we have had different negotiations on the common market issue and reports will help us finalise the protocol,” Uwase said.

The Common Market Protocol is one of the main stages towards the regional integration process and the Public Hearings will gather views of the general public on the salient issues that they would like the Common Market protocol to address.

The realisation of the Common Market – which is expected to be in place by the beginning of 2010 – will pave way for the ultimate East African Political Federation.

The Public Hearings will be conducted simultaneously in all the five partner States of the East African Community by members of the assembly.

In accordance with Article 76 of the treaty, a common market shall be established to ensure the free movement of labour, goods, services, capital and the right of establishment.

As a prerequisite to the establishment of the common market, the protocol needs to be completed. Apparently, negotiations are still underway and there is need for all stakeholders to be involved in the process.

The public hearings therefore identify and explain key issues and policy options that should guide negotiations on the common market protocol.

The EALA comprises of 45 elected members, 9 from each of the five partner States; 10 members who include ministers responsible for EAC Affairs and their Deputies, the Secretary General of the Community and the Counsel to the Community.

Ends

LRA kill 2 in South Sudan ambush

GRACE MATSIKO

Kampala

In an apparent revenge attack following military raids on their territories, suspected Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels have killed two civilians in South Sudan, a regional official has said.

The Deputy Governor of the Western Equatoria state, Joseph Ngere told Sudan Tribune, a Sudanese online daily publication on Friday, suspected LRA rebels killed two youths in an ambush at Tore, an area on the South Sudan-Democratic Republic of Congo border on Thursday.

“The deputy governor Ngere said there are growing fears in Western Equatoria state that the fighting may spill over to the state,” the Sudan Tribune quoted the governor as saying.

Uganda, DR Congo and the semi-autonomous South Sudan last Sunday launched joint military strikes in an operation codenamed ‘Lightning Thunder’ against the LRA rebels who have been holed up in north-eastern Congo’s Garamba forests since 2005.

But the statement by Governor Ngere on the attack could be a signal that, though the LRA may have been displaced from its bases as a result of last Sunday’s air strikes, the reclusive rebel leader Joseph Kony’s will to forment mischief is not yet over.

Last Sunday’s strike had the stated objective of applying pressure on Kony to sign the Final Peace Agreement negotiated with the Uganda government since 2006. The operation’s commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho has said they wanted to “break Kony’s back”.

However, emerging information suggests that the rebels may have been tipped-off before the attack, meaning the onslaught hit empty encampments and ultimately appears to have failed in its primary objective.

Thursday’s ambush at Tore is the one consequence of military action that political leaders in northern Uganda had warned about, saying the LRA could mount retaliatory strikes, forcing their people who have enjoyed relative peace back into the crowded internally displaced persons camps.

Meanwhile, the LRA peace delegation chairman, Mr. David Nyekorach Matsanga said by telephone yesterday, he could not confirm or deny the attack. He promised to verify the information from military commanders on the ground.

“As far we are concerned we are ready for peace not fighting,” Mr Matsanga said. “If there is ceasefire, it will enable our troops to re-assemble in Rii-kwangba, the designated assembly point,” he added.

Mr Matsanga told Sunday Monitor yesterday, they have not closed the door to peace efforts but will no longer allow South Sudan’s semi-autonomous government to chair any talks. Until last Sunday, South Sudan Vice President, Dr Riek Machar, was chief mediator to the Juba peace process.

“I have spoken to LRA and they are asking for cessation of hostilities. They are however saying future negotiations cannot take place in Sudan because the Sudan People’s Liberation Army participated in the raids,” Mr Matsanga said.

When contacted the spokesman for the UPDF troops deployed in the DRC, Capt. Chris Magezi said they have not heard of the attack.
“We are not aware of that,” Capt. Magezi said via satellite telephone link from Dungu yesterday.

Sunday Monitor has separately learnt that the army has stepped up its vigilance in West Nile. Before Operation Lightning Thunder, the army had repeatedly said they have secured Uganda’s borders against possible infiltration by the LRA, a terror group that for years has used panga’s, among other weapons, to kill and maim their victims.
Up to two million Ugandans were at one time internally displaced in northern Uganda as result of the insurgency.

The Governor of Central Equatoria state, which covers the provincial capital of Juba, Major General Clement Wani Konga, on Monday warned of imminent attacks by the LRA rebels in the region.
The UPDF said military strikes on Kony’s bases were necessary to force the elusive rebel leader to sign a peace deal. Kony has thrice failed to show up at the signing venue since at various since the beginning of this year.

Meanwhile, Sunday Monitor has established that the UPDF have established their second tactical headquarters at Camp Swahili, the former LRA headquarters, inside the Garamba forests that were occupied by the troops this week.

Between September 17 and October 4, sources in Monuc, the UN mission in DR Congo, say the LRA attacked 10 villages and abducted of between 100 and 200 people, as well as killing up to a 100 others. The attacks displaced over 70,000 people.

Mugabe vows not to reverse Zimbabwe farm seizures

Sun 21 Dec 2008, 8:31 GMT

By MacDonald Dzirutwe

BINDURA, Zimbabwe (Reuters) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said on Saturday he would not allow a unity government to reverse his controversial policy of seizing white-owned farmland and giving it to blacks.

Speaking at his ZANU-PF party's annual conference, Mugabe said that while he hoped the opposition would agree to form a coalition government, he would not compromise on policies such as land seizures, which critics say wrecked Zimbabwe's economy.

"We don't want a unity which is retrogressive," Mugabe told about 6,000 ruling party supporters at this town about 80 km (50 miles) north of the capital Harare.

"The biggest issue is of land ... the land has already been given to the people, it will not be returned to whites."

Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai agreed three months ago to form a coalition government after disputed elections, but the pact has stalled as they fight over who should control key ministries.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe has sunk deeper into crisis: hyperinflation means prices double every day and a cholera epidemic has killed more than 1,100 people.

Mugabe has threatened to form a government with or without the MDC, which complains the president is trying to relegate it to a junior role.

Investors hope a unity government would wrest enough control from Mugabe to reverse the policies they blame for the meltdown, and avert total collapse in Zimbabwe. Mugabe blames Western sanctions for the crisis.

UNTILLED FARMLAND

Under the September 15 deal, land that was seized from white farmers and now lies dormant would not be returned, but would be redistributed to black farmers with the resources and skills to cultivate it.

In a sign of Zimbabwe's collapse -- and its potential -- the conference took place in a town that once relied on mining for its economic lifeblood. Those mines have recently been shut.

ZANU-PF officials earlier said the party was likely to vote on a resolution on Saturday urging Mugabe urgently to form a government unilaterally -- a move that would probably finish off the power-sharing pact.

Resolutions were being discussed behind closed doors and it was not immediately clear whether the motion had been passed.

In elections last March, ZANU-PF lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since independence in 1980. Tsvangirai boycotted a run-off presidential vote in June, citing violence against his supporters.

Western countries and some African leaders have renewed calls in recent weeks for Mugabe, 84, to step down.

But, a day after vowing never to "surrender", Mugabe railed against his foes, saying the West wanted to topple him.

"Mugabe must go before Bush is going?" he said, referring to U.S. President George W. Bush, who leaves office in January. "Is it a ritual now that Bush with his political death must be accompanied by some African from

Mugabe vows not to reverse Zimbabwe farm seizures

Sun 21 Dec 2008, 8:31 GMT

By MacDonald Dzirutwe

BINDURA, Zimbabwe (Reuters) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said on Saturday he would not allow a unity government to reverse his controversial policy of seizing white-owned farmland and giving it to blacks.

Speaking at his ZANU-PF party's annual conference, Mugabe said that while he hoped the opposition would agree to form a coalition government, he would not compromise on policies such as land seizures, which critics say wrecked Zimbabwe's economy.

"We don't want a unity which is retrogressive," Mugabe told about 6,000 ruling party supporters at this town about 80 km (50 miles) north of the capital Harare.

"The biggest issue is of land ... the land has already been given to the people, it will not be returned to whites."

Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai agreed three months ago to form a coalition government after disputed elections, but the pact has stalled as they fight over who should control key ministries.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe has sunk deeper into crisis: hyperinflation means prices double every day and a cholera epidemic has killed more than 1,100 people.

Mugabe has threatened to form a government with or without the MDC, which complains the president is trying to relegate it to a junior role.

Investors hope a unity government would wrest enough control from Mugabe to reverse the policies they blame for the meltdown, and avert total collapse in Zimbabwe. Mugabe blames Western sanctions for the crisis.

UNTILLED FARMLAND

Under the September 15 deal, land that was seized from white farmers and now lies dormant would not be returned, but would be redistributed to black farmers with the resources and skills to cultivate it.

In a sign of Zimbabwe's collapse -- and its potential -- the conference took place in a town that once relied on mining for its economic lifeblood. Those mines have recently been shut.

ZANU-PF officials earlier said the party was likely to vote on a resolution on Saturday urging Mugabe urgently to form a government unilaterally -- a move that would probably finish off the power-sharing pact.

Resolutions were being discussed behind closed doors and it was not immediately clear whether the motion had been passed.

In elections last March, ZANU-PF lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since independence in 1980. Tsvangirai boycotted a run-off presidential vote in June, citing violence against his supporters.

Western countries and some African leaders have renewed calls in recent weeks for Mugabe, 84, to step down.

But, a day after vowing never to "surrender", Mugabe railed against his foes, saying the West wanted to topple him.

"Mugabe must go before Bush is going?" he said, referring to U.S. President George W. Bush, who leaves office in January. "Is it a ritual now that Bush with his political death must be accompanied by some African from