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'Why I booed Morgan Tsvangirai' | 'Why I booed Morgan Tsvangirai' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Mr Tsvangirai was forced to halt his speech after protesters chanted 'Mugabe must go' | Mr Tsvangirai was forced to halt his speech after protesters chanted 'Mugabe must go' |
Batson Chapata is a Zimbabwean refugee living in exile in Birmingham, UK. | Batson Chapata is a Zimbabwean refugee living in exile in Birmingham, UK. |
On Saturday he travelled to London to express his frustration toward visiting Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who was speaking at an event in Southwark Cathedral, London. | On Saturday he travelled to London to express his frustration toward visiting Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who was speaking at an event in Southwark Cathedral, London. |
Mr Tsvangirai was booed after he told Zimbabwean exiles that they should return home to help rebuild the nation. | Mr Tsvangirai was booed after he told Zimbabwean exiles that they should return home to help rebuild the nation. |
Mr Chapata, 36, is a regional co-ordinator for Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe (ROHR). | Mr Chapata, 36, is a regional co-ordinator for Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe (ROHR). |
I am not pleased. Not after what we heard from Morgan Tsvangirai on Saturday. | I am not pleased. Not after what we heard from Morgan Tsvangirai on Saturday. |
Morgan Tsvangirai's address was repeatedly interrupted by jeering and chanting | Morgan Tsvangirai's address was repeatedly interrupted by jeering and chanting |
I've been talking to a lot of people and they are not happy. | I've been talking to a lot of people and they are not happy. |
They say Morgan Tsvangirai has sold them out. He has been sent here by Mugabe to beg for money. | They say Morgan Tsvangirai has sold them out. He has been sent here by Mugabe to beg for money. |
For him to come here and use his visit to say all those good things about Mugabe and talk about "putting the past behind us". | For him to come here and use his visit to say all those good things about Mugabe and talk about "putting the past behind us". |
I was really hurt by that. I was angry. | I was really hurt by that. I was angry. |
Torture victims | Torture victims |
I am a victim of torture - and if I was to go back to Zimbabwe I have fears and nightmares of that happening to me again. | I am a victim of torture - and if I was to go back to Zimbabwe I have fears and nightmares of that happening to me again. |
I think he's a hypocrite Batson Chapata | |
I also lost my mother. She was beaten - she was very old. | I also lost my mother. She was beaten - she was very old. |
Many other Zimbabweans have lost brothers and sisters. | Many other Zimbabweans have lost brothers and sisters. |
The people who did this to our relatives - they are still free. | The people who did this to our relatives - they are still free. |
So for someone like Tsvangirai to say these things is very worrying. | So for someone like Tsvangirai to say these things is very worrying. |
I think he's a hypocrite. | |
After his visit, I don't think he's going to have any supporters in the UK. | After his visit, I don't think he's going to have any supporters in the UK. |
I've spoken to many people in the UK who don't want anything to do with him. He has lost us. | I've spoken to many people in the UK who don't want anything to do with him. He has lost us. |
Mr Tsvangirai urged exiled Zimbabweans to returnWhen power-sharing began we were happy - we were backing Tsvangirai all the way. | Mr Tsvangirai urged exiled Zimbabweans to returnWhen power-sharing began we were happy - we were backing Tsvangirai all the way. |
I attended rallies for the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) here in the UK. | I attended rallies for the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) here in the UK. |
But as for now, I'd say he is very poor, very disappointing. | But as for now, I'd say he is very poor, very disappointing. |
If he was concerned about Zimbabweans living in the UK, he could have asked us how we feel instead of telling us to come home. | If he was concerned about Zimbabweans living in the UK, he could have asked us how we feel instead of telling us to come home. |
He should be open to our views because right now we are the people who can see what is happening in our country. The people in Zimbabwe cannot speak out. | He should be open to our views because right now we are the people who can see what is happening in our country. The people in Zimbabwe cannot speak out. |
Running away | Running away |
When I was in Harare, I was imprisoned for one year. | When I was in Harare, I was imprisoned for one year. |
You don't know what's happening to you. | You don't know what's happening to you. |
People don't trust him now... it's going to be very hard for him Batson Chapata | People don't trust him now... it's going to be very hard for him Batson Chapata |
They torture you and force you to confess things you don't really know about. | They torture you and force you to confess things you don't really know about. |
They accuse you of theft, burglary. | They accuse you of theft, burglary. |
There was no food. I saw three people dying in front of my face. | There was no food. I saw three people dying in front of my face. |
To me it was miracle of God that I was released. | To me it was miracle of God that I was released. |
That was early 1999. I left Zimbabwe in 2001. I had to find a way out. | That was early 1999. I left Zimbabwe in 2001. I had to find a way out. |
I was running away from ill treatment. I applied for asylum here in the UK and I am now living in Birmingham. | I was running away from ill treatment. I applied for asylum here in the UK and I am now living in Birmingham. |
Can I see myself returning to Zimbabwe? | Can I see myself returning to Zimbabwe? |
I would if I could. | I would if I could. |
But no. Not while Zanu-PF are in power. | But no. Not while Zanu-PF are in power. |
Zimbabweans had a clear message for their Prime Minister | Zimbabweans had a clear message for their Prime Minister |
Mr Tsvangirai knows that signing the power-sharing deal was wrong. | Mr Tsvangirai knows that signing the power-sharing deal was wrong. |
But now he's trying to pretend to the whole world that it is working. No chance. | But now he's trying to pretend to the whole world that it is working. No chance. |
The economy, the farming - the problems are still going on. | The economy, the farming - the problems are still going on. |
We don't know where Zimbabwe's going to end up. There are so many things that could happen. | We don't know where Zimbabwe's going to end up. There are so many things that could happen. |
Today I heard that Gordon Brown has donated an extra £5m in aid. | Today I heard that Gordon Brown has donated an extra £5m in aid. |
That's good, but will the money get there? | That's good, but will the money get there? |
I fear the government is going to go to those aid agencies and ask for the money. | I fear the government is going to go to those aid agencies and ask for the money. |
They are not in a position to say no. It has happened in the past. | They are not in a position to say no. It has happened in the past. |
I'd have been happier if Mr Tsvangirai had arranged for contractors to come and do development work and the aid money had been paid directly to them. | I'd have been happier if Mr Tsvangirai had arranged for contractors to come and do development work and the aid money had been paid directly to them. |
But I think he wants to control the money. That's not good enough. | But I think he wants to control the money. That's not good enough. |
Broken trust | Broken trust |
Perhaps he thinks that if people from the UK and the US return to Zimbabwe, he can ask for money for them, to help them get jobs. | Perhaps he thinks that if people from the UK and the US return to Zimbabwe, he can ask for money for them, to help them get jobs. |
How can he win us back? | How can he win us back? |
By not sharing power with Mugabe. | By not sharing power with Mugabe. |
By really showing us that Zimbabwe has turned around. | By really showing us that Zimbabwe has turned around. |
But people don't trust him now. | But people don't trust him now. |
It's going to be very hard for him. | It's going to be very hard for him. |