Detention of US and UK diplomats in Zimbabwe
Encyclopedia
On June 5, 2008, diplomatic staff from both the United States
and the United Kingdom
were attacked and abducted by Zimbabwean security forces. Five Americans and four British diplomats were among the victims. Additional diplomats from the European Union and Japan, the Netherlands and Tanzania were also detained. The diplomats, including the American Ambassador James McGee
, were investigating violence in the country, as the next round of the Presidential election starts. Some diplomats managed to flee from the vehicles as they were stopped at a rural road block on the way to Harare
.
David Miliband
said
said
McCormack also stated that the US intended to take this to the Security Council
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
were attacked and abducted by Zimbabwean security forces. Five Americans and four British diplomats were among the victims. Additional diplomats from the European Union and Japan, the Netherlands and Tanzania were also detained. The diplomats, including the American Ambassador James McGee
James McGee
James H. "Jim" McGee was an American politician of the Ohio Democratic party.McGee was born in West Virginia and attended Wilberforce University. After serving in the United States Army, he received a law degree from Ohio State University. McGee, a member of the NAACP, was involved as a lawyer in...
, were investigating violence in the country, as the next round of the Presidential election starts. Some diplomats managed to flee from the vehicles as they were stopped at a rural road block on the way to Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
.
United Kingdom
The British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth AffairsSecretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior member of Her Majesty's Government heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and regarded as one of the Great Offices of State...
David Miliband
David Miliband
David Wright Miliband is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for South Shields since 2001, and was the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2007 to 2010. He is the elder son of the late Marxist theorist Ralph Miliband...
said
They were going about their business properly registered as diplomats. I am pleased to say they are all safe and sound and unharmed, and there was no violence involved. This gives us a window onto the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans, because this sort of intimidation is something that is suffered daily, especially by those working with opposition groups. It is a window into lives which, in some cases, are marked by brutal intimidation, by torture and, in 53 cases documented in the past few weeks, by death.
United States
The United State Department spokesman Sean McCormackSean McCormack
Sean McCormack is a former United States Assistant Secretary of State. He was sworn in as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Department Spokesman on June 2, 2005, and served until January 20, 2009.-Early career:...
said
It's outrageous and unacceptable. While the immediate incident has been resolved it will not be forgotten. This did not just happen. This wasn't 40 people standing by the side of the road who decided to take this on.
McCormack also stated that the US intended to take this to the Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
.