Zimbabwe warns Aust to stay out of cricket debate

LINDA MOTTRAM: Zimbabwe's government has issued a warning to Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, to keep out of the debate over the staging of Cricket World Cup matches in Zimbabwe। The Mugabe Government says that fears of unrest during the matches are unfounded, though Zimbabwe opposition groups say that the situation will be extremely dangerous।Africa Correspondent, Sally Sara reports। SALLY SARA: The Zimbabwean Government says it's given guarantees that the Australian cricket team will be protected। The Australians are scheduled to play in Zimbabwe on February the 24th। The International Cricket Council says the match will go ahead. But Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer says it should be relocated to South Africa. Mr. Downer has received a report from Australian High Commissioner to Zimbabwe, Jonathon Brown. The report warns of possible demonstrations during the World Cup. But the Zimbabwean Government says Mr. Downer's fears are unfounded. Spokesman for President Robert Mugabe, George Charamba says Mr. Downer should keep out of the debate.GEORGE CHARAMBA: Oh my God, the message for him; just keep away and stop being a nuisance, in the sense… and I mean people are losing patience. We really can't waste our time worrying about Australia's worries, which are actually misplaced.SALLY SARA: But can you guarantee that these matches will be safe?GEORGE CHARAMBA: We know this: they plan the game to go on, and go on so well. And I know the world is going to see that we have the capacity to host both in terms of our facilities as well as in terms of security. But really, the one missing thing is having to spend our energies in order [inaudible] to Australia's Foreign Minister really it is not worth our while at all.SALLY SARA: Mr. Downer says the Zimbabwean police have failed to give a commitment that they won't react to demonstrations in a disproportionately aggressive way. But that's exactly what some opposition groups are banking on.The National Constitutional Assembly is planning to stage large protests during the World Cup matches in Zimbabwe. The NCA says it will be a chance to show the international community the brutality of the Mugabe regime. NCA Chairman, Lovemore Madhuku is warning that confrontations between police and activists could be extremely violent. Mr. Madhuku says the Australian cricket team shouldn't play in Zimbabwe.LOVEMORE MADHUKU: Don't come to Zimbabwe. I mean, they should assist the struggling Zimbabweans who want to see the Mugabe regime brought to account. We believe that they should take a moral responsibility not to be seen to be giving any [inaudible] to the Mugabe government.SALLY SARA: Will the demonstrations be dangerous?LOVEMORE MADHUKU: It will be dangerous because the police are indiscriminate when they deal with demonstrators. They are not an organised professional force; they are an organised group of thugs, and we want to see that happening at a time that the world is focusing its attention on Zimbabwe during the cricket matches. So, we should not lose that opportunity.LINDA MOTTRAM: Lovemore Madhuku from the Zimbabwean opposition.