Ari Ben-Menashe
Alexander Legault
02.13.02
This newsletter is being sent out subsequent to the airing of SBS Australia's Dateline news exclusive of Wednesday, February 13th, 2002.
Dickens & Madson is a company engaged in consultancy work in various parts of the world including Africa. In the late summer of 2001, a former Rhodesian, with British and South African citizenship, approached us.
Knowing of the extensive contacts Dickens & Madson principals have with various intelligence agencies around the world, this former Rhodesian apparently thought that we could assist the MDC party in Zimbabwe and its Presidential candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai. He proposed a meeting in London at the Hilton Hotel, Terminal 4, Heathrow Airport. Present at the initial meeting were Ari Ben-Menashe of Dickens & Madson, Morgan Tsvangirai, Welshman Ncube and Renson Gasela for the MDC as well as the Rhodesian gentleman. It became clear during the meeting that Mr. Tsvangirai had no confidence in his ability to win the upcoming election for the Presidency of Zimbabwe because of the land issue. At this point, Mr. Tsvangirai proposed that Dickens & Madson aid him in arranging the assassination of President Robert Mugabe. This individual, also present at the initial meeting, stated that white supporters of the MDC had already made a failed attempt on the life of the President in April 2001.
A second meeting was arranged for November 3, 2001 at the Royal Automobile Club in London. At this meeting, Mr. Ben-Menashe was accompanied by his assistant Ms. Tara Thomas. The undisclosed gentleman accompanied Morgan Tsvangirai. An audiotape was made of the meeting. On the audiotape, Mr. Tsvangirai again requests aid in arranging the assassination of President Mugabe and a coup d'etat. Since Dickens & Madson is not in the business of arranging assassinations, we reported the matter to the appropriate authorities in Zimbabwe.
In order to obtain conclusive proof, a final meeting took place in Montreal on December 4, 2001. This meeting was videotaped with the use of hidden cameras and microphones. The following individuals were present at the meeting in Montreal: Mr. Ari Ben-Menashe, Mr. Alexander Legault and Ms. Tara Thomas for Dickens & Madson, Morgan Tsvangirai, and 2 unrevealed individuals. During this meeting, Mr. Tsvangirai repeated his demands for the elimination of President Mugabe and discussed in detail his political opinions, sources of MDC funding and involvement with the conservative whites in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Mr. Tsvangirai occasionally left to consult with the innominate general coordinator of the white conservative network supporting the MDC, who also provided certain details to Mr. Tsvangirai for his discussions.
President Mugabe, with the help of others, freed Zimbabwe from British colonial rule and apartheid and from the illegal UDI regime of Ian Smith. After independence, Zimbabwe still had to deal with the vestiges of colonial rule. Eighty percent of arable land was still in the hands of four thousand well armed, white ex-Rhodesian farmers who lived comfortably while millions of blacks struggled to exist. Since Independence, President Mugabe tried to negotiate a land reform package where part of the land would be given to black farmers. All attempts to reach a negotiated settlement of the land issue were thwarted by British and local intransigence. Finally, President Mugabe secured the passage of legislation to expropriate land from the whites and give it to the landless blacks. This action created a violent neo-colonial backlash, uniting white landholders, ex-Rhodesians living abroad and nostalgic British citizens. These people decided that they wanted "their" country returned under the façade of a puppet MDC Government; a black face for a new Rhodesia. The decision was made to use whatever means necessary to preserve their ascendancy.
Given the historical importance of these issues, Dickens & Madson felt itself morally compelled to assist the embattled people of Zimbabwe and their President Robert Mugabe. We can only hope that our actions will not bring down upon us the wrath of the same reactionary forces acting against social and economic justice.
European decolonisation of Africa was not entirely well managed. The former colonial powers bear a particular responsibility where successor states have to encounter direct consequences of mismanaged colonial disengagement.
Dickens & Madson now represents the Government of Zimbabwe as lobbyists and political consultants. We can be reached at (514) 483-3344.