My Errant Mind

Recently, I wrote about the kidnapping (i.e., an illegal abduction) of former SAS officer Simon Mann in Zimbabwe. He was taken to Equatorial Guinea—whose government now claims Mann has provided new evidence about Sir Mark Thatcher’s role in a failed coup plot in 2004.

[Note: Check out the documentary Soldiers of Misfortune --- Equatorial Guinea.]

Thatcher maintains that he has already been dealt with in a court of law in South Africa, but Equatorial Guinea is not happy with the fine and suspended sentence. Equatorial Guinea has now sought the help of Interpol in locating Mr. Thatcher, as it seeks his arrest on a warrant issued in response to this supposed new evidence. Or so some sources report.

According to an article in South Africa’s Mail & Gaurdian, however, Interpol has said that they have received no such notification.

Now, two things are possible here. One possibility is that Mann has been coerced into making statements under threats or torture in order for Equatorial Guinea’s government to make their claim. A second possibility is that Mann is simply telling the truth and turning the heat up on former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s son.

If the latter is the case, Mann could be hoping that those who might seek to aid and shield Sir Mark Thatcher might help him somehow—perhaps on some legal, political, or humanitarian grounds. Or, he could be wanting to make sure that those who like to instigate and stir the fires up don’t escape the heat because of their privilege, power, and social standing.

Whatever the case, Mann finds himself facing life in prison (his trial was set to begin just recently). Thatcher, on the other hand, just remarried—in secrecy.

What is not in question, though, is that Equatorial Guinea has one of the worst human rights records in the world. Also in related news, Equatorial Guinea’s government-in-exile had its status reversed by Spain’s Supreme Court. The Spanish government had taken action to remove refugee status from the government led by opposition leader Severo Moto but the Spanish Supreme Court overruled the government.

Equatorial Guinea is a major oil producer in the region, and it is no surprise to anyone that the government which came to power in a violent coup (in which the current President killed his uncle), should be plagued by corruption and abuse.