Dar es Salaam — We, representatives of civil society from 21 countries in Africa, after meeting in Dar es Salaam on 21 April 2008, believe that the Zimbabwean populace voted for change on 29 March but that through the delay in announcing the presidential results and attempts by ZANU-PF to have a recount in some parliamentary constituencies, the election process has been negated. We call upon the African Union to initiate and implement the following:
- Any result emanating from the current recount or belated announcement of results should not be recognized; the electoral crisis must be resolved through a political settlement that reflects the will of the people as expressed on the 29th March, 2008. To achieve this settlement, the African Union must appoint an independent high level Pan-African panel of eminent persons;
- The mediation efforts put forth by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and endorsed by the African Union has failed to deliver the necessary solutions and has further compromised the will of the people. The entire mediation process has lacked transparency, neutrality, openness and consultation of the majority of the people. The SADC-elected mediator has shown a clear bias towards the incumbent government and he should be removed from the mediation process with immediate effect;
- The state campaign of violence against the people for exercising their democratic rights must be condemned at the highest level of the AU;
- Article 4 of the African Union Constitutive Act provides for the right of the Union to intervene in a Member State, pursuant to a decision of the Assembly, in respect of grave circumstances, including war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.
- We call on the African Union to protect the Zimbabwean population against the military and paramilitary retribution that communities are currently being subjected to, for voting Mr. Mugabe out of office.
Signed by the following civil society organisations:
Action Contre l'Impunité pour les Droits Humains (ACIDH), DRC,
Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG), Kenya,
Associação Justiça, Paz e Democracia Angola,
Alliance for Credible Elections in Nigeria, Nigeria,
Botswana Civil Society Solidarity Coalition for Zimbabwe, Botswana,
Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation, Malawi,
Centro de Integridade Publica , Mozambique,
Christian Alliance, Zimbabwe,
Church Council of Zambia,
Church of Central Africa, Malawi,
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation,
Coalition for Peace in Africa,
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition,
Darfur Consortium, Tanzania,
East African Law Society,
Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, Uganda ,
International Commission of Jurists, Kenya,
Kenyans for Peace with Truth and Justice,
Legal and Human Rights Centre, Tanzania,
Legal Assistance Centre Namibia,
Ligue Iteka, Burundi,
Muslim Human Rights Forum, Kenya,
National Association of NGOs in Zimbabwe,
National Constitutional Assembly, Zimbabwe,
National Convention Executive Council (NCEC), Kenya,
National Society of Human Rights (NSHR), Namibia,
Pan-African Lawyers Union,
South African Human Rights Commission,
Southern African Judges Commission,
Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations,
Botswana Centre for Human Rights – Ditswanelo, Botswana,
National Civil Society Congress, Kenya,
Service National "Justice et Paix" de la Conférence Episcopale Nationale du Cameroun,
Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), South Africa
Yonge Nawe Friends of Earth, Swaziland,
Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights,
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights,
Zimbabwe Liberation Veterans Forum,
Law Societies from nine African countries,
And 52 other organisations
For full text and signatories visit http://www.osisa.org/node/11097
