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Zimbabwe: Situation Calls for Decisive Action

Nebert Mulenga

29 June 2008

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opinion

WITH no end in sight to the worsening scenario of Zimbabwe's human rights abuses, pressure is now beginning to mount on southern African countries to break the silence and join hands to help resolve the neighbouring country's crisis.

"All SADC (Southern African Development Community) member states must move into Zimbabwe to organise elections and to make the people come together," says Wisdom Gondwe, a Lusaka-based political observer.

"As far as the situation in Zimbabwe is concerned, President Robert Mugabe is ruling by default, he is not the president of Zimbabwe because his mandate expired before the (March 29) election. So, that country's chief justice should have been in control during the period of preparing for the election re-run. He is ruling by default, and even his government officials are all ruling by default."

Zimbabwe is in its eighth year of an economic recession that has seen inflation soar to unofficial estimates of one million per cent - the highest ever in the world - and unemployment levels rising to above 80 per cent. Shortages of key commodities such as fuel and food, have over the years been commonplace in literally every corner of the once-buoyant southern African economic giant.

According to international donor organisations, nearly five million Zimbabweans are in need of emergency food assistance this year alone. It is estimated that as many as three million Zimbabweans could have left the country for neighbouring states, such as Zambia, Botswana, Malawi and South Africa, or have gone further outside the continent to England and the United States.

Inside Zimbabwe, a myriad of glaring cases of violent attacks has been reported with about 86 people, mostly supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) killed in targeted attacks since the March 29 election, according to the MDC.

The first round presidential election was won by the MDC's Morgan Tsvangarai, but he fell short of the required 50 per cent plus one vote for an outright victory, forcing a re-run with Mugabe, 84,who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980.

Last week, about five people were reportedly found dead after missing for some days in the capital Harare, one of them a wife of the MDC's mayor for Harare. Thousands others have been beaten and displaced in recent weeks.

In the wake of the violent clashes in this SADC country, Zambia's President Levy Mwanawasa this week called for the postponement of the election re-run, saying the atmosphere was not conducive for a free and fair ballot.

"The run-off election in Zimbabwe must be postponed to a later date. I urge the responsible authorities in Zimbabwe to implement this postponement to allow for the establishment of conditions that are suitable for holding of genuinely free and fair elections in accordance with Zimbabwean law, the SADC principles and the charter and conventions of the African Union," said President Mwanawasa who is a also chairperson of the 14-nation regional bloc, with an estimated population of about 400 million people.

Dr Mwanawasa's remarks, at a Press conference held on Sunday at State House, came a few hours after the MDC's Tsvangarai announced the withdrawal of his candidature from tomorrow's election re-run which could leave Mr Mugabe as the automatic winner, if the poll went ahead.

"What is happening in Zimbabwe is a matter of serious embarrassment to all of us. It is scandalous for the SADC to remain silent in the light of what is happening," said Mwanawasa.

Several international organisations and individuals have since re-echoed his sentiments with the United Nations Security Council, stating that a free and fair presidential run off in Zimbabwe was impossible.

"The Security Council condemns the campaign of violence against the political opposition. The Security Council regrets that the campaign of violence and the restrictions on the political opposition have made it impossible for a free and fair election to take place on 27 June," said the 15-member body in a statement issued on June 23.

A few days before the Security Council's unanimous position, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon had called for the ballot to be delayed, saying "conditions do not exist for free and fair elections right now in Zimbabwe. There has been too much violence, too much intimidation."

But Zimbabwe's ambassador to the UN, Boniface Chidyausiku said the vote would still go on as planned even in the absence of Mr Mugabe's rival. "As far as we are concerned, the election will take place on Friday," Chidyausiku was quoted this week by the BBC.

"Should the people of Zimbabwe decide, whoever they elect, that's their sovereign right and there is nobody who can say: 'you have made the wrong decision - you should've elected another candidate'."

The happenings in Zimbabwe have far-reaching consequences on the economic growth and stability of southern Africa. For Zambia particularly, it is feared that the confusions in the neighbouring country could have a damaging effect on its economic prospects. Zambia's Southern Province shares three border posts - Kariba, Kazungula and Chirundu - with Zimbabwe. This is in addition to the electricity generation plant at Kariba, the international tourism draw-card in the name of Victoria Falls, and the world's biggest artificial lake, the Kariba Dam.

But other than the shared geographical and economic facilities, concerns are also mounting on the possible influx of Zimbabwean immigrants escaping worsening political violence in the aftermath of their presidential run-off election.

The Zambian Government does not demand visa requirements from people in neighbouring countries, which analysts say makes it easier for fleeing Zimbabwean immigrants to cross into Zambia as a safe haven.

According to Joseph Chilengi, executive director of the Africa Internally Displaced Persons' Voice, a lobby group championing the rights of displaced persons, Zambia is likely to receive more Zimbabwean immigrants than any other country in the region because of its hospitable environment.

"Zambia seems to be the only country in the region that appears to be offering a conducive environment for asylum at the moment," Chilengi told this writer.

The Zambian Government recently granted refugee status to 12 supporters of Zimbabwe's MDC, but Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, Susan Sikaneta could not confirm whether there were more Zimbabweans seeking asylum in Zambia.

She however, disclosed that Government had stepped up security measures at the three border posts in Southern Province to ensure people were thoroughly screened before entering the country to avoid abuse of the 'asylum facility'.

Although South Africa has, by virtue of its powerful economy, been a favoured destination for Zimbabweans fleeing the economic meltdown in that country, the odds are now changing following the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa. The attacks were targeted at foreigners, mostly Zimbabweans, and left over 60 people dead with tens of thousands displaced.

According to the Red Cross, the South African attacks which went on for over three weeks in May 2008, put up to 25,000 South African-based Zimbabweans on their path to Zambia. The figures are yet to be verified by both the Zambian Government and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (Saccord) executive director, Lee Habasonda said chances of other regional countries repeating the South African xenophobic attacks on Zimbabweans were high if the Zimbabwe situation was left unattended to.

"It's not just here in Zambia where Zimbabweans are being resented, even in Botswana, even in Mozambique, and even in Malawi the situation is the same," Mr Habasonda said.

SADC member countries, seemingly divided over Zimbabwe, are yet to agree on their next course in the event of tpmorrow's election re-run going on as planned.

When asked by journalists at a Press briefing on whether SADC would regard the 'new' Zimbabwean government after tomorrow's poll as legitimate or consider introducing some sanctions, President Mwanawasa said:

"As SADC, we are still thinking about whether to introduce sanctions against Zimbabwe or not, and what sanctions. I think let's not cross the bridge before we reach the river."

The SADC member countries may not be willing just as yet to cross 'that' Zimbabwe bridge but certainly, the turn of events this tomorrow, will push them to acknowledge that they actually reached 'that' bridge a long time ago.

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