18 July 2008
Cape Town — South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, under fire for the handling of the Zimbabwean crisis, has won African Union and United Nations backing for his plans to facilitate a solution - but will liaise with a tri-partite "reference group" over his efforts.
Mbeki's office announced Friday that after meetings with top AU, UN and Southern African Development Community representatives, "all parties agreed with the framework" which he had proposed. They had also endorsed his role as SADC's mediator and "pledged to support his efforts."
However, the statement added that the AU, UN and SADC would - at Mbeki's suggestion - form a reference group with which he "will liaise on an ongoing basis."
Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which secured the highest number of votes of any party in elections in March, has repeatedly challenged Mbeki's impartiality in efforts to end the crisis precipitated by the government's failure to organise a free and fair presidential run-off vote in June.
The agreement announced Friday appears to strike a compromise which confirms Mbeki's leading role in regional diplomatic efforts but which would subject his mediation to wider scrutiny. The MDC and its supporters have been calling for the appointment of an AU mediator.
Mbeki held talks on Friday with the chair of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping, the UN Secretary-General's special representative on Zimbabwe, Haile Menkerios, and a representative of the SADC "Organ on Defence Politics and Security," George Chikoti.
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Prem, you are very negative toward anything African. I guess you prefer the "colonial/aparthied" to be at the negotiation table. You forget at times that with negotiations, the parties involved need to agree with who is going to be the mediator.
Lets be frank, the British are now totally unwelcome to any negoitiations on African issues. The Britons have not been invited to any trade or real discussions on peace in Africa. And everybody, except you Prem knows that the UK is part of the problem in Zimbabwe. Britons want to pick up the loud speaker to show the world they have not yet fallen from being a supper power, even though their days are numbered!
It is all about who you trust in negotiations. I find your comments foolish, outdated arguments, and typical white anglo ranting around....!
What the peopling of Africa need to understand from Zimbabweans who know ZANU PF well, is that a Government of National UNity (GNU) will never work with ZANU PF. ZANU PF will only go into a GNU to hoodwink the world that the Zimbabwe crisis has been resolved. The problem is the Opposition government members will just be parcels in that government, who have no influence on anything at all. Mugabe has previously invited technocrats into his government, to window dress his government as a serious government. What we all know is one of the technocrats resigned after realising he was going to mess his standing in working with a government that will not take any advice. People in ZANU PF, know the problems bedeviling the country but they prefer to ignore them and rant a lot of imperialsim rhetoric. The problem is these ZANU people, they comfort themselves in lies, that they actually know won't work and actually apply them to governance. We, who were in Zimbabwe in the run up to the 2000 elections know very well, that ZANU PF created the chaotic land reform programme, as they realised thet were going to lose an election. Trying to work with Mugabe is total waste of time, the man will not take advice from anyone. It is better for the MDC to start preparing for the next elections than work with ZANU PF. We, the people of Zimbabwe have suffered for long and most of us have left home to far off lands because of systematic failure of governamce. For Zimbabwean problems to be resolved, we need a genuine people oriented government, not these criminals running the country. A working Zimbabwe is not all about peace or a GNU, it is about a government that is willing to tackle economic fundamentals. A few opposition members in government will definitely not solve the problems bedeviling the country. The opposition may decide to betray the people's hope by working with ZANU PF, but what they should know is, a real genuine opposition may be born that will not tolerate this circus. I am in total support of the MDC-T Secretary General's statement that talking to ZANU PF is a waste of time. Surely, how can people negotiate with a political Party that is unleashing violence on its members. ZANU PF should abolish, its state sponsored violence before any meaningful dialogue can take place. A few young aspiring crop of the MDC, may be coerced by the few pieces of silver to join Mugabe government. What, we the people are saying, is this gravy train will not work and will not take you anywhere, do not be part of it. If Robert Mugabe, does not want to run free and fair elections, the opposition should not work with him at all. The best the Opposition can do, is to be better organising Party Structures for a people oriented government than waste time with ZANU PF. Zimbabweans have suffered for long and are still suffering, we are prepared to wait for a working system than work with ZANU PF. The MDC, should instead be pushing for end to violence, political tolerance and amassing support from SADC and concerned global partners, so as to bring a system that will work than waste time with ZANU PF.
you better stay there that what cowerds do.Dont ever dream of comimng back. The really is nothing you can help this country with. Empty vessels......
I think you will find they will come back armed and trained and the cowards like mugabe and regime will try and run. Remember,those oppressed and hurt will remember the face and name of those that did it, even if they run to exile they will be hunted down and the world will help them. Mugabe,regime and helpers will not last long when it changes and it is going to change.You think the West is bad, just wait till you are hunted down by mums and dads that are the good people of Zimbabwe.The time is coming and it is not far away and Zimbabwe will rise again by ridding itself of tyrants. If mugabe,regime and helpers are not scared yet, its because they are thinking like they have done for years. The Storm has brewed and its about to unleash.
Pessimism! That's what I feel about the half-cooked idea of "reference group" to be formed by representatives of the AU, SADC and UN with which Mbeki will liaise.
What was called for generally was the appointment of a second mediator from the AU who could stand shoulder to shoulder to Mbeki and who would be party to all negociations. Such a person should not have been on the payroll of the AU; otherwise, indirectly, Mbeki would have been his employer! South Africa being a paying member.
Maverick Mugabe will now surely hold on to power for a longer time and his cronies will go unpunished for widespread killings, maiming and rape of innocent citizens who stood for meaningful change.
I fervently hope I am wrong, but I can't stop from raising a sincere alarm.