Tsvangirai calls for urgent action on Zim crisis
Tsvangirai calls for urgent action on Zim crisisBy George Chellah in Harare, Zimbabwe
Friday July 04, 2008 [04:00]
THE Zimbabwean crisis requires urgent action, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said. And Tsvangirai said a government of national unity will not address the problems facing the country. Meanwhile, Tsvangirai said the current conditions prevailing in Zimbabwe were not conducive for negotiations. Addressing journalists at his Strathhaven residence on Wednesday, Tsvangirai stressed the need for immediate action on the situation in Zimbabwe.
"The crisis in Zimbabwe requires urgent action. The violence, intimidation, hunger and suffering must be addressed as soon as possible," Tsvangirai said. "Zimbabweans cannot afford any more confusion or delays. Zimbabweans can no longer afford to listen to words that are not reinforced by action."
Tsvangirai further thanked the Pan-African Parliament, Southern African Development Community (SADC) and African Union (AU) observer missions for acknowledging the reality and pervasiveness of the violence in Zimbabwe.
He also expressed gratitude to the observers for refusing to give the June 27 election any credibility or legitimacy.
"The common conclusions of all three reports were, the violence negated the credibility of the June 27 elections, the election did not reflect the will of the people and consequently the outcome is not legitimate," Tsvangirai said. "If the African Union acknowledged their reports then we in the MDC feel that their own resolution should have been consistent with them. Unfortunately, this was not the case."
He said the MDC was concerned that the AU resolution did not adequately deal with the ongoing violence in Zimbabwe.
"Since the June 27 sham election, nine MDC supporters have been murdered, hundreds more beaten and forced to leave their homes," Tsvangirai said. "In Manicaland alone, since the weekend, five hundred MDC supporters and families have been forced to flee their homes and are now seeking refuge at the party's headquarters in Mutare. Therefore the MDC reiterates its call for peace in the country."
Tsvangirai further noted that the resolution did not recognise the illegitimacy of the recent presidential runoff elections and the fact that most African leaders refused to recognise President Mugabe as the head of state.
"Finally, the resolution endorses the concept of a government of national unity without acknowledging that the MDC, as the winner of the last credible elections on 29th March 2008, should be recognized as the legitimate government of Zimbabwe. A GNU does not address the problems facing Zimbabwe or acknowledge the will of the Zimbabwean people," Tsvangirai said. "While the MDC remains committed to negotiations these must be based on the 29th March results and must move towards a transitional agreement. Our commitment to a negotiated settlement is not about power sharing or power deals but about democracy, freedom and justice. Our struggle is not about power but about democracy."
He said the conditions prevailing in Zimbabwe today were not conducive for negotiations.
"If dialogue is to be initiated, it is essential that ZANU-PF stops the violence, halts the persecution of MDC leaders and supporters, releases all political prisoners, disbands the militia bases and torture camps and that the security services halt their partisan operations," he said.
Tsvangirai also said the MDC's reservations about the mediation process under President Thabo Mbeki were well known.
"It is our position that unless the mediation team is expanded to include at least one permanent representative from the African Union, and the mediation mechanism is changed, no meaningful progress can be made towards resolving the Zimbabwean crisis. If this does not happen then MDC will not be part of such a mediation process," said Tsvangirai.
Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NEOCOLONIALISM
posted by MrK @ 4:28 AM
3 Comments:
Tsvangirai is just trying to regain the momentum he has lost after the elections.
There is no urgency to invade anywhere. Zimbabwe is no threat to any African or western country. There is no 'genocide' going on, not even a 'mini-genocide', to use the words of Peter Hain.
Any attack on Zimbabwe is illegal under international law, and the world cannot help to see it for what it is - neocolonialism.
Also, speaking of the election having legitimacy - how about holding an election when the country is under sanctions, and the population has been made clear that sanctions will be lifted only if the opposition wins, and that if the governing party wins, there will be even more sanctions?
So let's not talk about the legitimacy of the run-off elections before addressing that point. Tsvangirai has nothing to complain about, and now he dares to ask for foreign intervention and says no to a government of national unity?
Last kicks of a dying horse. March to democracy or neo colonial dictatorship? Please respect our intelligence!!
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