President Zuma commended for latest talks on Zimbabwe
Posted by ZDN on August 6, 2009
Zimbabwe Democracy Now comment
Zimbabweans are encouraged by President Jacob Zuma’s ongoing commitment to the Global Political Agreement and to ensuring that peace and democracy are restored in our country. As President of South Africa and current chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), his role in this regard is critical.
While President Zuma says progress has been made in certain areas, he acknowledges there are still some “weighty” issues to address. We are relieved.
The list of issues requiring urgent attention is long and, if they are not addressed, there is a very real threat that the violence will escalate to dangerous levels, as was the case in the run up to last year’s fraudulent Presidential election.
The list includes:
- Zanu PF’s renewed campaign of violence targeting senior MDC officials, family members and their employees, as well as activists, supporters and leading human rights officials.
It is important to point out that during the state-sponsored election violence which took place last year between March 29 and June 27, there were at least 180 recorded deaths of MDC members, supporters and innocent civilians, more than 9 000 people were viciously beaten and tortured, and around 28 000 people were internally displaced (Amnesty International statistics). - The reopening of youth “training” camps and redeployment of the youth militia. Zanu PF’s deputy secretary for Youth, Saviour Kasukuwere, recently admitted that the former ruling party deployed militias to spearhead its violent election campaign last year.
- In Muzarabani, Domboshava, Mudzi, Mutoko, Chiredzi, Zaka and Gutu, cases of violence against MDC members continue to increase. War veterans, Zanu PF youth militia and soldiers have established bases in Mutoko, Mudzi, Murehwa, Chinhoyi and most areas of rural Mashonaland.
- The ongoing arrests of MDC MPs and lawmakers which are aimed at robbing the party of its tenuous majority in Parliament. Seven MDC MPs and over 100 members and activists are facing various trumped-up charges across the country.
- The delay in the swearing-in of Senator Roy Bennett as deputy minister of Agriculture. Bennett is still facing trumped up charges of terrorism.
- The continued delay in the appointment of governors, ambassadors and permanent secretaries.
- Mugabe’s refusal to dismiss Gideon Gono, Governor of the Reserve Bank, and Johannes Tomana, the attorney-general, both of whom are incompetent, corrupt Zanu PF loyalists.
- Zanu PF’s refusal to relinquish control of the security forces, comprising the army, air force and police, as well as the Central Intelligence Organisations (CIO), which collectively enable President Mugabe to retain power.
- The use of the security forces to intimidate Zimbabweans. For example, helicopters have been used to kill civilians at the Marange diamond fields in the Chiadzwa district and more recently to swoop down on MDC supporters at a rally in Mutoko East.
- Zanu PF is bitterly opposed to public consultation on the drafting of the new constitution and President Robert Mugabe insists on backing the Kariba draft constitution, which leaves his power untouched and allows him to stay in office for two further terms. The MDC is insisting that “the process will be people-based, people-centred, people-led and therefore people-driven.”
The Kariba Draft is inadequate in terms of both process and content. If the Kariba Draft were to be used as the basis for constitution-making in the country, Zimbabweans would be denied their right to write a constitution for themselves. Moreover, the content of the Draft is also inadequate. It fails to protect fundamental rights and freedoms and promotes the continued dominance of government by the Executive. - Mugabe’s continued control and manipulation of the state media. The GPA states that “steps must be taken to ensure that the public media provides balanced and fair coverage to all political parties for their legitimate political activities.” Furthermore, the GPA states that “the public (and private) media shall refrain from using abusive language that may incite hostility, political intolerance and ethnic hatred or that unfairly undermines political parties and other organisations.”
- Mugabe’s continued invasion of the commercial farms, the violence perpetrated on farmers and their farm workers, as well as the blatant theft or wanton destruction of crops in a country where between half and two thirds of the population is reliant on food aid and desperate for foreign currency.
The National Security Council
Since the signing of the GPA, Zanu PF has resolutely refused to disband Joint Operations Command (JOC), which was at the forefront of strategising Mugabe’s retention of power in the chaotic and violent aftermath of last year’s March elections and the June Presidential run-off.
They have also refused to allow the formal constituting of the National Security Council (NSC), the new security organ to replace JOC. By law the council should meet at least once every calendar month. While the setting up of the NSC has been strategically sabotaged, JOC has continued to meet.
It was only due to mounting pressure to resolve some of the outstanding issues of the GPA ahead of next month’s SADC Summit in Kinshasa (September 2-8), that an NSC meeting was finally held on July 30.
Moreover, it is important to note that Mugabe chairs the NSC, while Tsvangirai as Prime Minister is only a member. The powerful service chiefs, who are ex-officio members, are Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantine Chiwenga, army Commander Lt Gen Phillip Sibanda, Air Marshall Perence Shiri and Commissioner-General of Police, Augustine Chihuri.
Commissioner of Prisons Retired Major-General Paradzai Zimondi and the Director-General of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Happyton Bonyongwe, also sit on the council.
The escalating threat of violence
Zimbabweans appreciate the continued concern and support expressed by President Zuma and the leaders of SADC, and value their commitment to the restoration of peace and democracy in Zimbabwe.
We believe it is of paramount importance to stress the extremely serious threat of renewed violence as evidenced by the re-mobilising of the military and the militia, and the re-establishment of militia bases in rural Zimbabwe.
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