Maravi

SADC acquitted itself well - MDC

SADC acquitted itself well - MDC
By By Brighton Phiri and Chibaula Silwamba
Monday April 14, 2008 [04:00]

SOUTHERN Africa Development Community (SADC) has acquitted itself relatively well, Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) general secretary Tendai Biti said yesterday. Addressing journalists at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka at the break of dawn shortly after SADC executive secretary Dr Tomaz Solomao and Zambia’s foreign affairs minister Kabinga Pande read a communiqué prepared by the heads of state and government at the end of their 12-hour deliberations on the Zimbabwean post-election stand-off, Biti acknowledged the SADC leaders’ courage to hold an emergency summit which he said was an acknowledgement that things were not right in Zimbabwe and that something had to be done.

“We thank them for that, we welcome what they have achieved but I think in many ways more than one, the statement SADC communiqué exposes the limitations of quiet diplomacy which others have equated to the past destructive policy of constructive engagement which other countries pursued against the apartheid regime in South Africa,” Biti said.

“But I want to emphasise that from where they are coming from, this is a major improvement and I think that SADC has acquitted itself relatively well. What is critical is to ensure that when President Mbeki executes his new found mandate as facilitator, there is more vigour, more openness and there is complete abandonment of policy of quiet diplomacy which so far has not achieved anything.”

Biti said MDC understood the communiqué to mean that within the context of African diplomacy and within the context of SADC itself, the SADC leaders were sending a message to President Mugabe’s regime.

“This message pertains in particular to (a) delaying in the results (b) the issue of the abuse of the rule of law around the results, (c) the issue of the absence of the rule of law in the context of the environment that is existing in Zimbabwe – the issue of the militarisation and the violence in the countryside,” Biti said.

“The fundamental questions are the following; was this free and fair election? We maintain that Zimbabwe is not capable of producing a free and fair election and the fact that there was relative peace and quiet on the 29th of March, 2008 different from, say, the position in 2002 does not detract from the fact that this was not free and fair environment.”

Biti said according to the wording in the communiqué, the SADC leaders tried to persuade MDC to participate in the runoff elections.

“What SADC is trying to do is seducing us to say ‘well, if there are guarantees of the rule of law and conditions and the results indicate a runoff then everyone should participate’,” Biti observed.

“It’s almost like begging us to participate if there are right conditions and of course they have to do that because of the consequences of us not participating to legitimise any person who would want to participate in that election. Of course, they will be concerned about legitimacy in the region because that is why there is a SADC charter to ensure that there is stability and legitimacy in the region.”

However, Biti said Zimbabweans were more concerned about democracy. He said the situation in Zimbabwe was militarised and polarised.

“It’s a very tense atmosphere,” said Biti. “Even some of us when we go back, we are not sure if whether parts of our bodies will not be dismantled. The regime is back in its natural default settings which is that of violence, intolerance and propaganda.”

According to the communiqué, the SADC member states, with exception of Zimbabwe, held informal consultations with Zimbabwe’s presidential candidates MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and independent candidate Simba Makoni.

“Both opposition leaders confirmed that the elections were held in a free, fair and peaceful environment. Whilst they do not have a problem with the election results of the senatorial, parliamentary and local authority elections, they expressed concerns on the delay in announcing the results as well as lack of their participation in the verification process of the presidential results currently being conducted by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC),” read the communiqué in part.

According to Pande, the summit urged the electoral authorities in Zimbabwe to expeditiously conduct the verification and release the results in accordance with the law.

He said the summit also urged all the parties in the electoral process in Zimbabwe to accept the results when they are announced.

“The verification and counting must be done in the presence of candidates and/or their agents, if they so wish, who must all sign the authenticity of such verification and counting.

SADC offers to send its Election Observer Mission who would be present throughout such verification and counting,” read the communiqué. “If such verification and counting makes it necessary for the parties to go for a runoff, the government is urged to ensure that the runoff elections are held in a secure environment.

The summit appeals to ZEC to ensure strict compliance with the rule of law and SADC principles and guidelines governing democratic elections.”

Earlier, a pocket of MDC supporters chanted their party slogans when Tsvangirai arrived around 15:00 hours to meet the SADC leaders.

Women of Zimbabwe Arise national co-ordinator Jane Williams and her few supporters picketed the SADC leaders as they drove into Mulungushi Conference Centre. “Beaten, jailed but still determined to free,” read the banner.

Tsvangirai left the summit around 00:40 hours yesterday amid tight security after his consultations with SADC leaders. While Tsvangirai was briefing SADC leaders, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila took a 10-minute stroll around Mulungushi International Conference Centre amid tight security.

As he walked around, President Kabila quietly talked to himself as he stretched his hands. When he returned to the new wing of the conference centre to join his colleagues, President Kabila’s entourage and that of Tsvangirai past each other without the two leaders talking to each other.

The summit was attended by Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos who is also chairperson of SADC’s organ on politics, defence ad security cooperation, Botswana’s new President Lt Gen Seretse Ian Khama, President Kabila, Mozambique’s President Armando Emilio Guebuza, Namibian President Hifikepunya Pohamba, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika, Lesotho’s Deputy Prime Minister Lesao Lehohla, Mauritius local government minister James David, Swaziland’s public service and information minister Charles Magongo, Tanzania’s foreign affairs and international deputy minister Seif Iddi represented his President Jakaya Kikwete – who is also African Union (AU) chairperson, Zimbabwe’s rural housing and social amenities minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, Madagascar’s Ambassador Dr Dennis Andriamandroso and the host - Zambia’s President Levy Mwanawasa who is also SADC chairperson.

Labels: MDC, SADC, SUMMIT, TOMAZ SALOMAO

posted by MrK @ 5:00 AM