Maravi

Zimbabwe needs unity, reconciliation

Zimbabwe needs unity, reconciliation
By Editor
Saturday April 12, 2008 [04:00]

THE proposal put forward by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) for a government of national unity in Zimbabwe deserves serious consideration. It would be wrong for ZANU-PF or anyone else to dismiss this MDC proposal outright. We feel in the current political circumstances of Zimbabwe, a government of national unity is a very sensible proposition. There is need for the political leaders of Zimbabwe to sit down and negotiate and come up with a political dispensation that will bring unity, peace and stability to that country.

We feel whatever form of political organisation they come up with should promote unity, if possible; it shouldn't be an artifice aimed at dividing the people.

But why are we calling for negotiations between the ZANU-PF and MDC? The starting point for developing any framework within which to approach some large questions in the negotiating process is to answer the question: why should we negotiate?

There is need for negotiations in Zimbabwe because even if ZANU-PF today tries to hold on to power, it will no longer be able to continue ruling the country in the way it has done since 1980 and should be genuinely seeking some break with the past. And at the same time, the MDC is clearly not dealing with a defeated ZANU-PF, and a total take over of power by them in Zimbabwe cannot be without serious problems or challenges, may not even be realistically posed.

For the last 27 years, Zimbabwe has been a de facto one-party state. This is the first time a serious electoral challenge to ZANU-PF has been experienced in that country. But we know, from the African experience that a one party state - whether de facto or de jure - except at rare moments in history, is a recipe for tyranny.

What we have learnt from the African experience is that the concept of the party as a vanguard which has the right to rule by virtue of calling itself something that makes it appear like a permanent godfather of society, is a disaster. This is the situation ZANU-PF finds itself in today by design or by accident and it has to find a way out of this because this position is no longer viable.

We do appreciate the fact that ZANU-PF and MDC would like to have outright political victory and be in total control of the government of Zimbabwe. Each one of them could be ready to fight some big political battles. And they may think they have all the possibilities for inflicting a crashing political defeat on the other.

But this might have a big cost on Zimbabwe and its people. It is clear that they have created the balance of power required to determine the outcome of the political situation.

But if each one of them could determine the outcome by simply creating the right balance of power and giving the other a chance to understand its disadvantageous position and the need for a negotiated political solution, that should be the preferred solution to waging a large scale and seemingly endless political battle that might prove very costly to the people of Zimbabwe because all large political campaigns have a price.

We think human beings should never draw away from the honest goal they seek and be influenced by other considerations.
Under the current political circumstances we think neither the ZANU-PF nor MDC can govern that country all by themselves.

They certainly need a government of national unity of one form or another. There is no need to wait until after so much loss and destruction of life and property, like we saw in Kenya, for them to form a government of national unity. The dangers can be foreseen and measures can be taken to avert such a disaster.

Moreover what should be important, is not who wins or who loses, but to find a way to ensure that no matter who wins or who loses, both sides must agree to cooperate in whatever form in solving the common problems of Zimbabwe.

This means, in essence, that all sides must share a common commitment to the welfare of that country and its people and the basic values that are needed to achieve that. Politicians in ZANU-PF and MDC don't necessarily have to like each other, but they must tolerate one another and acknowledge that each has a legitimate and important role to play. Moreover, the ground rules must encourage tolerance and civility in the way they deal with each other.

We know they have said a lot of things about each other; they have called each other all sorts of names but there is still room for them to reconcile their positions in the best interest of their country and their people.

Negotiated solutions can be found even to conflicts that have come to seem intractable and that such solutions emerge when those who have been divided reach out to find the common ground.

But when one negotiates, one must be prepared to compromise; when you negotiate, you have to accept the integrity of another man. And concessions are inherent in negotiations.

That is the nature of compromising: you can compromise on fundamental issues, insignificant things, peripheral issues, don't need any compromise.
If you are not prepared to compromise, then you must not enter into or think about the process of negotiation at all.

If peace and stability is to be established or brought back to Zimbabwe, the primary requisite is to eradicate the cause of dissention between or among the people of that country, especially the key political players. This requires that all parties respect each other and that all of them in turn recognise and respect the government as a legal institution.

We hope the Southern African Development Community leadership at their meeting in Lusaka today will recognise the need for a negotiated settlement of the Zimbabwean political crisis and not emphasise on trying to find a sweepstake winner in the elections that took place almost two weeks ago.

Of course the outcome of these elections cannot be totally ignored and they should be at the centre or form the basis of any negotiated political settlement. Again, we sincerely believe it will be folly to ignore the proposal put forward by MDC for a government of national unity in Zimbabwe.

We believe it is the best way forward because a divided Zimbabwe - as it stands today - will not be able to solve any of its problems no matter what assistance is given to it by SADC or the international community at large. And there are good examples of this all over the world. We can see it in Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine. Let's help Zimbabwe emerge out of this political crisis more united and much stronger.

Belief in the possibility of change and renewal is perhaps one of the defining characteristics of politics. It is the character of growth that we should learn from both pleasant and unpleasant experiences.

It is said that there are few misfortunes in this world that one cannot turn into personal triumph if one has the iron will and the necessary skill. Let's hope and wish our Zimbabwean brothers and sisters will be able to turn this political impasse, crisis into a triumph.

Labels: ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 3:32 AM