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Zimbabwe -- Big Three to judge Mugabe fate
Observer (UK) via ZWNEWS ^ | March 17, 2002 | Andrew Meldrum, Harare

Posted on 03/17/2002 2:13:05 AM PST by Clive

author/source:Observer (UK)
published:Sun 17-Mar-2002
posted on this site:Sun 17-Mar-2002
Article Type : News

Andrew Meldrum, Harare

In a last-ditch attempt to stave off Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth, Presidents Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria fly into Harare tomorrow for talks with President Robert Mugabe, 78.

As Mugabe prepared to rush through his swearing-in today for another six-year term, Mbeki was expected to press him to accept a compromise which could be presented to a Commonwealth meeting in London on Monday. But the opposition and civil leaders said that a government of national unity would be acceptable only if it led to fresh elections, under Commonwealth supervision, after a fixed interim period.

International pressure mounted on Mugabe as European leaders meeting in Barcelona joined the Commonwealth and other groups in denouncing the violence-scarred elections as fundamentally flawed. Several countries, including the United States, say that they will not recognise the new Mugabe government. In a draft communique, the EU leaders said they would consider additional targeted sanctions.

The question of Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth will be decided in London on Tuesday by Mbeki and Obasanjo together with Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Mbeki wants a government of national unity to include opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and other key members of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

John Makumbe, chairman of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Committee, which represents 250 non- governmental organisations, said: 'Mugabe knows full well how to use a government of national unity to destroy the opposition. That's what he did to Joshua Nkomo and Zapu in the 1980s.'

Tsvangirai said: 'A government of national unity will only be valid if it is for a transitional period, let's say for six months, in order to establish the conditions for free and fair elections.'

General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the former Nigerian President who headed the Commonwealth observers' mission to Zimbabwe, said the possibility of the Commonwealth overseeing new elections in Zimbabwe was one of a range of options. 'We are looking for ways the Commonwealth can assist Zimbabwe to resolve its crisis. There are many complex issues to be addressed, including the land issue, the economy, and the political situation,' said General Abubakar, whose condemnation of the Zimbabwean election will be the basis of the troika meeting.

Abubakar guided the 42 observers in drafting the report, which describes how the elections were compromised by state-sponsored violence, unfair application of the rule of law, repressive legislation, restrictions on civic groups, the disenfranchisement of substantial numbers of voters and the blatant bias of the state media.

According to Commonwealth observers who met until late Friday night to draft the full report, there was emphatic agreement over the findings. Only one of the 42 Commonwealth observers, the Namibian delegate, was unhappy with the report, and other African members firmly supported it.

An eerie, uneasy vacuum has settled over Harare, as Mugabe has not uttered a public word since he was declared the election victor on Wednesday. But his signing into law of the repressive new media bill signalled his intention to silence the critical independent press.

Civic leaders say his swearing-in is being rushed because his term does not expire until 31 March. The leader of an election monitoring group said: 'His rush shows there is a problem, and that he has a huge credibility problem.'

Hundreds of opposition supporters, polling agents and election observers are still in custody, according to local reports, which say that many are being held without charge.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: africawatch
Note that Mbeki is not trying to preserve the rule of law.

He is not trying to preserve the principles of the common law.

He is not trying to preserve the rights of the people of Zimbabwe.

It appears that he is not even trying to preserve the economy of South Africa or the SADC.

He is trying to preserve the thoroughly discredited governmento of the tyrant Mugabe and his thugs.

Zimbabwe's form of government is based on the parliamentary system and the common law.

In that context, a "government of national unity" will legitimize Mugabe and co-opt Tsvangirai, thereby de-legitimizing him.

1 posted on 03/17/2002 2:13:05 AM PST by Clive
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To: *AfricaWatch, Sarcasm, Travis McGee, Byron_the_Aussie, robnoel, GeronL, ZOOKER, lds23, Lazamataz,
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2 posted on 03/17/2002 2:14:11 AM PST by Clive
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To: shaggy eel, Brian Allen, headsonpikes, junta, untenured, Devereaux, Tropoljac, BansheeBill
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3 posted on 03/17/2002 2:14:32 AM PST by Clive
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To: Cincinatus' Wife, JanL, Slyfox, nopardons, technochick99, New Zealander, Great Dane, happygrl,
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4 posted on 03/17/2002 2:15:00 AM PST by Clive
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To: Clive
A "national unity" government worked wonders for Nelson Mandela in South Africa. The dilemma facing Morgan Tsvangirai is whether he would be Mandela... or Frederik De Klerk in such a set up. I think he would be De Klerk. He should turn it down unless his party gets the key "power" minstries in advance of new elections and other guarantees are adhered to. And Robert Mugabe is not interested in genuine power-sharing --- he simply wants the appearance of a national unity government for himself and his ZANU-PF thugs without the substance. I'm betting the opposition will turn it down since its less than what Mugabe's prepared to offer them.
5 posted on 03/17/2002 2:27:24 AM PST by goldstategop
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To: Clive
Great post!
6 posted on 03/17/2002 2:33:07 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Clive
Yes, and even more to the point is that, Morgan Tsvangirai knows that what happened to Nkomo and ZAPU, will happen to Tsvangirai and the MDC should they join a unity government. That is why IT WILL NOT HAPPEN.

As evident in other post-election postings, there is dissent within Mugabve's own party (ZANU) at this point. As I mentioned in another thread, the elite's own children are having their student visas in Britain and the U.S. cancelled and are being deported. I know this from personal information. It is these targeted sanctions, among others which will get the attention of the elites...much better than actions which will only hurt the "little people."

7 posted on 03/17/2002 2:39:47 AM PST by happygrl
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To: Clive
I think it was William F. Buckley who said "The Africans will be ready for self-government when they stop eating each other."
8 posted on 03/17/2002 2:44:51 AM PST by reg45
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To: Clive
What is the population of Zimbabwe? How many people do you think
may try to escape soon? Will other countries be taking them in?
9 posted on 03/17/2002 5:20:54 AM PST by Slyfox
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To: happygrl
What DID happen to Nkomo and ZAPU? Is he still alive?
10 posted on 03/17/2002 5:33:26 AM PST by quebecois
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To: Slyfox
Population of Zimbabwe is about 12 million.

The white population is less than 1 percent.

I have been fearing a volkerwanderung and I suspect that Mbeki also fears it, which is possibly why South Africa has mobilized armed forces on its border with Zimbabwe.

11 posted on 03/17/2002 6:01:49 AM PST by Clive
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To: quebecois
Joshua Nkomo died approximately two years ago - shortly thereafter Mugabe launched his thugs on the farmers and the opposition. I think Nkomo tempered the worst of Mugabe the best he could while he was alive.

Zapu was co-opted by ZANU within a few years after the 1980 elections. It was taken into government, then dissolved into the "one party state". This is why MDC and Tsvangirai will NOT be fooled into a government of national unity.

12 posted on 03/17/2002 6:02:46 AM PST by happygrl
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To: Clive
What is a volkerwanderung?
13 posted on 03/17/2002 6:18:13 AM PST by Slyfox
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To: Slyfox
Volkerwanderung is a name given to the massive movement of germanic tribes and other peoples that occured in the Dark Ages after the collapse of the Roman Empire. Basically, economic activity ceased, and europe descended into chaotic warfare. Tribes of Germans (Vandals, Lombards, Goths, etc) roamed about....often looting and pillaging as they went.
14 posted on 03/17/2002 6:32:06 AM PST by quebecois
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To: quebecois
One of the characteristics of a volkerwanderung is the seriatim displacement of peoples. As a tribe or mass of people moves into a territory, the locals get displaced and in turn move into other territory to displace that population or they add to the onward moving mass.
15 posted on 03/17/2002 6:43:52 AM PST by Clive
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To: Slyfox
Sorry, I should have flagged you in reply 15.
16 posted on 03/17/2002 6:47:41 AM PST by Clive
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Comment #17 Removed by Moderator

To: Clive
I think the Zimbabwe of today is the South Africa of tomorrow. Like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
18 posted on 03/17/2002 6:56:56 AM PST by jalisco555
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To: jalisco555
And that " tomorrow " is minutes away, in South Africa.

Mbeki has already ( weeks prior to Zimbabwe's latest fraud of an election ) stated that within 3 years, all property, belonging to whites, is to have been conviscated, the Rand is plummeting, global businesses have left / are leaving, well educated whites AND blacks have left / are trying to leave , crime is at a disasterously high level and rising,and Mbeki's rule is even worse than Mandela's was ; which is going some. This entire region is sinking to the lowest levels , and then free falling even lower.

19 posted on 03/17/2002 11:41:30 PM PST by nopardons
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