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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
Post-election violence 2008 - Index of articles & images
The
people shall triumph
Our
Country Too
May 18, 2008
Political environment
Our political environment since our national independence in 1980
has remained characterized by:
- A lack of
respect for the rule of law;
- Political
violence, most notably that which occurred in the early to late
1980s in the provinces of midlands and Matebeleland, and that
which occurred in the years between 1997 through to the present
day where lives were lost as a result of government action undertaken
with impunity;
- A lack of
fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression
and information, association and assembly all characterized by
the militarization of arms of the state government;
We hereby indicate
our intention and desire to guarantee a political environment in
which:-
- All citizens
of Zimbabwe are guaranteed the rights to freedom of expression,
information, assembly, association and all other fundamental rights
and freedoms as guaranteed under international law to which the
state has bound itself voluntarily without discrimination;
- All citizens
of Zimbabwe live in a society characterized by tolerance of divergent
views, honest, integrity and common concern for the welfare of
all;
- All citizens
are guaranteed safety and security, and a lawful environment free
from human rights violations and impunity;
- All national
institutions including the judiciary, law enforcement agencies,
electoral and media commissions, are independent and impartial
and serve all the people of Zimbabwe without fear or favor;
- A free and
vibrant media that places emphasis on the rights of freedom of
expression, information as well as guarantees independent public
media as well as a vibrant and independent private media;
- All citizens
of Zimbabwe live in a society that is the embodiment of transparency,
with an efficiency public service and legitimate people-centered
state.
Conducive
environment
An environment conducive for the holding of a free and fair election
must exist not only during polling, but also in the pre-election
and post-election periods.
There must be
freedom of assembly and association. Political parties contesting
an election must be able to campaign freely. They should be able
to hold political meetings and rallies and those wishing to attend
these must be free to do so.
Voters must
be permitted to make free political choices and must not be forced
to vote for a particular political party. Voters must also be assured
that they will not face persecution before and after they vote because
of their electoral preference. Members of political parties are
not permitted to use violence and intimidation to try to force voters
to vote for them or to prevent voters wishing to vote for a particular
party from doing so.
It is the duty
of the law enforcement agencies to enforce the laws that prohibit
violence and intimidation and to do so impartially and not on a
selective and discriminatory basis.
And hereby further
declare that never again shall we let lives be lost, maimed, tortured
or traumatized by the dehumanizing experiences of political intolerance,
violence and lack of democratic government.
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