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Proposed
resolution of Zimbabwe's political crisis
Zimbabwe
Liberators Platform (ZLP)
March 20, 2007
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Zimbabwe's deep political crisis has assumed a violent and
dangerous character. The recent arrest and torture of opposition
and civic leaders, the cold-blooded murder of an unarmed civic activist
by the police and the violent reaction to repression by the residents
of Harare, have heightened tension in the country.
Furthermore,
internal squabbles rocking the ruling ZANU PF party, the brewing
of public anger resulting from brutal repression and economic hardships
as well as international pressure, all point to the scale of the
problem and the urgent need to resolve it. Zimbabweans have no option
but find a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
But as an important
starting point, government has to concede that there is a political
crisis causing instability. Blaming someone else for the crisis
will not help the situation.
The Zimbabwe
Liberators Platform (ZLP) would like to reiterate the logical steps
that would lead to the resolution of the problem:
- The convening
of an all-stakeholders' conference to hammer out a permanent
solution. The stakeholders would include representatives of government,
political parties, civil society, churches, labour, business,
youth and women. A foreigner would be the best arbiter at the
national conference.
- The stakeholders
should agree on the composition and establishment of an interim
authority to oversee the country's transition from dictatorship
to democracy. The period of transition would be at most one year.
- During the
transitional period, the interim authority would scrap all repressive
and draconian pieces of legislation such as POSA
and AIPPA,
as well as disband the notorious youth militias, in order to create
a conducive environment for all political players to participate
freely in an election campaign. At the same time, the authority
would draft a new democratic constitution which would replace
the current one before the end of the interim authority's
mandate.
- It would
be the duty and responsibility of the interim authority to conduct
general and presidential elections under the auspices of the United
Nations, African Union and SADC. The elections would be based
on the SADC principles and standards of holding democratic, free
and fair elections. In that regard, the current electoral laws
should be amended to meet the SADC principles and standards, including
the establishment of an independent electoral commission. Furthermore,
all political parties should have equal access to the public/state
media for campaign purposes.
- The interim
authority would invite international observers and journalists
to witness the election process in order to give it legitimacy.
There would also be local observers, monitors and journalists.
- When/if
whichever political party won the election declared free and fair,
the interim authority would then hand over power to a legitimately
elected government which would be guided by (and respect) the
new democratic constitution.
The new government
would face the daunting task and challenge of entrenching democracy
and peace, rebuilding the battered economy and resuscitating collapsed
social services. Zimbabwe would then rejoin the international community
of nations, with all the rights, benefits and privileges accruing
from that opportunity.
The sad alternative
to the above scenario would be an orgy of violence and killings,
more brutal repression, public anger leading to reprisals, further
economic meltdown, more suffering, etc. No rational leadership would
want to see the country slide into anarchy.
Visit
the ZLP fact
sheet
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