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Talks, dialogue, negotiations and GNU - Post June 2008 "elections" - Index of articles
Resolution
on the situation in Zimbabwe
ACP-EU
Joint Parliamentary Assembly
November
28, 2008
The
ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly,
Meeting in Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) from 25 to 28 November
2008,
Having regard to Article 17 (2) of its Rules of Procedure,
Having regard to the report of 29 March 2008 of the Pan-African
Parliament Election Observer Mission on the harmonised elections
in the Republic of Zimbabwe,
Having regard to the preliminary statement of 29 June 2008 of the
Pan-African Parliament Election Observer Mission on the Zimbabwe
presidential run-off and House of Assembly by-elections,
Having regard to the interim statement of 30 June 2008 of the Pan-African
Parliament Election Observer Mission to the presidential run-off
and parliamentary by-elections in Zimbabwe,
Having regard to the preliminary statement of 29 June 2008 of the
African Union (AU) Observer Mission to Zimbabwe,
Having regard to the resolution on the establishment of a government
of national unity in Zimbabwe adopted at the African Union Summit
of 1 July 2008 in Sharm el-Sheikh,
Having regard to the Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic
Elections adopted by the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) Parliamentary Forum in 2001 and the Principles and Guidelines
Governing Democratic Elections adopted by the SADC Summit in Mauritius
in August 2004,
Having regard to the agreement of 15 September 2008 between the
Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and the
two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations, on resolving
the challenges facing Zimbabwe,
Having regard to the SADC Treaty and the Protocols thereto, including
the SADC Electoral Protocol,
Having regard to the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the
African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the New Partnership
for Africa's Development (NEPAD),
Whereas
the run-up to the presidential, parliamentary (lower house) and
senatorial elections in March 2008, as well as the run-off elections
in June, took place in an inadmissible context of violence and violations
of the rights of the opposition perpetrated by elements in the Zimbabwean
army and militias deployed by Mugabe's party, ZANUPF,
Whereas
the arrest, during the run-off election campaign, of Tandai Biti,
Secretary- General of the opposition party, the MDC, and the attempted
murder of that party's leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, who was
standing against Robert Mugabe and was forced to take refuge in
a European embassy and then leave the country, obliged Mr Tsvangirai
to withdraw from the presidential run-off,
Whereas,
in spite of the pressure and intimidation of all kinds exerted on
the population, Morgan Tsvangirai gained a large majority in the
first round of the presidential elections, and whereas the MDC also
won the parliamentary (lower house) elections and the elections
for speaker of parliament,
Whereas,
on the basis of the official results of the run-off elections of
27 June 2008, the incumbent president, Robert Mugabe, was re-elected,
following the withdrawal of Morgan Tsvangirai,
Whereas
a large number of African observer missions (Economic Community
of West African States, Pan-African Parliament, African Union) stated
that, as a result of the violence, the election results failed to
reflect the will of the people,
Whereas
the political agreement of 15 September 2008 on the principle of
forming a government of national unity with a view to ending the
crisis is a step forward, achieved through the mediation of President
Thabo Mbeki,
Having
regard to the continuing deadlock in the negotiations between the
two sides on a government of national unity,
Whereas
the disastrous conduct of these elections has exacerbated the already
catastrophic humanitarian situation of Zimbabwe's population,
forcing people to move away from their homes or leave the country,
Whereas
the country is facing a cholera outbreak, with a virtually collapsed
health system and a broken water supply; whereas life expectancy
has dropped from 60 years for both sexes to 37 years for men and
34 for women in the past decade; and whereas 1.7 million people
are now living with HIV in Zimbabwe,
Whereas
the World Food Programme (WFP) fed 2 million Zimbabweans in October,
but that figure is expected to rise to 5.1 million by early 2009,
meaning that half of the country's population will soon be aid-reliant,
Whereas,
according to UNICEF, only an estimated 40 per cent of the country's
teachers are attending lessons, with only a third of pupils reporting
for classes,
Noting
with concern the regrettable denial of entry to Zimbabwe to a delegation
consisting of former US President Jimmy Carter, former UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan and human rights activist Graça Machel:
- Firmly
condemns the campaigns of violence and intimidation conducted
against the population with the aim of influencing the voting
in the 2008 elections, as well as the violations of the rights
of the opposition;
- Declares
that, in the light of such flagrant violations, the Zimbabwean
elections held in June 2008 cannot be deemed to have been transparent,
credible and fair;
- Welcomes
the African mediation efforts led by President Thabo Mbeki, and
urgently calls for increased engagement of African countries and
regional institutions such as the SADC and the AU, as well as
eminent African personalities, in negotiating, and subsequently
monitoring, a solution to the Zimbabwean situation;
- Confirms
that a government of national unity is a solution for ending the
crisis for a transitional period permitting reform of the institutions
and restoration of the rule of law; stresses that, in the power-sharing
deal of 15 September 2008, the parties agreed to work together
for a sustainable and lasting democratic and peaceful solution
to Zimbabwe's current political, economic and social crisis;
- Urges
all parties to the agreement to live up to their commitments and
to engage constructively and fully in the implementation of the
agreement and show greater restraint and moderation in the negotiations;
stresses that all parties are equal and should refrain from taking
any unilateral action in connection with the formation of a new
government;
- Strongly
appeals to the international community to ensure the rapid provision
of substantial humanitarian aid to the people of Zimbabwe;
- Notes
the devastating impact that the political crisis is having on
the people of Zimbabwe; notes that the EU has just released EUR
10 million in aid and calls on the Zimbabwean authorities to lift
all restrictions on humanitarian aid agencies and to ensure that
humanitarian aid can be delivered in accordance with the principles
of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence;
- Expresses
deep concern about the situation of Zimbabwean refugees in the
region and deplores the acts of violence against Zimbabwean refugees
in surrounding countries; calls on the European Commission to
support the neighbouring countries with financial and material
assistance programmes for the refugees;
- Strongly
appeals to all stakeholders and the international community to
be prepared to ensure the rapid provision of aid for the post-conflict
reconstruction of Zimbabwe;
- Deeply
regrets that the Elders Humanitarian Delegation comprising former
UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan, former US President Jimmy Carter
and advocate for women's and children's rights Graça Machel
was denied an entry visa by Mugabe's regime, since they wished
to use their influence to increase the immediate and longer-term
flow of assistance to the country to stop the terrible suffering
of the people of Zimbabwe; strongly supports the Elders' continuing
efforts to ease Zimbabwe's humanitarian crisis;
- Calls
on the future government of national unity to set up a neutral
and independent peace and reconciliation commission with a view
to promoting a national healing process that will review the crimes
against humanity, torture, rape and other crimes committed in
internal conflicts;
- Believes
it essential that the newly-elected parliament receive funding
and support in order to reinforce its capacity;
- Instructs
its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council,
the European Commission, the Pan-African Parliament, the government
and parliament of Zimbabwe, the African Union, the SADC and the
UN Secretary-General. for increased engagement of African countries
and regional institutions such as the SADC and the AU, as well
as eminent African personalities, in negotiating, and subsequently
monitoring, a solution to the Zimbabwean situation
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