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Resolution 176 - on United States policy during the political transition in Zimbabwe
United States Senate
June 10, 2009

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S.Res.176, a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate on U.S. policy during the political transition in Zimbabwe, passed by unanimous consent.

In addition to Senator Feingold, the final list of cosponsors included Senators Isakson, Kerry, Inhofe, Whitehouse, Bill Nelson, Burris, Durbin, Cardin, Brownback and Martinez.

Resolution

Expressing the sense of the Senate on United States policy during the political transition in Zimbabwe, and for other purposes.

Whereas, over the course of of the last decade, the Zimbabwean African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), led by Robert Mugabe, increasingly turned to violence and intimidation to maintain power amidst government-directed economic collapse and a growing humanitarian crisis;

Whereas the Department of State's 2008 Country Report on Human Rights Practices states that the Government of Zimbabwe ''continued to engage in the pervasive and systematic abuse of human rights, which increased during the year,'' including unlawful killings, politically-moti vated abductions, state-sanctioned use of excessive force and torture by security forces against opposition, student leaders, and civil society activists;

Whereas Zimbabwe held presidential and parliamentary elections on March 29, 2008, with official results showing that Mr. Mugabe won 43.2 percent of the vote, while Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), won 47.9 percent of the vote;

Whereas, in the wake of those elections, Mr. Mugabe and his allies launched a brutal campaign of violence against members and supporters of the MDC, voters and journalists, and other citizens of Zimbabwe, leading Mr. Tsvangirai to withdraw from the June 27, 2008, runoff presidential election, which Mr. Mugabe, the only remaining candidate, then won with 85 percent of the vote;

Whereas, on September 15, 2008, ZANU-PF and the MDC signed a ''Global Political Agreement'' (GPA) to form a transitional government under which Mr. Mugabe would remain President, Mr. Tsvangirai would become Prime Minister, and the parties would divide control of the ministries;

Whereas the Global Political Agreement, as written, included provisions to restore the rule of law and economic stability and growth, establish a new constitution, end violence by state and non-state actors, and promote freedom of assembly, association, expression, and communication;

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