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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
Africa
Democracy Forum statement on Zimbabwe
Hannah Forster, Africa Democracy Forum (ADF)
April 09, 2008
The Africa Democracy
Forum, a coalition with more than 250 civil society organizations
from all parts of Africa, notes with great concern the disturbing
developments unfolding in Zimbabwe. The delay in the announcement
of Presidential election results is both unwarranted and unjustifiable
and has caused an unnecessary anxiety in the country. The delay
leads to suspicion that the people's vote is being tampered
with. We therefore call upon the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to
release the results forthwith.
The ADF condemns and
deplores the silence, particularly the "wait and see"
attitude taken by both the African Union and the Southern African
Development Cooperation institutions.
The ADF calls upon the
member states of those institutions to prevail upon Zimbabwean officials
to guarantee the due and timely conclusion of the electoral process.
Further, we call upon
these bodies to redeploy observer missions back to Zimbabwe as the
election process is not yet over.
The Government of Zimbabwe
must guarantee the safety and freedom of Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
officials, local election observers, pro democracy activists and
journalists as well as opposition members and supporters now, and
should a run off be necessary.
The ADF is convinced
that unless the results are announced and government is legally
constituted, peace and stability in Zimbabwe and indeed in the region
will be under threat.
The ADF joins other local
and international actors seeking to hold the Government of Zimbabwe
both personally and corporately accountable for any failure to address
these issues that threaten peace and stability in the country.
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