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Elections in Zimbabwe
Conectas Human Rights
May 03, 2008

http://www.conectas.org/en/noticia.php?not_id=239

Following the release of the official results of the March 29 presidential elections, declaring the victory of the opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai by a margin that calls for a second round, the climate in Zimbabwe is growing more strained by the day. While opposition leaders decide whether or not to participate in a run-off election, reports from various human rights organizations indicate an increase in the abuse of power and violence against anyone daring to oppose the government of Robert Mugabe.

Information published by the international press confirms the allegations made by local NGOs that nearly 100 members of the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were detained by police at the party headquarters. Furthermore, more than 200 members of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), an independent group of election observers, were arrested earlier this month in Harare, including those who were there taking refuge from a wave of violent attacks committed by the police. "The situation in Zimbabwe makes monitoring by the international community all the more necessary," said Otto Saki, from the organization Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

During the elections, Brazil sent an official observation mission, comprised of Congressman Antônio Carlos Pannunzio and Brazilian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Raul de Taunay. In the official report of this mission, Brazil confirmed that "the election took place in an atmosphere of serenity, without disturbance, impediment to circulation, intimidation or any episode that might jeopardize the normality of the voting" (press release No. 159 - 03/04/2008).

Conectas has urgently requested that the Brazilian government publicly condemn these acts of violence. On April 25, it sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Relations asking for Brazil to review its position. "The responsibility of Brazil as an election observer requires it to cease being remiss about the serious acts of violence being perpetrated by the Zimbabwean government against its own citizens," said Lucia Nader, International Relations Coordinator at Conectas (see the letter here).

Background
In June 2007, two Zimbabwean activists visited Brazil at the invitation of Conectas Human Rights to raise the awareness of Brazilian and Latin American institutions to the ongoing human rights violations committed by the Mugabe government. They met with members of Congress from Brazil's ruling Workers Party (PT) and the Social Democratic Party (PSDB), with the Special Secretariat for Human Rights, union leaders and academics, and a group of Latin American human rights organizations. This meeting with NGOs was also the first step in the formation of a Latin American coalition mobilized to promote human rights in Zimbabwe - the Friends of Zimbabwe.

In their meeting with members of Congress, the activists requested the deployment of an electoral observation mission for the March 2008 presidential elections. After this meeting, Conectas kept in contact with the PSDB and PT parties, insisting on the importance of the Brazilian electoral mission. Half way through March, Brazil was officially invited by the Mugabe government to send observers to the country. Congressman Antônio Carlos Pannunzio (PSDB, São Paulo), who had met with the activists, went to Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, accompanied by Brazil's Ambassador to the country Raul de Taunay, to join this mission.

However, the debate on Zimbabwe was not restricted to the Brazilian Legislative Branch. Conectas, together with the other organizations comprising the Friends of Zimbabwe, took steps to publicize the information it received directly from civil society organizations in the African country, collaborating with the Brazilian press and helping report on the election. Furthermore, Conectas also assisted two Brazilian journalists to travel to the country and cover events on the ground, with the support of the Open Society Institute (OSI).

Following the worsening of post-election violence, Conectas is now urging the Brazilian government to adopt a position that is more conducive to the defense of the supremacy of human rights. "Brazil cannot close its eyes to this situation again," said Juana Kweitel, also from Conectas.

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