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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
Statement
on the situation in Zimbabwe
SADC Media Practitioners
April 10, 2008
http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=17669
We the undersigned SADC
media practitioners and international partners meeting in Johannesburg
note with the gravest concern the unacceptable delay in the release
of Presidential results in Zimbabwe. We also express concern and
condemnation of the arrest of journalists, harassment and violence
being orchestrated by war veterans, ZANU- PF allied militias and
security agents on the citizens of Zimbabwe.
The delay in the release
of Presidential election results far exceeds acceptable time limits
in which results should be published to maintain the sanctity of
an election process. We note that there can be no legitimate reason
to withhold the results that the Zimbabwean nation awaits so anxiously.
And in view of this, we express concern that this delay contributes
to creating an atmo sphere of distrust, suspicion and instability.
In the same vein, we condemn the arrest and continued harassment
of journalists covering the events in Zimbabwe. We further condemn
in the strongest terms the violence against citizens being perpetrated
by the police, military and militias aligned to ZANU-PF party.
We, therefore, call upon
the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to release the results of
this election without further delay. This would put an end to corrosive
speculation and increasing anxiety that threatens the peace and
stability of Zimbabwe and the SADC Region.
We further call upon
ZANU-PF and security arms of state in Zimbabwe to stop forthwith
the violence against rural and urban communities. We call upon ZANU-PF
and the police to disband the militias made up of war veterans and
ruling party youths. There can be no credible reason for the existence
of such non state formations and this raises the fear that the former
ruling party, ZANU- PF orchestrating, violence against innocent
citizens, and by its own admission preparing for a presidential
runoff of an election whose result remain unknown.
The reports of violence
in urban and rural areas as well as confirmed reports of a new wave
of farm invasions represents a grave threat to the stability of
Zimbabwe and democratic practice in that country.
In view of these developments
we the undersigned call upon:
1. the SADC Executive
Secretary and Chairperson, the Africa Union and the United Nations
through its relevant channels to respond immediately to the unfolding
political and humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe.
2. the SADC Executive
Secretary and Africa Union to request the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
to release the results of the Presidential election without any
further delay.
3. Zimbabwe's security
agents that to remain impartial and ensure a peaceful environment,
free from violence and political intimidation to enable the staging
of a Presidential election run off, should this be necessary .
4. Release and drop all
charges against arrested journalists and media workers. And allow
an environment in which local and foreign media can cover events
without restrictions, intimidation or fear of arrest.
5. That the conduct of
a Presidential runoff, if necessary, be carried out in a fair and
transparent manner and that the results are released as soon as
possible.
We expect that all Zimbabweans
accept the results of such an election
Signed:
Development Workshop
- Fabrice Beutler - Angola
Digital Media Africa Foundation - South Africa
MISA-Swaziland- Comfort Mabuza - Swaziland
MISA-Mozambique - Alfredo Libombo - Mozambique
MISA-Zimbabwe
- Rashweat Mukundu - Zimbabwe
Southern Africa Media and Gender Institute (SAMGI) - Judith Smith
- South Africa
Media
Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe - Andrew Moyse - Zimbabwe
Gender and Media Southern Africa- Charles Chisala - South Africa
Journaliste en Danger - Donat M'Baya - Democratic Republic
of Congo (DRC)
Freedom of Expression Institute - Jane Duncan - South Africa
Media Alliance of Zimbabwe - Abigail Gamanya - Zimbabwe
Africa
Community Publishing Development Trust - Cathy Bond Stewart
- Zimbabwe
Africa Community Publishing Development Trust - Talent Nyathi
- Zimbabwe
The Worker - Bright Chibvuri - Zimbabwe
SAIMED - Jacqueline Kabeta - Botswana
Anthea Garman - South Africa
Johanne Mavhungo - South Africa
Michael Jimmy - Namibia
Bob Van Der Winden - Netherlands
Zambezi Fox - Jeannete Minnie
Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa - Netherlands
Gisela Dutting - Netherlands
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