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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
There
is a crisis in Zimbabwe: ANC
Tererai Karimakwenda, SW Radio Africa
April 15, 2008
http://www.swradioafrica.com/news150408/anc150408.htm
The heat has intensified
on South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki after he made comments over
the weekend that there was no crisis in Zimbabwe, despite confirmed
reports of violence and a briefing by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai
on the chaotic situation in the country.
In a direct contradiction
of Mbekie's denial, his own party has acknowledged that there is
indeed a "crisis". Speaking after a meeting of the ANC's
national working committee on Monday, ANC national spokesperson
Jessie Duarte said: "The ANC regards ZANU-PF as an ally. However
it regards the situation in Zimbabwe as a crisis with negative consequences
for the SA Development Community region". She made the comments
after the High Court in Harare refused to order the electoral commission
to release results.
Duarte added that the
electoral commission should announce the presidential results without
any further delay because it would lose credibility if it continued
the delay. She said the ANC would make direct contact with ZANU-PF
and both formations of the MDC in order to have dialogue on the
situation.
These comments from the
ANC top brass added to pressure on Mbeki this week, after most opposition
parties said he had embarrassed South Africans by denying the Zimbabwe
crisis.
Meanwhile Avaaz.org,
the world's largest international online advocacy network, have
revealed that they will issue a dramatic aerial appeal on Wednesday
for Mbeki to "step up to the plate and support democracy in
Zimbabwe." The group plans to fly a 3,000 square foot banner
above the UN on Wednesday morning. The message is simple, they are
calling on Mbeki to convince Robert Mugabe to respect the will of
his people.
The UN stunt should get
the message to Mbeki, who will be chairing a special meeting of
the Security Council on Africa on Wednesday.
Executive Director Ricken
Patel is quoted as saying: "Thabo Mbeki's credibility as a
global and regional leader is on the line. Now is the time to act.
Mbeki is in danger of betraying the principles of the worldwide
movement that helped bring democracy to his own country."
Avaaz.org also launched
a worldwide petition last week, calling on Mbeki to take a tougher
stance and for Zanu PF to immediately release the election results.
The group says it has already collected 120,000 signatures from
almost every country on earth.
Avaaz means, "voice"
in several European, Middle Eastern and Asian languages. The organization
was launched in January 2007 with the simple democratic mission
of using the 'tools of online campaigning to ensure that the views
and values of the world's peoples shape the policies that govern
them.'
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