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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Talks, dialogue, negotiations and GNU - Post June 2008 "elections" - Index of articles
MDC
reps in Pretoria only to present conditions for negotiations
Morgan Tsvangirai,
MDC
July 10, 2008
Over the past
ten days, my party and I have stated categorically that there are
no negotiations between ourselves and ZANU PF currently taking place.
In addition, we have stated that no such negotiations can take place
while the ZANU PF regime continues to wage war on my party and the
people of Zimbabwe. This position has not changed.
There is a meeting
currently taking place in Pretoria at which the MDC is represented
by Secretary-General, Tendai Biti, and Deputy Treasurer-General,
Elton Mangoma. Their presence at this meeting is solely to present
the conditions under which genuine negotiations can take place and
the mechanism under which these negotiations will be conducted as
defined by the AU
resolution. The lack of these conditions and an agreed framework
in which negotiations can take place were the reasons for the MDC
not attending the meeting between President Mbeki and Robert Mugabe
last Saturday.
Those persons
portraying this meeting as the beginning of negotiations between
the MDC and ZANU PF are being disingenuous and exploiting the plight
of the Zimbabwean people for political gain.
In addition,
portraying these talks as negotiations also undermines the resolution
of the African Union, the statements made by the G8 leaders and
the current process underway at the United Nations Security Council,
all of which are designed to pressure the ZANU PF regime to desist
from its campaign of violence against the MDC and the people of
Zimbabwe.
At present the
state-sanctioned violence and repressive legislation employed by
the regime is designed to silence the Zimbabwean people.
We in the MDC
are committed to finding a peaceful, negotiated solution to the
Zimbabwean crisis and we will take every opportunity to clarify
our position and to allow the voice of the Zimbabwean people to
be heard.
Our conditions
for partaking in negotiations remain:
- The immediate
cessation of violence and the withdrawal and disbanding of militia
groups, paramilitary camps and illegal road blocks. All structures
and infrastructure of violence must be disbanded. Amongst other
things, war veterans, youth militia and others encamped on the
edges of our cities, towns and villages need to be sent home and
be reintegrated into society.
- The normalization
of the political environment, including the release of the more
than 1 500 political prisoners, cessation of political persecution
and allowing the currently besieged MDC leadership to conduct
business and travel without hindrance
- The reinstatement
of access by humanitarian organizations to the people of Zimbabwe
in order to provide food, medical and other critical services
through out the country.
- Parliament
and Senate must be sworn in and begin working on the people's
business.
- The mediation
team is expanded to include an AU permanent envoy.
Until the above
conditions are in place no negotiations can take place on the substantive
issues facing Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwean people.
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