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Zimbabwe bishops call on parties not to rush settlement
Ecumenical News International, Harare
August 15, 2008

http://www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=2186

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The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference has called on the negotiating parties not to rush into a government of national Unity, but to urgently dismantle instruments of violence, reject impunity and usher in a new political culture in which accountability, inclusiveness, transparency, healing and reconciliation are paramount. "The crisis in Zimbabwe is one that was caused by exclusion from power and from the people's right to participate in the processes that affect their lives and from the benefits of growth and development," said the bishops, in a statement made available on 15 August. "We therefore think that the negotiators should not rush into establishing a government of national unity," said the bishops. Rather, they should agree on a transitional arrangement, which in 18 months or so, will lead to the construction of a new Constitution which will then be the basis for fresh elections that are free and fair.

South African President Thabo Mbeki was to meet the main participants in Zimbabwe's power-sharing talks on 15 August before a regional summit the following day, according to his spokesperson. Talks between the leader of Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF party, Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, which won the most parliamentary seats in March elections and a breakaway MDC faction leader, Arthur Mutambara, to end a political crisis stalled earlier in the week. Tsvangirai did not agree to a proposed deal. "There is a meeting with President Mugabe, thereafter Arthur Mutambara, thereafter Morgan Tsvangirai," Mbeki's spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency.

Meanwhile, in their statement the bishops said, "From the colonial times to the post-independent times, governments have failed to facilitate the construction of a society that is respectful of the dignity of all persons and guarantee security, justice and peace. Instead, economic, political and social exclusion has encouraged the development of racism, negative ethnicity, gender discrimination and pessimism for the youth." The bishops said, "Politically, Zimbabwe has grown to be a deeply divided, unequal society where those in power work to protect their privileges by privatising national state institutions and process es. The impartiality and national character of the executive, the judiciary, and the legislature have been compromised. We have seen the judges, magistrates; the police, the army and other security forces take more and more party political positions at the expense of the security and freedom of citizens.

"With the deepening of the political crisis, we have seen the growth of hate language in the media and at political gatherings culminating in intimidation, sexual abuse, rape, violence and gruesome killings of citizens." In Johannesburg on 15 August, the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum, a group representing some of the more-than-three million Zimbabwean exiles in South Africa, sent an urgent call to a Southern African Development Community tribunal for it to stop Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe from attending the next meeting of the 12-nation regional body on 16 August.

ZEF spokesperson Gabriel Shumba said, "Mugabe was not lawfully elected and so he cannot take his seat at the [SADC] table. It shouldn't require legal action for SADC to recognise this." Shumba said he hoped the tribunal of the 12 Southern African nations would withdraw SADC's invitation to Mugabe to attend the summit of heads of state and government in Johannesburg, and also declare his rule as illegitimate.

South Africa, as the SADC chair, was is in violation of its principles that make clear a state party should act in accordance with its laws and respect the rule of democracy, Shumba said. He noted that the SADC has declared a run-off presidential election held on June 27, which only Mugabe contested as not free, fair or reflective of the democratic will of the people.

Meanwhile, the Catholic bishops called for an immediate halt to all intimidation and violence and said that if it recurs it should be "prosecuted swiftly in accordance with transparent and impartial justice". The bishops said that all political prisoners should be vetted and released immediately, "They are not to b e offered an amnesty since they have not been convicted of any crime," said the bishops' statement. The Catholic leaders also urged for an end to "hate speech and hate language", and said there should be an "immediate freeing of media space and promotion of free access to that space". They further called for assistance to all internally displaced persons and assurance of their safety "to enable them to return to their homes, and the immediate lifting of the ban on the activities of NGOs [non-governmental organizations]and other civil society organizations to enable churches and civil society organizations to operate freely". UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has also made such a call.

"Politically, Zimbabwe has grown to be a deeply divided, unequal society where those in power work to protect their privileges by privatising national state institutions and processes," the bishops said. "The impartiality and national character of the executive, the judiciary, and the legislature have been compromised. We have seen the judges, magistrates; the police, the army and other security forces take more and more party political positions at the expense of the security and freedom of citizens." The bishops added, "In the past, we have collaborated with the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, and other people of good will in facilitating the development of a national vision through the discussion document, 'The Zimbabwe We Want'."

In a commentary on the current political talks taking place in South Africa, the bishops said, "While we think that the ongoing negotiations are positive, we also think that they could be more inclusive in order to enhance their legitimacy and acceptance." The bishops explained, "As the church, we have not been spared from the restrictions, suspicions and violence that have developed in our country. However, we think that we have an important and legit imate role to play at various stages of our country's transitional process.

First, as the negotiations are underway, we hope to be free to lobby, influence and monitor the process of negotiations. Secondly, we intend to hold accountable parties to the agreements in order to encourage parties to keep their commitments. Thirdly, we intend to collaborate with our partners in Zimbabwe and other countries, especially in South Africa, to freely lobby and advocate for issues that will ensure a people-centred ethos that takes seriously the voices of ordinary citizens, especially women and the youth."

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