Statement just received from a member of the SADC Observer Mission
April 2nd, 2005
STATEMENT BY DIANNE KOHLER-BARNARD MP
DA MEMBER OF THE SADC OBSERVER MISSION
ZIM ELECTION – DA WALKS OUT OF FINAL SADC MEETING
Release: immediate – Saturday, 02 April 2005
On Friday, the last day of the SADC observer mission, I walked out of the final meeting in disgust after mission leader and SA minister for minerals and energy Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka endorsed the Zimbabwe election as “peaceful, credible and dignified”, saying it was carried out in an “open, transparent and professional manner”. She also said there were “high levels of political tolerance and maturity.
It is little wonder I was rounded on by hugely frustrated MDC leader Silas Matamisa on election day, who bellowed, “You! You’re a South African and you’ve already determined that these elections are free and fair but all they want is to turn it into a one party state!”
He was watching as his agents were turned away from polling station after polling station because of what seemed to be either gross negligence or intentional obstructionism on the part of the Chief Electoral Officer who merely looked off into the distance as this enormous man shouted in frustration.
No one who has been in Zimbabwe for the full three-week period SADC requested (a ten person Zambian delegation arrived the day before the election) and actually left their air-conditioned comfort zones to ask the tough questions at the grassroots level could declare these elections to have been either free or fair.
The SADC observers were given very clear guidelines as to what indicators would have to be present in order for them to take such a decision and I have traveled the length and breadth of this land and have satisfied myself that this sham of an election has been one of the most cynical frauds perpetrated on the international community in electoral history.
The team I traveled with were deliberately lied to by the Police, who seemed desperate to participate in the national fraud that they had freely approved the holding of MDC rallies when the reality was that they threw every
conceivable obstacle in their path. I saw the relevant documents myself – and ensured that a team member saw them, too. The intimidation of anyone even suspected of having MDC sympathies has been endemic, and the ruthless propaganda campaign by the totally State controlled Zimbabwean media has been utterly repugnant.
The launch of the election manifestoes sums up the entire situation:
The launch of the ZANU PF election manifesto on the 11th February was given four hours of live coverage, 18 minutes on the evening bulletin, over 13 minutes in subsequent evening bulletins on the next two days plus 30-minute long repeats of the event on two separate days. The ZTV announcers all wore ZANU PF T-shirts during the launch.
By contrast the MDC was given 2 minutes and 35 seconds on the main news bulletin on February 20th.
If the SADC observer mission insists on endorsing this election as free and fair, I want no part of it!
FOR FURTHER INFO:
DIANNE KOHLER-BARNARD 082 823 7047
(Dianne is flying back at 13h15, arriving in South Africa at 15h15)MEDIA LIAISON: ANTHONY HAZELL 082 787 4002
ANTHONY HAZELL
DA Communications Director
Ph: 082 787 4002/ 021 403 3528
Fax: 021 461 0092
Email: anthony@da.org.za
