Links ~ 11 – 12 August 2008
August 12th, 2008
Rights group says SADC should stop Zimbabwe abuses (Reuters)
Human Rights Watch on Tuesday called on regional leaders to pressure Zimbabwe’s government to stop what it called continued violence which threatens to undermine efforts to end the country’s political crisis. In a report, “‘They Beat Me like a Dog’: Political Persecution of Opposition Activists and Supporters in Zimbabwe,” the New-York based rights group accused the ruling ZANU-PF and its supporters of killings, beatings and arbitrary arrests of opposition MDC members of parliament and activists. It urged the Southern African Development Community (SADC) group of countries to take a tough stand against the alleged abuses at its August 16 summit in South Africa.
Tsvangirai MDC ready to quit talks if solution not found (SWRA)
The Tsvangirai MDC has threatened to walk out of the power-sharing talks, citing the length of time it has taken to find a solution to the country’s crisis, sources said on Monday. ‘The talks cannot go on for ever. The MDC has made it known to Thabo Mbeki that they are not happy with the time it has taken to resolve the crisis,’ said the source from Harare. It is believed the MDC negotiators, including Morgan Tsvangirai, were ready to throw an ultimatum at Mbeki that after Monday they would walk out of the talks if all parties fail to agree to a common position.
Zim rivals set for make-or-break talks (Mail and Guardian)
Zimbabwe’s rivals will resume make-or-break power-sharing talks on Tuesday after two days of negotiations failed to produce a deal following Robert Mugabe’s widely condemned re-election. The talks, mediated by South African President Thabo Mbeki, were planned to start after a speech by President Mugabe to mark national Armed Forces Day, a government official said.
More extensions for Zim talks? (IOL.com)
Mugabe, his rivals and South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is mediating, have been in closed-door talks at a Harare hotel since Sunday morning. The talks had been expected to end on Sunday evening, and the repeated extensions indicate they are deadlocked. The chief obstacle has been differences about what role, if any, Mugabe would have in a possible unity government. Main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said he could work with moderates from Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party, but not with Mugabe. Zanu-PF has insisted Mugabe remain president, and he may be balking at ceding much power to Tsvangirai.
Conflicting stories on Zim talks (News24.com)
On leaving a second session of talks mediated by South African President Thabo Mbeki in a city-centre hotel, Mugabe said the main hurdles had been “overcome”. ‘ But a source in Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) told a different story – that the two leaders had not yet agreed how to divvy up power. “We will meet tomorrow and finish,” Mugabe said. But Tsvangirai gave no such assurances, saying only the talks had been adjourned until Tuesday and that the media would be advised on progress made.
Zimbabwe president urges removal of sanctions (Chinaview)
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has said removal of illegal sanctions could assist unity talks between political parties in this southern African country. Addressing thousands who attended Heroes’ Day commemorations, Mugabe said the talks about to be concluded would pave the way for setting up the government of national unity. He said it was regrettable that Western countries imposed more sanctions when unity talks were underway. “These sanctions constitute a direct external interference in our internal processes aimed at resolving our country’s challenges,” said Mugabe. “We, therefore, call upon Britain and her allies to forthwith remove the sanctions to allow us space to freely chart our destiny as sovereign people,” he said.
August 12th, 2008 14:01
Re: Zimbabwe president urges removal of sanctions -
This is just a further stalling tactic by Mugabe. He knows full well that sanctions will be lifted the moment he concedes a major degree of executive powers to the rightful winners and owners of the majority of the peoples chosen representatives, i.e. the Movement for Democratic Change.
If he refuses, or is prevented by the JOC, to concede this basic changeover, there will be no unity between the rivals and democracy as it is generally understood by all nations will not have been achieved. He brought the sanctions upon himself, they were not “imposed when unity talks were underway” as he states, but were drawn up because his elections were not free and fair.
It is a question of either honour the people, or bring permanent dishonour on himself. If he choses the latter course of action he will not last very long as a president of any standing and respect. If he choses the correct course of action he will at least be given a modicum of dignity in his remaining years.
August 13th, 2008 03:11
Any opinions out there as to what the heads of Army and Police are likely to do next a) if the talks break down or b) if executive power is removed from Mugabe?
A military coup against Prime Minister Morgan?