An article worth reading: ‘Nothing free and fair about it’
Here’s an excellent article by Alistair Sparks, just brought to my attention by a reader. Alistair Sparks argues that if there is to be any possiblity of free and fair elections in Zimbabwe, Thabo Mbeki needs to do a lot more in response to Mugabe’s campaign of thuggery against the opposition:
Mbeki should act now to stop this travesty. He should tell Mugabe that unless he stops this brutal campaign right now, SADC will have no option but to pronounce the elections as having not been free and fair. And he should spell out the implications of that to Mugabe … that SADC would then not be able to validate his re-election or recognise his new government. It would be an illegitimate regime.
But how, I wonder, can Mbeki ever do a u-turn on ‘quiet diplomacy’ (which as far as I am concerned is political speak for ‘do nothing’) without having to admit it was an absurd position to take all along? Mr Sparks has considered this potentially embarassing situation too and has thoughtfully provided Thabo Mbeki with a set of options:
But my real point is that there is now an active, positive, effective thing Mbeki can do, and that is simply to give Mugabe a warning that a continuation of his campaign of brutalising the opposition will lead to SADC declaring the election invalid. It does not have to be uttered loudly, or even publicly. It can be done in the context of “quiet diplomacy.” It can be conveyed to Mugabe in private … so long as Mbeki says it in a way that Mugabe understands it is meant. What is more, Mbeki can do this without acting in his capacity as president of South Africa. He need not expose himself to an accusation that he is acting on behalf of the West or of white South African business, a retaliation that would be typical of Mugabe. Mbeki can do it on behalf of the SADC, which has mandated him to act on behalf of all 14 of the member states. Moreover the SADC has its own clear criteria for the holding of free and fair elections, and Mugabe must be told to abide by them or face the consequences. And he must be told that now.
I encourage you to read the full article. It was originally published in The Star, but unfortunately is only available there to subscribers, so I give you this link instead to zwnews.
Can I also point out that the SADC criteria for free and fair elections applied during the 2005 elections in Zimbabwe, and virtually every single one of the criteria was stomped on by Mugabe (read our Mauritius Watch series here). And yet South Africa considered the election to be ‘free and fair’. Something to think about.
May 11th, 2007 13:32
I agree on the analogy of ‘quiet diplomacy’. Mbeki is unlikely to make any threat to the Mugabe regime. The more I read on what’s happening the more depressed I get.
Unfortunately it looks like Zimbabweans will have to find means on their own to remove this fascist dictator from his pedestal. I am not inciting violence but surely the combined will of the masses must be more powerful than Bob?
My father died at the age of 81 after leading an exemplary Christian life, I asked a friend in Zim on a chat line what keeps Bob alive, a smiley of the devil was his reply which seemed appropriate.
This axis of evil needs to be squashed before the cancer spreads to neighbouring states. Only once Zimbabwe has a leader of merit is there hope for our region