http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=342452005
Call for harder sanctions on Zimbabwe TOUGHER European sanctions against Zimbabwe were demanded today as the country voted in what was described as a "bogus" election. Restrictions on Robert Mugabe, his family and key figures in his political regime were first imposed by EU governments three years ago and renewed last month - with the warning they could be re-examined after today's election. But even before polling was complete Labour MEP Glenys Kinnock said the measures should be toughened up because the election was "fundamentally flawed". The sanctions were prompted by political and human rights concerns about Zimbabwe, and followed widespread claims that President Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party rigged parliamentary elections in 2000 and the 2002 presidential poll. The sanctions include a ban on EU travel by Mr Mugabe, his immediate family and senior government officials. The list of officials drawn up in an EU resolution refers to those "who commit human rights violations and restrict freedom of opinion, association and peaceful protest". Other sanctions include a ban on arms sales and the freezing of Zimbabwean assets in European banks. Mrs Kinnock, Labour's European Parliament spokeswoman on development policy, said: "The entire process in Zimbabwe is fundamentally flawed. "How can you have a free and fair election in a country that for the last five years has seen widespread state-sponsored intimidation, arbitrary arrest and torture as well as attacks on legitimate opposition and the independent media? "How can it be fair when the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and assocation have been denied to the people of Zimbabwe for five years? "There is a palpable fear of reprisals against people who vote for the opposition MDC. "This election will be as lacking in legitimacy as the last two. The same soldiers and Zanu thugs who beat and killed would-be voters now stand at the polling booths. Constituency boundaries have been gerrymandered to suit Zanu-PF. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. Fund a student project in NYC/NC today! http://us.click.yahoo.com/EHLuJD/.WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
