Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
*Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition Statement, Gaborone, 23 November 2010 * *SADC: Urgently Deploy GPA Monitors to Zimbabwe *On November 22, 2010, a delegation from the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition held a positive and progressive meeting with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat Executive Secretary, Dr. Tomaz A. Salomao in Gaborone, Botswana. The meeting focused on SADC's role in efforts to find a lasting solution to Zimbabwe's political conflict and clarify the sub-regional position on elections and the lifespan of the coalition government as the guarantors of the Global Political Agreement between. We acknowledge and appreciate this valuable engagement with Dr. Salomao and his team and look forward to continued engagement.
We wish to reiterate our call to action for SADC to urgently:Deploy SADC monitors to Zimbabwe to comprehensively assess and ensure the full implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) for restoration of political stability, peace and human security paving the way for Zimbabwe to hold credible elections;
Ensure that the SADC Monitors particularly focus on pushing the political parties in Zimbabwe to create a conducive environment for the holding of democratic elections that are free from violence and intimidation and where the people of Zimbabwe can genuinely and freely express their will;
1. Indicate categorically that elections will only be held after
SADC and the African Union - as guarantors of the GPA -- make
an independent assessment of conditions on the ground and
certify that the environment is conducive and that necessary
institutional and legislative reforms have taken place to
allow for an election that meets SADC standards on the conduct
of democratic elections. This includes ensuring that the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is fully capable
(technically and financially) of managing and delivering a
convincing election which will lead to a peaceful transfer of
power; that there is a clean and updated voters' roll whose
compilation should be the responsibility of ZEC and not the
partisan Registrar-General; that Zimbabweans in the Diaspora
have a right to vote; and that soldiers return to the barracks
and play no part in electoral affairs;
2. Provide for SADC, AU and UN election monitors to be deployed
to Zimbabwe at least six months before any election is held
and to maintain such monitors for at least another three
months after the conclusion of elections in order to prevent
violence and intimidation and;
3. Push the political principals in Zimbabwe to genuinely commit
to finding a lasting solution to the political conflict
thereby creating fertile conditions for economic and social
development. Without a solid foundation of political stability
and peace, any improvements in the economy will not be
sustainable;
4. That all the parties should agree on regional and
international observers that should be invited to monitor the
elections. The minister of Foreign affairs should only invite
foreign observers that have been agreed to by all the parties
represented in the coalition government.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition works to promote democracy,
socio-economic development, peace and security in Zimbabwe and across
southern Africa.
*For more information please contact:Crisis In Zimbabwe Coalition Regional Coordinator: [email protected]*
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