Global outcry over SADC failure to pressure Mugabe

By Tererai Karimakwenda
21 August 2007

Leaders from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have received strong condemnation over their recent failure to pressure their colleague Robert Mugabe to reform his policies and bring back the rule of law to Zimbabwe. Heads of state from the region concluded their summit in Lusaka, Zambia on Friday without adopting any concrete plan to deal with the political and economic crisis that has gripped the country.

A final communiqué issued Friday commended South Africa’s president Thabo Mbeki for his mediation efforts, called upon the ruling party and opposition in Zimbabwe to push ahead with talks and reaffirmed their commitment to free and fair elections in March, 2008. A financial rescue package for Mugabe is also in the works. But there were no details discussed to end the ongoing terror campaign against the opposition, civil leaders and activists. And with elections just months away, no solid plan was worked out to begin ensuring the atmosphere was conducive to free and fair polls.

The global rights watchdog Human Rights Watch strongly criticised the SADC leaders for failing to focus on the continuing human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. Tiseke Kasambala, the group’s researcher on Zimbabwe, said the group expected tough action after some SADC leaders criticised the brutal beatings of opposition officials back in March. She explained that the mandate given South Africa’s president Thabo Mbeki to mediate in the Zimbabwe crisis had also signalled a willingness to act by the Heads of State. “But instead Mbeki was commended and Mugabe was patted on the back,” said Kasambala.

Human Rights Watch is also concerned about the elections scheduled for March. Kasambala said: “The elections cannot be free and fair when you have one party whose interest is to preserve itself and continue oppressing its people. Without a focus on human rights the atmosphere cannot be conducive to free and fair elections.”

In the UK MP Kate Hoey, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Zimbabwe, called for the British government to cut off aid for Mugabe and those who support him. In a statement published in The UK Telegraph newspaper Hoey said: “If a fraction of our humanitarian aid budget went towards supporting those who offer an alternative to the current regime we could start investing in the recovery of Zimbabwe rather than providing sticking plasters for its bleeding wounds. We need to get tough on the SADC leaders.”

The Crisis Coalition in Zimbabwe had said the credibility of SADC's commitment to the promotion of human rights and the rule of law was on the line this time around in Lusaka. They too released a statement expressing disappointment that nothing concrete had been drawn up by the SADC leaders.