| Elisa Burchett: Zimbabwe; African Union vs. "International Community"
There are opposing views on how to handle the crisis in Zimbabwe. On one side there is the African Union through its mediator the SADC* (facilitated by South Africa and Angola) stressing the futility of imposing sanctions against Zimbabwe and the rejection of the idea that Zimbabwe is a threat to international peace and security.
On the other side there are the G8 leaders at this year’s G8 summit implying that Zimbabwe is viewed as a threat to international peace and security, and that “We will take further steps, inter alia introducing financial and other measures against those individuals responsible for violence.”
South African Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo is attempting to stave off the growing public perception that Zimbabwe poses an international threat. To the contrary, Ambassador Kumalo says the African Union has stated un-categorically that we do not need sanctions against Zimbabwe. They do not believe Zimbabwe is a threat to international peace and security, and that the G8 leaders’ use of chapter VII of the UN Charter is really surprising and goes way over the top.
Ambassador Kumalo says of sanctions, one of the persons targeted is the Governor of the reserve bank who is said to have printed money that is being used by the military. “I don’t know of a governor of reserve bank who prints part of the money and says this is for the ones who are hungry and this is for the ones of the military”, Ambassador Kumalo said. “If you cut out the money out of Zimbabwe it will have a tremendous impact on neighboring States…When the people flee from Zimbabwe they come to our country, he added.”
A.U. leaders say they are for applying pressure on all parties, but they are urging the international community not to take measures that will complicate the situation, literally blowing the country apart, Ambassador Kumalo stressed. The A.U. is for taking measures that will urge the parties to seek a political solution through negotiations.
The “other” point of contention is opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Ambassador Kumalo is concerned there is a wish to impose Mr. Tsvangirai as president of Zimbabwe; a move that Mr. Kumalo is stressing would complicate things and create huge problems. “The E.U., through its presidents, said openly to the press that they want to see Tsvangirai installed as president of Zimbabwe”, Kumalo pointed out.
“We (the A.U./SADC) want the people of Zimbabwe to select through free and fair elections, without violence, without intimidation, who their leader is. The Europeans are complicating issues because they are choosing one and saying we won’t accept anything unless it is led by Morgan Tsvangirai. This creates huge problems”, Kumalo Stressed.
A recent U.S. draft resolution for applying sanctions on Zimbabwe now goes in the direction of giving the U.N. Security Council the ability to certify a partial election, Ambassador Kumalo said. “If the Security Council is now going to go into countries and start certifying one election or part of an election, where are we going to stop?” Again, he stressed the importance of negotiations between the parties and the importance of allowing the people of Zimbabwe the opportunity to choose.
U.N. Deputy Secretary General Asha Rose Migiro says the U.N. holds that the run-off elections were illegitimate and that the only way out of this crisis is for the two sides to agree on a political solution that would pave the way for a democratic transition and economic recovery of the country. She would not say were she stood on sanctions against Zimbabwe, but conveyed Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s call on the government of Zimbabwe to immediately lift sanctions on humanitarian activities. She said, “The people of the Zimbabwe deserve no less.”
If the current humanitarian situation remains unchanged in Zimbabwe 5.1 million people will be left at grave risk due to food shortages, Mrs. Migiro told the press.
*SADC is the acronym for South African Development Community.
Elisa Burchett
UNHQ Bureau Chief
U.N OBSERVER & International Report
Please also see:
G8 Leaders Statement on Zimbabwe http://www.g8summit.go.jp/eng/doc/doc080709_08_en.html
Southern African Development Community http://www.sadc.int
Charter of the United Nations
CHAPTER VII
ACTION WITH RESPECT TO THREATS TO THE PEACE, BREACHES OF THE PEACE, AND ACTS OF AGGRESSION
http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/chapter7.htm
No consensus in Security Council on Zimbabwe sanctions
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=27358&Cr=Zimbabwe&Cr1
Zimbabwe: Mugabe, Tsvangirai in Talks Climbdown
http://allafrica.com/stories/200807120048.html
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