Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Harare (Agenzia Fides) - The Bishops of Botswana, South Africa, and Swaziland (gathered at the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference), in a statement issued immediately prior to the Summit meeting of Southern African leaders on Zimbabwe, asked that an international mediator of the stature of Kofi Annan be sent to intervene in the Zimbabwean crisis. The Bishops ask “the leaders of the Southern African Development Communities and the African Union to take prompt action in order to reduce tension, sending in a mediator of the international stature of Kofi Annan in order to ensure a resolution that will be acceptable to all Zimbabwean citizens.” The petition comes in a statement sent to Fides and signed by Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of Johannesburg, President of the SACBC. The Archbishop asks that “President Mbeki, the leaders of the Southern African Development Communities, and the African Union exercise their influence in publishing the results of the elections in Zimbabwe.”
Archbishop Tlhagale states that “the apparent impunity and lack of respect for the democratic process that has caused this delay are reason for serious concern. The postponing of the publication of the results has only increased tension and fear in Zimbabwe. The credibility of the peaceful vote has been undermined by this delay and by the behavior of the political parties. The uncertainty that has been fostered has created the perfect opportunity for anarchy.”
The National Electoral Commission has not yet published the results of the presidential elections. A representative of the Commission has said that they cannot be revealed due to a question that must be resolved by the magistrates. This statement came in response to the MDC’s (Movement for Democratic Change) petition to the High Court of Justice to intervene with an order obliging the Electoral Commission to release the results of the March 29 elections. The verdict is expected to be declared April 14.
The opposition in Zimbabwe announces that they refuse to participate in the second round, which seems increasingly more likely to take place, declaring that they already one the first round of elections on March 29. “We will not participate in a second round of elections because we already won. We do not need a second round,” said Tendai Biti, Secretary General of the MDC.
The political state in Zimbabwe is under the vigilance of all the governments and diplomats of southern Africa, whose Heads of State will meet on April 12 in Lusaka (Zambia) for an extraordinary summit meeting of the Southern African Development Communities (see Fides 10/4/2008), on the crisis in Zimbabwe. President Robert Mugabe has confirmed his participation in the event. The Summit has also invited Tsvangirai, who is currently on a visiting tour of the various neighboring countries. The leader of the MDC met with South African President Thabo Mbeki. The dialogue with Mbeki took place some days after his meeting with African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma, whose position on Zimbabwe differs from that of Mbeki (Zuma is considered to be the likely successor to Mbeki in the leadership of South Africa following upcoming elections in 2009). Zuma seemed to be in favor of increased commitment on the part of his country and from all the other members of SADC in the Zimbabwean crisis. He asked that “all the parties (of Zimbabwe) respect the will of the people, beyond the election results and in respect of the law...if there are conflicts, they should be resolved through appropriate legal means.” (LM) (Agenzia Fides 11/4/2008; righe 46, parole 574)
