It was not hard to see which of Zimbabwe’s rivals felt he had come out on top from the regional summit at the weekend.
President Robert Mugabe described the leaders as “persuasive”. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he was “shocked and saddened”.
Leaders of the Southern African Development Community demanded immediate implementation of Zimbabwe’s power-sharing deal and said the rivals should share the powerful Home Affairs ministry to end weeks of deadlock – a proposal quickly rejected by Tsvangirai.
Anyone hoping the summit might be able to bring Zimbabwe’s increasingly desperate crisis closer to a resolution would have been disappointed.
Instead of highlighting a strong position, it showed up more than anything why the region’s leaders are unlikely to ever be able to force Zimbabwe’s rivals to implement a power-sharing deal that now looks in growing doubt.
What chance is there now for the power-sharing deal? Should Tsvangirai accept the verdict of the regional leaders and share the Home Affairs post? Should Mugabe form a government alone if Tsvangirai does not go along?
What do you think?
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The web site, http://www.arrestNKUNDAnow.org , provides information about war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by troups under Nkunda ’s command since 2002 . The website is also launching a petition calling on concerned people around the world to demand that MONUC immediately arrest Nkunda for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The U.N.’s biggest peacekeeping mission will soon be over 20,000 in Congo “must ensure that those responsible for serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian laws are brought to justice” said Mr. Kyubwa.
Nkunda is accused of multiple war crimes and crimes against humanity of which most cases are well documented by various human right organzations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. In September 2005, the Congolese government issued an arrest warrant for Nkunda, accusing him of numerous war crimes and crimes against human rights. Human Rights Watch, for example, which has been calling for his arrest for war crimes and crimes against humanity since February 2006 has documented summary executions, torture and rape committed by soldiers under the command of Nkunda in Bukavu in 2004 and in Kisangani in 2002. Also armed groups loyal to warlord Nkunda have been repeatedly accused of using rape as a weapon of war and the recruitment of child soldiers, some as young as 12 after the abduction from their homes.
According to Mr. Kyubwa, NKunda continues to be involved in the committing of crimes in DRC, and in particular in the province of North Kivu, where again groups armed acting under his command are reportedly responsible for killing civilian systematically in the town of Kiwanja. The continuing horrific killing of civilians testifies that Human Rights Watch was absolutely reasonable in its warning then in 2006 and it’s today. “So long as Nkunda is at large, the civilian population remains at grave risk”
The website http://www.arrestNKUNDAnow.org encourages concerned people around the world to sign a petition to demand that MONUC immediately arrest Nkunda for war crimes and crimes against humanity. For more information please call the project coordinator in the United States , Amede Kyubwa at (916) 753 5717 or email: arrestkundanow@hotmail.com
- Posted by Joseph RobertHas the world forgotten about Zim now? We shouldn’t, despite the Western worlds economic issues. Those will filter to places like Africa soon and be another double whammy for those poor folks.
- Posted by KTMugabe should be forced to step down,through elections monitored by the United Nations,We here in Botswana are feeling the hard pinch of Zimbabwe situation,monthly our government spend P1.2million for the upkeep of illegal Zimbabwean immigrants,P64 million used to build detention centre,12000 zimbabweans are involved in criminal activities,This is a very sad situation for our economy,this money could have been used for development of our country.I urge those who thinks that to liberate the country means to own the land,to think twice, ZANU PF is a confused party which will use everything to hold on power,Africans we need to stand up and advocate for democracy,we should do a fact finding mission about democracy in Botswana.We need change in Africa,change we can believe in.
- Posted by ericMugabe is a despot! Tsvangirai, although also without tarnish, does have the majority of Zimbabwe civilians behind him. In a Democratic world, Tsvangirai should be assisted in securing the higher ground! I suspect that what will transpire will be a rapid descent into civil war, again! While the world, and particularly, the Southern African Development Community, will sit idle in support of failed diplomacy which would appear to be a habit of the SADC. Shame on SADC again! Andrew C.
- Posted by Andrew CMugabe was asked to recurse himself from the room but he defied the chairman. He showed contempt of SADC and was rewarded in the end.Why the does anyone in their normal state would suggest Tsvangirai take SADC seriously. SADC is spineless and they are all Mugabe’s wives.
- Posted by dreadTsvangirai should not just join Mugabe to window-dress his government, but should go in as an equal partner. If there is to be two Home Affairs ministers how do they function and who will be accountable for what. That does not work. Mugabe got defence therefore Morgan should get Home Affairs otherwise let Mugabe form his illegitimate government. Let the games begin. If Mugabe decide to go it alone then he will not last more than six months thats the reality.
This has nothing to do with racist white farmers embittered by losing their land. This situation is all about a man (R.M.) who cannot fathom his country ruled by someone other than him, regardless of the consequences. I think the consequences are quite clear: A complete collapse of the functioning state. Until the democratically elected government takes power, no one in the Western world will want anything to do with Mugabe. The time for change has come.
- Posted by John CofrinZimbabweans are clearly incapable of solving their own problems due to brute force and intimidation on the part of the ZANU PF. If millions are to be spared from starvation and ruin - not only inside Zimbabwe but also in neighbouring countries as a result of the refugee crisis - countries most affected such as South Africa, Zambia and Botswana must act to ensure new and fair elections at the earliest opportunity. South Africa says it cannot force Mugabe to do anything, but the same was not true when Ian Smith ruled Rhodesia. South Africa’s threat to cut Rhodesia’s lifeline resulted in immediate capitulation. Botswana and South Africa’s joint invasion of Lesotho also produced results. If the three neighbours, together with Mocambique, closed their borders with Zimbabwe, moved troops to the border and told Mugabe that he WILL hold new elections under African/international supervision, change could be effected quickly and bloodlessly. In the highly unlikely event that the Zimbabwe electorate chose to re-elect ZANU-PF in a FREE election, so be it … The lack of any meaningful action by Africa or the world will prolong Zimbabwe’s suffering and lead to needless loss of life in a country proven to be capable of being more than self-supporting.
- Posted by Mark AdamsMugabe is already behaving as if he is hte legitimate government. He is NOT unless MDC agrees to it. Anyways, even if he forms new government, what will happen? not a penny is going to be put in by western countries and the problems of zimbabwe need cash infusions on massive scale. we need the west. and in this case they are right and mugabe is wrong. with the current arrangement, whatever was economically funtional has stopped. the farms, the gold mines, the industries. so please get into some sense. let mugabe go. let zimbabwe live!
- Posted by Kishor KumarAnother blog about Zimbabwe! The last one was less than three weeks ago.
5 million people are dead and 1 million are displaced in Congo, we get only one blog in six months. White farmers are forced to give back the land they stole through murder, genocide, apartheid, we get a blog every two weeks!
If Reuters wants to be taken seriously, it will let REAL AFRICANS write the Africa Blog so they can focus on issues that really concern them rather than this obsession about the fate of greedy, racist white farmers in Zimbabwe.
- Posted by Vincent.
Just get rid of Mugabe and the problem will be resolved. As long as this racist has any say all zimbabwe will suffer.
- Posted by Billy HirstThe Botswana position is absolute,We are a beacon of democracy a shinning hope in midst of a dark continent,our stand which our president took,is that the only solution for Zimbabwe,is free and fair election monitored by the United Nations,Our african ruling parties will do all things to hold to power,so i urge Africans to learn from Botswana.We distate a government formed through torture,violence and killing of innocent blood.Changarai should not have entered in any deal with Mugabe,He is a traitor and have massacared Ndebeles and many.Africans time has come for us to arise and denounce this regime.SADC and AU are shameful organs they wont act!
- Posted by ericGoing into this latest talking forum, SADC may have had the solution well within their grasp; if they really had the stomach to demonstrate African leadership it was there for the taking. It’s said that between 4 and 4.5 million Zimbabweans live in refugee camps and the like in surrounding African countries and abroad…if so, a number that appears to represent maybe 30% to 35% of the Zimbabwe population. Many more we hear, live huddled in the bush and grasses near the various neighboring borders to Zimbabwe, ready at a moments notice to run for their lives…while eating what ever they can scratch to stay alive. It seems if SADC really wanted to be part of the solution rather than simply part of this endless talking forum;…if they were serious about putting this blight on Southern Africa behind them…it’s a wonder they’ve never insisted the contestants for leadership of this beautiful country agree to an imposed set of free and fair election directions and management…no matter the sovereignty argument;
Considering the fact that now Zimbabwe is about to take all the surrounding countries presently NOT getting involved in non military solutions…into potentially armed conflict…the sovereignty of many countries will become an issue; an issue when there’s really no need, no reason to loose more lives over making things right for so many. Let’s play the what-if-game for a moment………
What if…SADC agreed amongst its membership to immediately assemble a temporary-time-limited election peace keeping force of sufficient size, to safe guard interior Zimbabwe electoral locations and all routes to and from those locations as well as all routes to and from neighboring country to country transit points where rural populations would have easier access to vote out-of-country.
What if…Zimbabwe’s current government was directed by SADC as condition of continued SADC membership to agree to stand down the entire military structure… to their respective barracks for the vote and potential transition duration, where they will also have free and fair access to vote their hearts decision under SADC management and also directed to stand down the entire police structure to their respective backs where they too will have free and fair access to vote their hearts decision under SADC management….with all national policing for the purposes of the vote to be assumed by the joint SADC electoral security forces drawn from all SADC member countries for a specified period of vote and potential transition to freely elected government.
What if…under SADC agreement and administration, a free and fair election process was set up in all surrounding countries for voting access, where Zimbabweans are currently in refugee and/or transit status.
What if…under SADC/UN agreement and administration, a free and fair election process is set up at UN missions and offices around the world for voting access where Zimbabweans are either in refugee, transit or working abroad status.
What if…SADC determined there’s no logical need to politic in this matter any further, as the entire country, indeed the entire world knows the competing politicians intimately by this stage….what if they determine what is needed here is not more wasted money on kissing babies, flying posters and beating up the electorate but more fundamental actions of hearing the peoples choice at the ballot box…!
What if it worked? What if something as radically positive as peace and stability with regards to all affected countries in this rapidly downward spiraling region… was to break out of the darkness through the TOUGH LOVE of Zimbabwe’s neighbors’……! Wouldn’t the survival of millions of lives in the balance be worth the SADC risk of stepping up and doing something…rather than making more ineffective statements while throwing more hands in the air in embarrassing resignation?
- Posted by DougTsvangirai must respect SADC. He is the one who proposed the SADC issue, when Mbeki failed. It show a lot of confusion in theMDC.These guys are just power hungry. You ask SADC to rule and then say yu are sad. Whats that? Why did he go there? Why was Khama afraid of coming to face Mugabe after all the hype. We need more serious politicians. Arthur is showing more maturity
- Posted by Tonderai