APPENDIX 1
Memorandum from E G Cross, Secretary for
Economic Affairs in the Movement for Democratic Change
ZIMBABWE AGAIN
AT A
CRISIS POINT
1. We in the MDC had hoped that the presidential
elections held on 9 and 10 March would give Zimbabweans the opportunity
to change the circumstances under which they have been obliged
to live for the past five years. In the final event this did not
happen and using a combination of violence, intimidation, ballot
rigging and stuffing the incumbent was re-elected. We have rejected
the outcome and have taken the electoral process to Court in Zimbabwe
in an effort to secure a re-run—this time under international
supervision and on a more level playing field.
2. What concerns us in the MDC today—six
weeks after the election, is that we cannot expect a restructured
High Court Bench or the Supreme Court to rule in our favour even
if the evidence presented to them is overwhelming. This is not
deterring us and we are preparing a full scale legal challenge
with a international team of lawyers to represent the MDC point
of view.
3. As a result of the Commonwealth's intervention,
the Presidents of Nigeria and South Africa have launched an effort
to negotiate a resolution to the problem of the outcome of the
election. Talks related to this start on 13 May and are scheduled
to go on for five days. However, at this stage it is difficult
to see any prospect of a satisfactory outcome and we do not expect
the talks to get beyond item 1 on the agenda—the issue of
legitimacy. The positions of both parties to the talks are diametrically
opposed on this issue and the MDC will not allow the talks to
go on beyond this point unless it gets satisfaction on this issue.
4. The question I want the Committee to
consider is what is the alternative for the MDC in this situation?
We have struggled for three years to try and use the democratic
means that are available to us to effect change—to no avail.
Our membership is being targeted by Zanu-PF thugs and militia
and since the presidential elections we have had 54 members killed—some
in the most horrific circumstances. We also have 23 people missing
and six unidentified bodies in mortuaries—all suspected
politically motivated killings. We probably have several hundred
thousand people displaced by violence and this coupled to the
severe food shortages are creating conditions under which a violent
reaction to Zanu-PF maladministration, corruption and thuggery
cannot be far away.
5. If we are denied a re-run of the elections
then we will have no other choice but to go onto the streets and
confront this government. We have striven for three years to avoid
this, we have held our members back from violence of any kind—even
self protection. But this option is now running out of time. Should
we be forced to take to the streets there will be bloodshed and
the image of southern Africa will be further tarnished. It will
also make a transfer of power through democratic means less likely.
Secretary for Economic Affairs in the Movement
for Democratic Change
25 April 2002
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