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Code
Of Conduct To Prevent Zimbabwe Poll Violence
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| Zimbabwe's President
Robert Mugabe faces a tough challenge in next week's election. |
HARARE,
March 4 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Five days before Zimbabwe’s
presidential elections, polling authorities Monday helped party officials
finalize a code of conduct aimed at preventing violence, as Commonwealth leaders
decided no action against Zimbabwe before the polls.
"We
are trying to create a mature way of dealing with ... political
differences," Sobuza Gula-Ndebele, chairman of the Electoral Supervisory
Commission (ESC), told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
He
said six representatives of three political parties were finalizing a code of
conduct that will be applied before, during and after the polling next Saturday
and Sunday.
Gula-Ndebele
was speaking on the sidelines of a one-day seminar on conflict management being
run in conjunction with the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa, a
non-governmental organization.
The
anti-violence meeting took place as the main opposition Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) reported continued attacks against its supporters and sympathizers
in the run-up to the vote. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai poses the sternest
challenge ever to President Robert Mugabe's 22 years in power.
The
MDC said Monday, February 4, that three of its activists had been abducted in
Chegutu, 130 kilometers (80 miles) west of the capital.
"Three
MDC activists are currently being tortured at ... a [ruling] ZANU-PF militia
base in Chegutu, where they were taken after being abducted last night,"
the party said in a statement Monday.
ESC
spokesman Thomas Bvuma said the major component of the code of conduct was the
prohibition of violence.
"Even
when there are no elections, parties should be able to solve their conflicts
peacefully rather than solve them violently," Bvuma said. "Really it's
a question of trying to avoid violence," he added.
Asked
whether it was too late to try to get parties to agree on such a code after 31
people were killed since the start of the year, according to human rights
groups, Gula-Ndebele said: "We don't think it's a bit late. Yes, it would
have been better to have it earlier, but it is better late than never."
In
another development, Commonwealth leaders, meeting in Australia, stalled action
over the violence in Zimbabwe.
The
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) defied demands by a bloc of
white nations led by Britain to suspend Zimbabwe, bowing to the will of African
nations united in opposition to western meddling.
Hopes
of a breakthrough in the Commonwealth's bitter deadlock over Zimbabwe rose
Sunday, March 3, as Canada sought to resolve the row after African nations
accused Britain of neo-colonialism.
Commonwealth
leaders have gone into private talks in Australia to try to formulate a policy
on Zimbabwe, following the emergence of deep divisions in their ranks, BBC’s
online news service reported Sunday.
Tanzania
and Namibia have publicly opposed any discussion of the issue, and many other
African states have made it clear they want to reserve judgment until after next
weekend's presidential election.
After
three days of intensive and sometimes passionate debate in the Australian resort
of Coolum, the leaders released a one-page statement voicing deep concern and
calling on all parties to refrain from violence.
The
summit agreed on a three-member panel of South African, Australian and Nigerian
leaders would decide on a plan of action, which could include suspension, based
on the report by a Commonwealth team monitoring the March 9-10 elections.
The
statement fell far short of the demands of Britain, Australia and New Zealand
for punitive action against the government of President Robert Mugabe.
The
issue has split the Commonwealth on black-white lines, with Mugabe's neighbors
insisting it would be better to postpone any decisive action until after the
elections.
"There
can be no question of Mugabe being allowed to stay in power with a rigged
election," British Prime Minister Tony Blair told reporters Monday.
"That
has been Britain's position throughout," he said, adding the accord merely
"suspends the day of judgment on Zimbabwe."
In
a related response, Zimbabwe's main opposition party MDC lashed out at what it
saw as a sell-out that could lead to further violence with no restraints on
Mugabe.
"This
is the green light for Mugabe to carry on as he has been doing with no
Commonwealth protection for the people of Zimbabwe," said MDC spokeswoman
Sekai Holland, who has warned of a bloodbath if no action is taken.
"We
came to CHOGM hoping for action and all we got was words that will comfort
Mugabe," Holland told AFP. "It will lead to more violence."
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