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04-17-2008, 10:08 PM
SAfrica steps up calls for release of Zimbabwe vote results
CAPE TOWN, South Africa - South Africa, which has been reluctant to criticize Zimbabwe publicly, made a strong call Thursday for the release of Zimbabwe's presidential vote tallies.
Government spokesman Themba Maseko warned "the situation is dire," and criticized the failure of President Robert Mugabe's government to release results nearly two weeks after the March 29 elections.
"When elections are held and results are not released two weeks after, it is obviously of great concern," Maseko said.
South African President Thabo Mbeki was widely criticized for saying last weekend that Zimbabwe was not in crisis. At a summit, Mbeki and other regional leaders issued a weak declaration that failed to criticize Zimbabwean President Mugabe.
Mbeki, appointed last year to mediate between Zimbabwe's government and opposition, has said Mugabe will not respond to a confrontational approach.
On Thursday, Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai called on Mbeki to step aside as mediator for Zimbabwe in favour of Zambia's president, who has taken a tougher stance toward Mugabe. http://www.canoe.ca/CanoeGlobalnav/invisible.gif
Meanwhile, international calls strengthened for Zimbabwe to show it is adhering to democratic principles.
"Canada continues to urge Zimbabwean authorities to respect the will of the electorate and to release official results of the presidential election without further delay," Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier said in a statement.
"Unjustifiable delays compromise the credibility of the electoral process and cast serious doubts on the integrity, independence and motivation of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission," he said.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. "Election results must be published - it's a must."
President Bush criticized Zimbabwe's neighbours for failing to intercede to stop violence and misrule in the country. Other South African countries and international organizations, including the African Union, need to join the few who have come forward, Bush said.
"More leaders in the region need to speak out, and the United Nations and the AU must play an active role in resolving the situation," Bush told reporters after a White House meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Earlier, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice used more forceful language, calling the past few years of Mugabe's presidency an "abomination" and urging his African neighbours to "step up" and confront the government's campaign of arrests and intimidation since the elections.
In Zimbabwe late Thursday, residents said dozens of people were rounded up and beaten at a shopping centre in Chitungwiza, a suburb of the capital Harare. Among them was the head of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, Matthew Takaona.
In Ottawa, Foreign Affairs advised Canadians against non-essential travel to Zimbabwe.
It said the situation remains volatile and unpredictable, with a potential for sudden outbreaks of violence and advised Canadians in Zimbabwe to maintain a high level of personal security awareness, monitor local news reports closely, and avoid travelling after dark.
Independent tallies suggest Tsvangirai won the election, but not with enough votes to avoid a runoff. The electoral commission says it cannot yet release results because it is still verifying ballots and investigating anomalies.
The opposition says Tsvangirai won outright and accuses Mugabe of engineering a delay to secure his 28-year grip on power.
Despite concerns about mounting tensions inside Zimbabwe, Maseko said South Africa cannot intervene to prevent a shipment of weapons from being transported through its territory to its landlocked neighbour as long as administrative papers are in order.
The ship, the An Yue Jiang, was anchored just outside Durban harbour after receiving permission late Wednesday to dock.
The Beeld newspaper reported it was carrying nearly three million rounds of ammunitions for small arms and AK-47s, about 3,500 mortars and mortar launchers, as well as 1,500 rockets for rocket-propelled grenades. The paper said it had a copy of the ship's cargo documentation, finalized on April 1 - three days after Zimbabwe's election.
Story continued... (http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2008/01/23/4789827-ap.html)
CAPE TOWN, South Africa - South Africa, which has been reluctant to criticize Zimbabwe publicly, made a strong call Thursday for the release of Zimbabwe's presidential vote tallies.
Government spokesman Themba Maseko warned "the situation is dire," and criticized the failure of President Robert Mugabe's government to release results nearly two weeks after the March 29 elections.
"When elections are held and results are not released two weeks after, it is obviously of great concern," Maseko said.
South African President Thabo Mbeki was widely criticized for saying last weekend that Zimbabwe was not in crisis. At a summit, Mbeki and other regional leaders issued a weak declaration that failed to criticize Zimbabwean President Mugabe.
Mbeki, appointed last year to mediate between Zimbabwe's government and opposition, has said Mugabe will not respond to a confrontational approach.
On Thursday, Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai called on Mbeki to step aside as mediator for Zimbabwe in favour of Zambia's president, who has taken a tougher stance toward Mugabe. http://www.canoe.ca/CanoeGlobalnav/invisible.gif
Meanwhile, international calls strengthened for Zimbabwe to show it is adhering to democratic principles.
"Canada continues to urge Zimbabwean authorities to respect the will of the electorate and to release official results of the presidential election without further delay," Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier said in a statement.
"Unjustifiable delays compromise the credibility of the electoral process and cast serious doubts on the integrity, independence and motivation of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission," he said.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. "Election results must be published - it's a must."
President Bush criticized Zimbabwe's neighbours for failing to intercede to stop violence and misrule in the country. Other South African countries and international organizations, including the African Union, need to join the few who have come forward, Bush said.
"More leaders in the region need to speak out, and the United Nations and the AU must play an active role in resolving the situation," Bush told reporters after a White House meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Earlier, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice used more forceful language, calling the past few years of Mugabe's presidency an "abomination" and urging his African neighbours to "step up" and confront the government's campaign of arrests and intimidation since the elections.
In Zimbabwe late Thursday, residents said dozens of people were rounded up and beaten at a shopping centre in Chitungwiza, a suburb of the capital Harare. Among them was the head of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, Matthew Takaona.
In Ottawa, Foreign Affairs advised Canadians against non-essential travel to Zimbabwe.
It said the situation remains volatile and unpredictable, with a potential for sudden outbreaks of violence and advised Canadians in Zimbabwe to maintain a high level of personal security awareness, monitor local news reports closely, and avoid travelling after dark.
Independent tallies suggest Tsvangirai won the election, but not with enough votes to avoid a runoff. The electoral commission says it cannot yet release results because it is still verifying ballots and investigating anomalies.
The opposition says Tsvangirai won outright and accuses Mugabe of engineering a delay to secure his 28-year grip on power.
Despite concerns about mounting tensions inside Zimbabwe, Maseko said South Africa cannot intervene to prevent a shipment of weapons from being transported through its territory to its landlocked neighbour as long as administrative papers are in order.
The ship, the An Yue Jiang, was anchored just outside Durban harbour after receiving permission late Wednesday to dock.
The Beeld newspaper reported it was carrying nearly three million rounds of ammunitions for small arms and AK-47s, about 3,500 mortars and mortar launchers, as well as 1,500 rockets for rocket-propelled grenades. The paper said it had a copy of the ship's cargo documentation, finalized on April 1 - three days after Zimbabwe's election.
Story continued... (http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2008/01/23/4789827-ap.html)