The Problem: A Crisis of Governance
The Zimbabwean governance crisis has the following social, political and economic dimensions:
Collapse of the rule of law, characterised by brutal and partisan policing;
· State-sponsored human rights violations have become a daily occurrence, and non-legislated youth militia also perpetuate political violence;
· A compromised and politicised judiciary;
· Weakened and significantly corrupted institutions of governance;
· Economic collapse, resulting in a humanitarian tragedy as over half the population is in need of food aid for survival. Meanwhile, food is being distributed in a partisan manner, to ruling party supporters;
· The chaotic fast-track land-resettlement programme which has left hundreds of thousands of farm workers and their families homeless, destitute, and abandoned;
· The persistent downward economic spiral, characterised by skyrocketing inflation;
· This inflation erodes the dignity and security of working people, and further jeopardise the livelihoods of the growing number of unemployed;
· Authoritarian laws and repressive policing which muffles the freedoms of expression, association and assembly, of pro-democracy actors and independent media practitioners.
There is a mutually destructive stalemate between Zimbabwe’s illegitimate government on the one hand, and pro-democracy actors on the other. This destructive stalemate is inimical to regional stability and security.
Preconditions for Normalcy
The above stalemate must be broken if Zimbabwe is to resolve its multi-layered governance crisis. In addition, a level of normalcy must be achieved in order to pave the way for a democratic transition and the stabilisation of the country’s economic crisis.
Normalcy implies the following pre-conditions:
1. An end to political violence and the termination of the operation of militias;
2. The depoliticisation of food distribution;
3. The repeal of the Public Order and Security Act, the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Broadcasting Authority Act;
4. A return to the rule of law, including the cessation of all farm invasions;
5. The restoration of judicial independence, with a commitment to its protection;
6. An end to partisan policing and the suspension of politically motivated prosecutions;
7. A commitment to democracy in Zimbabwe by the Presidents of South Africa and Nigeria. This commitment would end their open support of the repression of pro-democracy voices, as such repression subverts both the democratic will of Zimbabweans and the prospects of a democratic settlement by Zimbabweans.
Achieving Normalcy
In order to achieve these preconditions, the Group resolved that the following actions should be taken:
1. A Group of Eminent Persons should be created so as to promote dialogue in Zimbabwe and to monitor the full compliance of the Zimbabwean government and other stakeholders in relation to the immediate pre-conditions set out above, and that SADC and the African Union agree on the appointment of such a group forthwith;
2. Zimbabwean civil society and political parties constitute a Task Force to develop a Transitional Framework, which should propose the principles, process and time-frame for Zimbabwe’s successful democratic transition.
Conclusion
Zimbabwe faces imminent disaster unless decisive and immediate action is taken. This crisis has dire implications for the entire Southern African region. A constitutional democracy which will protect the civil, political and economic rights of all Zimbabweans must be established. The Group calls upon democrats in the governments and civil societies of the region and beyond to support the people of Zimbabwe in their quest for democracy, equality, and economic prosperity.
11 March 2003