February 28, 2002,

Statement to the Commonwealth Heads of Government by the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe

It is imperative that the Commonwealth note the following:

a) That there has been a systematic breakdown of the rule of law in Zimbabwe since February 2000.

b) That as a result, many Zimbabweans have lost their lives, and some have been raped, maimed and tortured by the State.

c) That the Zimbabwean Government has breached its own Constitution, ignored Court Orders, and in the main breached all international standards including the United Nations Charter and ht commonwealth Harare Declarations.

d) That the Zimbabwean Government has embarked on a subjective, uneven, unequal and unplanned land reform that has resulted in the displacement of thousands of black farm workers.

e) That Zimbabwe is facing a massive food shortage as a result of land invasion, land dislocation and the drought.

f) That there is so much violence in Zimbabwe that the Opposition has been forced to cease campaigning in the three provinces Mashonaland Central, East and West.

g) That no framework for a free and fair election exists, in that:

i) No independent electoral commission exists to run the elections.

ii) Lack of access by the opposition to the public media.

iii) An absolutely chaotic electoral roll

iv) Very few international monitors and journalists are being allowed into the country and those that have come have arrived very late.

v) The lack of a right to vote for millions of Zimbabweans in the diaspora.

vi) The existence of old archaic colonial laws including freshly passed legislation such as the Public Order Security Act, the Access To Information Act, and the General Laws Amendment Act, all of which are clearly targeted at alternative thought and opinion.

h) The failure of all dialogue and diplomatic efforts to date including in particular the colossal failure of the Abuja Agreement.

Taking into account all of this, it is imperative that the Commonwealth now moves to:

a) Suspend Zimbabwe’s membership to the Commonwealth

b) Issue a warning to the Government of Mr Mugabe about the dangers of a stolen election on the 9th and 10th of March 2002.

c) That the election observers remain in Zimbabwe for four weeks after the election.

d) That the Commonwealth prepare now for emergency food and medical assistance to the people of Zimbabwe.

Signed:

Mr Tendai Biti MP	Mrs Sekai Holland
MDC Shadow Foreign Minister	MDC Secretary for International Affairs