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Statement From The International Ecumenical Peace Observer Mission On The Zimbabwe Presidential Election 2002
We, International Ecumenical Peace Observers from the World Council of Churches and the All African Conference of Churches, have been invited by the President of Zimbabwe under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches in observing the processes of the Presidential Election held in Zimbabwe from March 9 - 12 2002. As we believe in the universality of the Christian Church we consider it both a privilege and an inherent part of our Christian calling to accompany the people of Zimbabwe in their search for peace and justice in a democratic election of a Zimbabwean president. Our participants are committed to non-partisanship, seeking the will of God and observing the election process in line with human rights. In our observation of the election we are guided by the principles of universality, transparency, secrecy, fairness and freedom.
UNIVERSALITY
Since the liberation from a racist regime, the principle of "one man, one vote" has guided the elections in Zimbabwe. In a country struggling with economic hardships, reaching out to every voter in this country is not an easy task. We commend the efforts of polling officers and monitors who have concluded an enormous task, and we applaud the voters who turned out in millions showing civic responsibility and endurance, although a huge number of people were denied the possibility to vote. The voting in Harare Province became a sad experience where many people gave up queuing and thousands were turned away even after waiting for days. This became a violation of the dignity of the voters - pregnant women and others trying to endure this mismanagement. We are also concerned about the high denial rate at polling stations commonly reaching more than 10 %, due among other things to deficiencies in the voter education and the registration procedures and the application of rigid administrative procedures. The postal vote system was only functioning for a limited and preferred group, for instance polling agents like teachers who were sent outside their constituencies could have been included in the postal vote.
TRANSPARANCY
The voting and counting were technically done according to the procedures, and with polling agents from the two leading parties present at almost all polling stations we visited. We appreciate that the Government has invited international election observers from most countries, but regret that only 109 out of more than 3650 local observers from the churches were accredited. We think the fuller participation of the civil society in voter education and monitoring of the election process would have increased the transparency. We are concerned about the lack of public awareness and insight into the registration process and the supplementary voters roll. We are reminded about the recommendation from the Zimbabwean Council of Churches in their pastoral letter 2001 of amending the Electoral Law to allow for an Independent Electoral Commission.
SECRECY OF VOTE
Our impression is that people had their chance to vote in secret, with the possible exception of postal votes, which we did not observe. We observed that the majority of the people assisted to vote were women due to illiteracy. This jeopardised their access to a secret ballot. Voter education would have helped to practice their right in secret.
FAIRNESS
We acknowledge the important role of media in informing and educating the public during an election. However, we observed that the print media in Zimbabwe has been polarised, where the government owned media supports the ruling party and most of the private owned media supports the opposition party. This polarisation has expanded a hostile atmosphere, to which also some Western Media have contributed. The radio, which is the sole media in much of the rural areas, and TV have been a monopoly of the governing party. Some of the limitations to the universality of the votes have also lead to limitations in fairness giving one party an advantage over the others. The disenfranchisement of voters in Harare is such an example. A closer analysis of the registration process may also reveal some problems of fairness and justice - including the issues of postal votes, supplementary voters roll and dual citizenship. The many cases of intimidation we observed or which was reported to us, is a serious limitation to fairness during these elections.
FREEDOM
To participate actively in an election, one needs the freedom of expression, association and assembly, and the freedom from intimidation. The most serious problem in Zimbabwe during this election has been the political violence. We have received detailed information from the churches and human right organizations that inform us that about 150 people were killed in political violence since April 2001. Many incidents of harassment, rape, malicious damage to property and general breakdown in the rule of law were reported to us. Some of it happened also during the days of election. The violence comes from the rivalry between the two leading parties, and both parties have been behind violent episodes. The documentation from the human right organizations as well as our own observations indicates that the clear majority of cases should be blamed on the ruling party. Zimbabwean churches have repeatedly and strongly appealed to the parties to stop the violence and the recruitment of young people for organized violent activities. A special responsibility rests with the police, to be non-partisan in political antagonism and respond to all types of violence. We appeal for an end to the many arrests of officials from opposition parties and others voicing opposition. We are also concerned about the so-called "fast-track laws", which have opened for obstruction of freedom of assembly and press freedom.
These observations preclude us from confirming the elections to be universal, transparent, fair or free.
PEACE
We hope there will be a road to peace from what the Zimbabwean Council of Churches calls "a very frightening culture of politically motivated violence". But there is no easy road to peace. The road to peace includes the values of truth, justice and reconciliation. As expressed in Psalm 85: "Mercy and Truth have met together, and Justice and Peace have kissed each other." There can be no sustainable peace without economic justice. Peace can only be initiated through honest and open dialogue between earlier antagonists. The ecumenical movement, globally and in Africa, is engaged in creative peace programmes as it observes the Decade to Overcome Violence. We call upon churches and all peace loving persons around the world to pray for the people of Zimbabwe and not forsake them, but support them in difficult times.
Harare 13th
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