Post date: Apr 01, 2011 3:22:25 PM
Leaders close the South African Development Community (SADC) troika in Zambia with calls for an end to political violence in Zimbabwe and Ivory Coast's Gbagbo to hand over power immediately.
LIVINGSTONE, ZAMBIA (MARCH 31, 2011) REUTERS - Leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) called late on Thursday (March 31) for an end to political violence in Zimbabwe.
Tensions are rising in the resource rich state as an uneasy unity government comes apart at the seams and as President Robert Mugabe, 87, pushes for elections this year.The meeting of SADC's security organ was attended by Zambia's President Rupiah Banda, South African President Jacob Zuma and their Mozambican counterpart Armando Guebuza.
"There must be an immediate end of violence, intimidation, hate speech, harassment and any other form of action that contradicts the latter in the spirit of global political agreement," said Tomaz Salamao, Executive Secretary of SADC.
SADC has been criticised in the past for being too soft on Mugabe but the tone of its leaders has been stiffening as the country lurches from crisis to crisis. What this ultimately means on the ground in the troubled country remains to be seen.
Mugabe, who was forced into a unity government with rival Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) two years ago, is pushing for an early election this year before agreed democratic reforms.
Friction is heating up between Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and the MDC over political violence, the cancellations of opposition rallies and the arrest of MDC officials on what the party sees as trumped-up charges.
The summit also made calls on Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo to hand over power immediately to claimant Alassane Ouattara to spare civilians of further bloodshed. The African Union made a similar statement on Friday (April 01).
The international recognition of Ouattara as victor and sanctions slapped on his rival, incumbent Gbagbo, who refuses to step down, are still in place. Threats, made by West Africa's ECOWAS bloc, to oust Gbagbo have rung hollow.
"Summit calls on Mr Laurent Gbagbo to hand over power to internationally recognised winner of the Ivorian presidential elections Mr Alassane Outtara with immediate effect in order to avoid further bloodshed," said Salamao.
Scores of people have since been killed in the west African country, hundreds of thousands of have fled their homes amid heavy fighting and rights groups are warning crimes against humanity may have already taken place.
The summit also criticized a UN-mandated no fly zone against Libya's Muammar Gaddafi.