Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
posted by mouse | 30.06.2008 09:03
Having,
* Discussed the violent environment prior to the holding the Presidential Election Run Off of 27 June 2008;
* The conduct of political parties during the campaigning period; and
* The State's preparedness for holding a free and fair election
Observing that,
* Political violence in the country has reached alarming if not catastrophic proportions;
* That the 27 June Presidential election is not an election, but a declaration of war against the people of Zimbabwe by the ruling party;
* Dozens of people have been murdered due to political motivated violence;
* Thousands of people have been threatened with deaths, beaten, tortured and harassed for expressing or supporting the opposition political party;
* People are being forced to attend political rallies failure of which they are being beaten up;
* Deployment and sprouting of several bases led by the ruling party militia that are harassing and perpetrating violence;
* The usual poling officers, that is teachers and other civil servants, have been sidelined in the running of elections in favour of ruling party supporters;
* Thousands of people have been displaced through political violence and thereby unable to vote;
* The State President has made it clear that he will not accept defeat even if he loses the elections.
* Very few local observers have been accredited to oversee the conduct of the elections;
* Continuous harassment of workers on their way to and from work by youths militia who have been deployed in suburbs;
* Opposition party agents have been harassed, some killed and therefore unable to monitor what may happen in some wards on the day of the election;
* The opposition has not been granted permission to campaign;
* There is a complete black out of the opposition in the public media and in case where it is mentioned, has always been in negative light;
* Potential voters are being threatened if that they are names would be recorded if they voted for the opposition;
We therefore hereby resolve that:
* We will not accept an outcome of a flawed election;
* The Government immediately disband bases in all suburbs and unofficial road blocks manned by the youths militia;
* The government stop violence and allow local observers that were accredited for the March 29, 2008 Harmonised Elections to observe the Presidential Run Off.
* There be equal and unbiased access to the Public Media by all contesting parties.
posted by mouse
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