SADC heads in last ditch bit to save peace talks

Written by zimsupplies

Thursday, 14 August 2008 10:58

Tsvangirai stands firm on demands for transfer of power

BY CHIEF REPORTER
HARARE - Southern African heads of state meet in South Africa on Saturday to try to salvage a peace and power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe, but success still requires ceding of executive powers by defiant head of the military junta, Robert Mugabe.
The leaders from the 14-nation SADC will meet in an attempt to breathe life into the power-sharing deal between Mugabe and his political rival Morgan Tsvangirai, brokered by South Africa President Thabo Mbeki.
The power-sharing talks, that have seen a marginal lull in hostilities that have claimed at least 122 lives so far, with many MDC activists still missing, continued with no end in sight at the time of going to press.
Mugabe is refusing to make real concessions in ceding executive power to Tsvangirai, who is insisting on real political power as executive Prime Minister. As the victor of the credible March 29 polls, Tsvangirai wants to head a coalition cabinet and to control key finance and security ministries. This is unacceptable to Mugabe, who says he can only have the MDC assuming deputy ministerial positions in key defence and home affairs ministries.
Analysts emphasise that Tsvangirai has the mandate of the majority of Zimbabweans to call the shots at the talks. "Tsvangirai must therefore insist on full day-to-day management of any Cabinet assembled under him. He has said that he is willing to work with Zanu (PF) moderates. It remains to be seen if they and the MDC can co-exist in government. But it is essential that hardliners such as Emmerson Mnangagwa, the Minister of Rural Housing, and Augustine Chihuri, Zimbabwe's police commissioner, be removed from power. It is equally vital that the Joint Operations Command set up by Mugabe to co-ordinate the suppression of dissent be dismantled rapidly," they say.
Mugabe is only prepared to accept Tsvangirai as Prime Minister with nominal powers who reports to him. Monday's inclusion in the talks of Zimbabwe's Defence Forces commander, General Constantine Chiwenga - who has vowed that he will never salute Tsvangirai - further complicates the situation.
A blanket amnesty for perpetrators of political violence has been cited as a potential deal-breaker. The MDC has vehemently rebuffed calls for a blanket amnesty and instead wants a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission to be established through a new Constitution so as to establish a "government of national healing."
The term of office of the transitional authority is also a major sticking point, with the MDC insisting on a transitional authority with a 24-30 month mandate while Zanu (PF) wants a government of national unity for five years.
The power-sharing talks, which have convened and broken up four times in a row since weekend, is piling pressure on Mbeki who is desperate to extract a deal before the two-day regional summit.
There are firm indications that if the parties continue digging in their heels, the talks could stall with disastrous consequences for the country.
Analysts have warned that failure of the talks could lead to a resumption of full-scale conflict in Zimbabwe, with disastrous consequences for the whole of SADC. Botswana has already threatened to boycott the summit if Mugabe attends the meeting without a mandate from the majority of Zimbabweans - which can only come from an acceptable deal with MDC.
The crisis-torn country remains the biggest headache for regional leaders and pressure is mounting for Mugabe to play ball. Zambia and Tanzania are also critical of the military junta ruling Zimbabwe through Mugabe.
"Mugabe has to bite the bullet and embrace the opposition with guarantees of real power sharing. The alternative is a resumption of full-scale conflict," a senior SA government official said.
Despite grandstanding on his commitment to power-sharing, there is increasing evidence that Mugabe is not yet prepared to compromise with a rival he has long accused of being an ally of his foreign critics.
"Let's not hand over the country to the enemy," Mugabe said at the Heroes' Acre on Monday, minutes before going into another round of power-sharing talks. "If you are on the enemy's side or you are being used by enemies, stop it. It cannot just be unity in vain - a hollow unity. It must be unity guided by basic principles. Principles that will solidify us, strengthen us."
Analysts said they expected the heads of State to be militant and call a spade a spade if the talks collapse.
"It is quite clear that Mugabe is not interested in peace and power-sharing and this issue must be addressed frankly in Midrand," said a senior official at SADC headquarters in Botswana. "It is a vicious circle and I doubt the talks will achieve much. Neither will they make any progress in harmonising the two radical positions."
A senior MDC official, declining to be named, said: "The MDC has the people's mandate from the March 29 elections and any concessions we extract from this process must give us real power. We cannot accept token concessions which are meaningless to our people."
International support for the beleaguered Zimbabwe economy is also unlikely without a political settlement and economic stability. The international community has already pledged an injection of £2,5 billion to stabilise the economy. Another carrot would be the lifting of EU and American travel restrictions and personal sanctions on Mugabe and members of his military junta.

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