Get Zim army back to barracks

Advertise on The Zimbabwean

Written by Never Chanda

Sunday, 01 August 2010 05:43

…. think-tank tells Zuma
HARARE – South African mediators must press for the de-militarisation of the Zimbabwean state institutions before the country goes to next elections, a leading think-tank said last week. (Pictured: South African President Jacob Zuma)

The South African-based Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD) said Pretoria’s mediation role in the long-running Harare political crisis
should move a step forward by ensuring that democratic institutions are put in place before Zimbabwe holds the next polls, possibly in 2011.

“South Africa should support the implementation of the GPA and aim to put institutions into place, support the de-securisation of the government and improve capacity building in Zimbabwe,” said Siphamandla Zondi, executive director of the IGD.

The 15-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) is said to have stepped up efforts to resolve the problem of Zimbabwe’s intransigent army generals opposed to the country’s power-sharing government.

Hardline Zimbabwean army generals have refused to publicly recognise the inclusive government’s authority, especially former opposition leader – now Prime Minister – Morgan Tsvangirai’s role. The hardline generals – who include Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander Constantine Chiwenga, police commission general Augustine Chihuri and Central Intelligence Organisation deputy director general Maynard Muzariri – are believed to hold a de facto veto over the transition process by taking advantage of their positions and symbiotic relationship with President Robert Mugabe.

A cabal of powerful generals, with the support of elements in Zanu (PF), still believes that Tsvangirai should not be permitted to lead the country, even if he wins an election. There have been calls for SADC and regional powerbroker South Africa
to neutralise Zimbabwe’s military sector by persuading the hardline senior security leadership to retire.

Observers say the South African mediation team led by President Jacob Zuma should use the carrot and stick method to get the army generals to retire, with offers of immunity from prosecution for past political crimes in return for retirement.

The senior Zimbabwean security officials fear prosecution for gross human rights abuses committed in recent repression campaigns, especially those associated with the violent 2008 presidential and parliamentary election campaign as well as the 1980s anti-insurgents campaign in Matabeleland and Midland provinces.

The so-called Gukurahundi massacre in the two provinces left over 20,000 mainly Ndebele-speaking people in Matabeleland dead in the 1980s.

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