Some Zimbabweans have reportedly welcomed as a step in theright direction calls by the international community for a negotiatedsettlement between President Robert Mugabe and the opposition Movement forDemocratic Change (MDC). They however, warned that a negotiated settlement thatwould lead to a government of national unity would not work since they claimPresident Mugabe had on previous occasions disbanded all such inclusivegovernments. This comes after over 30 African heads of state and governmentmeeting in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheikh unanimously called for peace negotiations between theopposition and the government to resolve Zimbabwe's internal problems. GordonMoyo is the executive director of the Bulawayo project, a non-governmentalorganization in Zimbabwe's commercial capital. He tells reporter Peter Clotteythe call for possible negotiation should focus on addressing the concerns ofordinary Zimbabweans.
"Theissue of a negotiated settlement is quite welcome, but the question is whatkind of a negotiated settlement? The people of Zimbabwe would not welcome a governmentof national unity as signified by the overtures that are being made by variousheads of state. Zimbabwe would not want to have the solution that was brokeredin Kenya imposed on them. The people of Zimbabwe would want a kind of situationwhereby there is a transitional mechanism that is going to prepare for theelection," Moyo noted.
Hesaid Zimbabweans would want to participate in a vote that would be credible andinternationally accepted.
"Zimbabweanswould want to vote; they didn't participate in the elections over the past twodays. So, any negotiation that is going to allow for an electoral process thatwas began in March to be continued would be welcomed, but anything less thanthat would be tantamount to dismissing the people's will," he said.
Moyosaid a possible negotiation between the government and the opposition wouldneed a credible and an unbiased mediator.
"Thereis no substitute for a negotiated settlement now. Negotiations are justimportant, but they are significant and essential in Zimbabwe now, but whatwould be needed is a mediator who is credible. The mediation led by the SADC(Southern African Development Community) through the president of South Africawas a suspect and it lacked the credibility because the president of SouthAfrica seems to be politically blind to the plight and calamities of the peopleof Zimbabwe," Moyo pointed out.
Hesaid Zimbabweans would welcome a mediator that would be backed by theinternational community among others.
"Whatwe need now is a mediation that is supported by the African Union. Themediation that has a number of leaders and evidenced from outside even SADC,that is what we need in Zimbabwe," he said.
Moyosaid the possible negotiated settlement by the two opposing parties should leadto a pragmatic constitutional reform.
"Thepeople of Zimbabwe are looking at what I will call the principles ofengagement. When the MDC and ZANU-PF are engaging, there must be certainfundamentals that should be respected. One of them is they must agree on makingsure that the priority in their discussion is a constitutional reform. Numbertwo the people of Zimbabwe would want to vote, so they are expecting to go backto the polling stations as soon as possible. That is very critical to allZimbabweans. Thirdly, the people of Zimbabwe are tired of the hostilities thatare going on in the country, the structures of cohesion, the structures ofmanipulation, the structures of violence should be dismantled, and the peopleof Zimbabwe are looking towards that. And the people of Zimbabwe are hungrythey are starving they are looking forward to the government allowing theinternational agencies that have been distributing food in Zimbabwe to continuetheir work," Moyo pointed out.