Zimbabweans are reportedly acting cautiously optimisticabout the beginning of a second round of peace negotiations between the rulingZANU-PF party and the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) inSouth Africa's capital, Pretoria. The talks, which resumed Sunday after a shortbreak are geared toward finding a lasting solution to resolving Zimbabwe'spolitical and economic crisis. But some Zimbabweans are expressing pessimism,about previous negotiations with President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANUPF party,claiming they have not alleviated the suffering of ordinary people.
Theyadd that what Zimbabweans want is a change in leadership and a transitionalgovernment, which would lead to a free and fair vote under a new constitution.Glen Mpani is the regional coordinator for the transitional justiceprogram of the Center for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation in Cape TownSouth Africa. He tells reporter Peter Clottey that Zimbabweans are not overlyenthusiastic about the talks.
"Zimbabweansare looking at the current talks with cautious optimism. They are very weary ofthe likely outcome from these negotiations. As you are aware, in 1987, therewere negotiations between the ZANU-PF and ZAPU (Zimbabwe African People'sUnion) and the negotiations came up with a unity agreement that basicallyfailed to address the core issues. Basically, the agreement led to the annihilationof the opposition in Matabeleland," Mpani pointed out.
Hesaid Zimbabweans are worried history would repeat itself in future elections.
"Zimbabweansare quite weary that for the MDC to go and negotiate with the ZANU-PF, such ascenario like the previous talks might come out of those negotiations. Thesecond thing is that Zimbabweans are quite cognizant that whatever negotiationstake place, their will or their decision in March 29 is non negotiable, whichmeans that the decision that they made that the MDC is the government theywould want to be in place needs to be respected in any negotiation process," hesaid.
Mpanisaid some Zimbabweans feel disappointed by the international community.
"Thefact that the SADC (Southern African Development Community) and the AU (AfricanUnion) are monitoring the peace process does not give Zimbabweans confidence,based on the fact that the two bodies have had their credibility eroded to alarge extent. The AU's acceptance of Robert Mugabe to go to the AU summit afterthe African Union and PAN African parliament and SADC had all declared that theelection in June were not an expression of the free will of the people ofZimbabwe was an indictment on the AU. It was a sign that the AU body iscomplicit with Mugabe in terms of subverting the will of the people ofZimbabwe," Mpani pointed out.
Hesaid Zimbabweans feel particularly let down by the African Union and SADC.
"So,there is some hesitance on the part of Zimbabweans to say there is no guaranteethat the AU will protect their vote. More importantly, that it was exacerbatedby the resolutions that came out advocating for a government of nationalunity," he said.
Mpanisaid Zimbabweans overwhelmingly want a change in leadership that would lead toa free and fair election, conducted according to international standards.
"WhatZimbabweans want with the ongoing talks is a negotiated settlement that bringsback democracy, a Zimbabwe that is able to allow the recovery of the economywithin the country. And thirdly and more importantly is, they want the processto guarantee them that if they are to go for an election again, they can getthe leadership that they deserve, which means that these negotiations, oneshould deal with institutional reform deal with the de-politicization of thearmy, the police, and the militia. These negotiations should deal with theoverhaul of the constitution and more importantly lead to a process where wehave got a framework which can come up with formulating a base and a foundationthat can lead to an election," Mpani pointed out.