Tsvangirai Letter Calls on Mbeki to Step Down from Zimbabwe Negotiations
By Daniel Hollingsworth
June 2, 2008 | Printer Friendly

Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in Zimbabwe and the apparent winner of the March Presidential Elections, has released a letter sent to South African President Thabo Mbeki on May 13, requesting that Mbeki remove himself from his role as exclusive mediator of the crisis in Zimbabwe.  In the letter labeled “Privileged, Private and Confidential,” first published in the South African newspaper The Times and reported in other media including the Mail and Guardian, Tsvangirai, citing a series of Mbeki’s failures in the negotiations, calls the continuation of this role “neither appropriate nor effective.”

Tsvangirai writes that in April, sympathizers within the Zimbabwean military establishment revealed to him a document which “showed that a decision had been taken by the Zimbabwean government to deploy military, war veterans and a militia in a violent campaign against supporters of MDC.”  Tsvangirai notified the Southern African Development Committee (SADC) of this letter, precipitating the April 12 summit of SADC leaders in Zambia.  Mbeki had expressed “deep concern and suggested [he] would convene a meeting between [Tsvangirai] and Mr. Mugabe before the SADC Summit,” but this offer was never fulfilled despite Tsvangirai’s willingness to meet. 

The letter also expresses a lack of confidence in Mbeki’s neutrality in the negotiations.  At the time of the SADC Summit, Mbeki appeared on television with Mugabe stating that there was “no crisis” in Zimbabwe.  Tsvangirai writes, “The fact you made this inexplicable comment… naturally alarmed both me and MDC’s National Executive, given what you knew.  Following this comment, and others you made to SADC Heads of State, it became clear to MDC’s National Executive that it must urgently review our relationship with you and your role in the mediation.”

Tsvangirai also claims that after he notified Mbeki’s government that MDC would no longer participate in any initiatives under Mbeki’s leadership, Mbeki attempted to continue the negotiations with other members of MDC.  He writes that Mbeki’s contact with MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti “is reminiscent of that which happened prior to the break up of MDC in October 2005,” and that “such ‘private’ meetings contributed to the misunderstandings that later led to a split in our organization.”

Additional charges leveled against Mbeki include his obstruction of United Nations Security Council discussions on Zimbabwe and the possible suppression of the Khampepe Report on the 2002 elections in Zimbabwe, a report from observers of the election that has never been released. 

Tsvangirai writes, “It is a universally accepted principle that in a mediation between two parties, if one party does not have confidence in the mediator – irrespective of qualification, level of knowledge or perceived sense of success – that mediator must stand down.”  He emphasizes that he continues to value South Africa’s involvement in the ongoing efforts, but he tells Mbeki, “It is your own involvement as exclusive mediator to which we take exception.”

May 13, 2008 Letter from Morgan Tsvangirai to Thabo Mbeki

Links:

The Times: Tsvangirai’s explosive letter to Mbeki

Mail and Guardian: Mbeki ‘no longer fit’ to be Zim mediator