UN Security Council condemns violence surrounding Zimbabwe election
By Marnie Suss
June 24, 2008 | Printer Friendly

Following Zimbabwe opposition leader Tsvangirai’s withdrawal on June 23 from the run-off election, the UN Security Council has issued a statement condemning the violence in Zimbabwe. The Council statement “condemned the campaign of violence against the political opposition in Zimbabwe and the actions of the Government that had denied its political opponents the right to campaign freely, regretting that the violence and the restrictions on the political opposition had made it impossible to hold a free and fair election on 27 June.”

In a Security Council news story, “Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged authorities in Zimbabwe to postpone the presidential run-off election slated for [June 27], in light of ongoing violence and the ‘understandable decision’ by the opposition candidate to withdraw from the polls.” The Secretary added that the “conditions do not exist for free and fair elections right now in Zimbabwe.” Secretary Ban Ki-moon also said that holding the election “will only deepen divisions within the country and produce a result that cannot be credible.”

The New York Times reports Tsvangirai’s response to the Security Council’s statement. “I think it’s a very important resolution. It recognizes the people who are accountable for the violence, and it squarely placed that responsibility at Mugabe’s leadership. I am sure that he can no longer remain defiant to that international position.” All 15 members of the Security Council accepted the statement. The New York Times reports that “Britain led an effort, dominated by the West, to include the toughest language, while South Africa and allies including China and Russia pushed to dilute it somewhat.”

Despite the Council’s efforts, the run-off vote will not be postponed or affected by international criticism. Boniface G. Chidyausiku, the United Nations ambassador from Zimbabwe, said “the Security Council cannot micromanage elections in any particular country. As far as we are concerned, the date has been set.”

References:

United Nations Security Council: Security Council Condemns Violent Campaign Against Political Opposition in Zimbabwe

NYT: Security Council Urges Zimbabwe to Halt Violence