§ 3.14 p.m.
§ Lord Blakerasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the arrangements for international monitoring of the elections in Zimbabwe are satisfactory.
§ Baroness Ramsay of CartvaleMy Lords, we are pleased that the Government of Zimbabwe have accepted international observers to observe the elections to be held in that country on 24th and 25th June. We are satisfied with the speedy response to send observers from the Commonwealth, the Southern African Development Community, the European Union, South Africa and the United States. The United Nations development programme is co-ordinating the arrangements for the various teams. The first observers arrived over the weekend of 3rd and 4th June and we understand that there will be around 300 observers in total.
§ Lord BlakerMy Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that the latest measure of intimidation devised by Mr Mugabe's so-called veterans is that, when they encounter a mother carrying a baby and she declines to attend one of Mr Mugabe's party meetings, they seize the baby, raise it in the air and drop it on the ground? As it is only a short time since Mr Mugabe lost the referendum, and the only important political development since that time has been his campaign of intimidation, is it not clear that if he wins the election, it will only be because of that campaign of intimidation? Who will brief the monitors?
§ Baroness Ramsay of CartvaleMy Lords, as my honourable friend the Minister of State at the Foreign Office, Peter Hain, said on 5th June, neither Britain nor the international community can make this 1236 election fair; only Robert Mugabe can do that. We are well aware of the stories which the noble Lord, Lord Blaker, mentions. Intimidation is definitely taking place in Zimbabwe; of that there is no doubt. But we shall not pre-empt the observers' verdict or the verdict of the people of Zimbabwe.
It is important to make the point that the opposition parties in Zimbabwe have not walked away from the elections. As they have not walked away from them, then neither should we. But we deplore the pressure that they are put under. It is vital that they be allowed to campaign freely, and we hope that the observers will play their role in trying to make that happen.
§ Lord MarshMy Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that in those circumstances, which are well known to the international community and everybody else, the only role that the observers can play is to legitimise the incoming government, which will undoubtedly be led by Mr Mugabe and be a totalitarian, vicious regime?
§ Baroness Ramsay of CartvaleMy Lords, the more than 300 observers who will be deployed to Zimbabwe will do a good job. They will consist of 160 from the European Union, led by Pierre Schori, an MEP who was a former minister in Sweden for international development. He is extremely experienced in the field of foreign politics. The Commonwealth is sending at least 45 observers and they will be led by General Abubakar, the former head of state of Nigeria. I shall not list the others. As everyone will understand, the figures are fluid.
Noble Lords must not pre-empt everything and say, as the noble Lord, Lord Marsh, implied, that nothing the observers report will be able to be taken seriously enough for people to judge whether or not the elections have been fair. I believe that the observers will do a good job. We shall study with great care the reports they give to the international community on what happened during the elections. That is all the international community can do at this time.
§ Lord BorrieMy Lords, can my noble friend indicate what arrangements have been made and assurances given for the personal safety of the many observers whom she mentioned will be there?
§ Baroness Ramsay of CartvaleMy Lords, the United Nations development programme is co-ordinating the teams of observers. The arrangements for each team will be the responsibility of the organisations, such as the European Union and the Commonwealth.
§ Lord Howell of GuildfordMy Lords, first, is it correct that British citizens are being refused admission as observers to Zimbabwe? Secondly, is it not one of the most prominent features of this tragic situation that the Movement for Democratic Change and its leaders are showing such amazing courage in the face of these hideous threats; and, indeed, of actual deaths? Is not by far the most important thing now to ensure that the observers stay on for some weeks after the election, thereby indicating that the international 1237 community has some interest in protecting these brave people against the reprisals that will certainly come—not just those in the verbal sense but reprisals in terms of murder and mayhem?
§ Baroness Ramsay of CartvaleMy Lords, I certainly agree with what the noble Lord, Lord Howell, said about the courage of the opposition in Zimbabwe. I believe that those people are showing remarkable courage in the face of unbelievably bad behaviour. We are well aware of President Mugabe's remarks about British observers. Of course, it is for the Commonwealth and the European Commission to make decisions on the composition of their observer team. But, at present, one Briton has been proposed as an observer with the Commonwealth team while the European team has three Britons. It will be up to the organisations, whose teams consist of many different nationalities, to look after that situation. We are not sending a British observers' team as such, but Britons are certainly part of the teams from the various organisations that are going to the country to observe the elections.
§ Lord AveburyMy Lords, has the noble Baroness observed the report in today's edition of the Harare Financial Gazette, which states that President Mugabe will issue a decree providing that observers will have to undergo a process of accreditation by the Registrar General, whose activities they are supposed to monitor? Does she not think that, under this system, those concerned will be able to refuse to allow particular observers into the country whose background, or origins, they do not like? Has the Minister also noted the claim that tens of thousands of voters are finding that their names have been left off the electoral role?
§ Baroness Ramsay of CartvaleYes, my Lords. I am aware of both those matters. I know that the accreditation situation is being negotiated right now, as we speak. The UNDP, which is co-ordinating the teams, will be involved in the process, as will the UN, the European Union and the Commonwealth Secretariat. The organisations that are sending the observers must be satisfied that their observers will be allowed to do the job that they have been assigned to do.
§ The Lord Bishop of GuildfordMy Lords, does the Minister accept that it is not possible to hold free and fair elections in a culture which has a climate that refuses to accept liberty of opinion and refuses to uphold the rule of law? In the absence of those things, not only can there not be free and fair elections, but also the people themselves are subject to the abuses of political power.
§ Baroness Ramsay of CartvaleYes, my Lords, I hear the wise words of the right reverend Prelate. Of course, Zimbabwe is not the only country in the world in which such remarks can be made. As an international community, we must do whatever we can to try to 1238 ensure fair and just elections. Given the timescale allowed, the international community has responded to the situation in Zimbabwe very speedily and in considerable numbers in order at least to try to ensure that there is a minimum of fairness. If these elections are judged not to be fair and just by the observers, that message will go out to the international community who will respond fittingly to Zimbabwe.
§ The Earl of SandwichMy Lords—
§ The Duke of MontroseMy Lords—
§ The Attorney-General (Lord Williams of Mostyn)My Lords, I think it is the turn of the Cross-Benches. There may, in any event, be time for the noble Duke.
§ The Earl of SandwichMy Lords, following on from what the Minister has just said, does she agree that the success of this election-monitoring process depends on the local trained monitors for 4,000 polling stations? Is there anything that this Government can do to support the Churches and civil society which are in the process of training these very important people?
§ Baroness Ramsay of CartvaleMy Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Earl for having raised that question. We are giving, and have given, aid to NGOs for the precise purpose of training people to try to carry out fair and just democratic elections.
§ The Duke of MontroseMy Lords—
§ Lord Williams of MostynMy Lords. I believe that the next Question has been called.