Zimbabwe: Presidential Election (Hansard, 13 February 2002)

§ The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)
My Lords, Her Majesty's Government cannot ensure that the election in Zimbabwe is free and fair. However, we can, and are, doing our best to ensure maximum scrutiny of the election process, including the deployment of a European Union team on our terms. We remain determined that sanctions will be triggered if EU observers are refused entry or if they cannot work effectively. We shall continue to argue for Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth. We are working with regional and international partners, the EU, the United States, the Commonwealth and the South African Development Community.

§ Lord Howell of Guildford
My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for that Answer. However, does. she agree that with all the murder and mayhem, the harassment, the breaking up of opposition rallies, the dubious registration procedures and the exclusion of the media, including the BBC, the concepts of freedom and fairness in the forthcoming election have gone out of the window? Does she accept that the Article 96 procedure which the EU has been trying to follow seems to be getting into increasing difficulties. and that the whole EU policy is in doubt and looks rather like a broken reed? Does the Minister share with other people the view that it is time for the coalition of willing democracies, including the United States and Australia and some members of the Commonwealth, if not all, to come together to take decisive action to target with sanctions those who are responsible for these horrors, to prevent this tragedy turning into a paralysis of the whole of southern Africa?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I agree with a great deal of what the noble Lord has said. The situation is extremely grave. The noble Lord has pointed out the level of violence: there have indeed been 16 or 17 political murders in Zimbabwe since the beginning of the year. It is because the situation is so grave that I have given an unequivocal Answer on our determination over EU sanctions if our observers are not given access to carry out their work effectively. It is why I have given an unequivocal Answer about our continuing determination to argue for Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth. In the European Union, the COREPER is meeting this afternoon to discuss the latest moves by Zimbabwe over the exclusion of some EU observers. There will he a GAC next Monday, and we shall meet again prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting; namely, at a Commonwealth ministerial meeting on 1st March in Australia.

§ Baroness Williams of Crosby
My Lords, the Minister mentioned some of the recent atrocities in Zimbabwe, which include the torturing of three opposition MPs campaigning just before the weekend; the fishing out of the river of the body of the youth leader in Masvingo province who had, of course, been drowned; and most recently the petrol bombing of the one independent newspaper in Harare, the Daily News. In the light of all that, will the Minister reconsider the possibility of sanctions being directed not merely to protect EU monitors but at those who are attacking democratic opposition forces in Zimbabwe? In particular, is the Minister aware—as I understand from sources about which I have informed the Foreign Secretary—that President Mugabe's government now regard the threats from the EU and the Commonwealth as empty hot air? In the light of that, will she consider whether specific sanctions, such as the freezing of the assets of the administration, might be imposed now, before the election campaign is completed?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, as I indicated, I believe that these matters will be under discussion in the EU not only today but next Monday. 1097 They will be under discussion in the Commonwealth at the earliest possible opportunity, on 1st March, before the elections take place. Of course I agree with the noble Baroness about some of the disgraceful actions that have been perpetrated in Zimbabwe. What decent person could not agree with the forceful point that she has made? However, I believe that the sanctions being considered will not be targeted at Zimbabweans in general—I am sure that we all agree that the population of that country has suffered appallingly in terms of what has happened to its economy, the growth in unemployment and the spread of AIDS and other dreadful diseases. We hope that any sanctions are indeed, as the noble Baroness said, targeted at those who have perpetrated these wrongs.

Lord Acton
My Lords, for 14 years I was married to the Zimbabwean civil rights campaigner, Judith Todd. I must also declare that I have many Shona, Ndebele and other, white, friends in that country. Is my noble friend aware that, yesterday, my former wife's 93 year-old father, Sir Garfield Todd, former Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia and a former Zimbabwean senator, issued a statement in which he announced that he had been informed that he had been deprived of his citizenship and his right to vote? Can my noble friend add anything to this?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I am indeed aware of the statement issued yesterday by Sir Garfield Todd. After 67 years as a citizen of Zimbabwe, he has been told that he is no longer a citizen and that he has been disfranchised. It is a very moving statement. With your Lordships' permission, I think it right to place a copy in the Library so that your Lordships may read it for yourselves. I draw attention to the fact that Sir Garfield has said that, come what may, in March he will be going to the polling station to claim his right as a very senior citizen of Zimbabwe to cast his ballot for good against evil.

§ Baroness Park of Monmouth
My Lords, I understand that the Commonwealth is able to send only about 30 observers because it has no money to send more. Is there no way in which this country could pay for many more Commonwealth observers? Even at this late stage, from the point of view of the people, observers are extremely important.

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I agree that observers are enormously important. I point out to the noble Baroness that it is not only the Commonwealth which will be sending observers. There will also be observers from SADC, who I hope will have untrammelled access to the conduct of the elections. I am unaware of any restrictions on the numbers of Commonwealth observers. Therefore, I am surprised at the noble Baroness's remark. I shall make inquiries and write to the noble Baroness with any additional information that I can supply on the question of Commonwealth observers. I point out that these will not be the only observers of what is happening during the Zimbabwean presidential election.