§ The Earl of Caithnessasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many of the electorate in Zimbabwe were disenfranchised for the recent presidential election; and how this compares with previous elections; and [HL3310]
What messages they have sent to Mr Robert Mugabe since Monday 11 March; and [HL3311]
Whether they believe that the international observers of the Zimbabwean elections were impartial; and [HL3312]
Whether they believe that the South African observers of the Zimbabwean elections carried out their duties fully and objectively; and [HL3313]
Whether they have any evidence that the observers of the Zimbabwean elections were intimidated, attacked or otherwise prevented from either gaining access to places they wanted to visit or talking to people they wanted to interview. [HL3314]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (Baroness Amos)Given the limited access afforded to international and other independent observers, it is difficult to estimate how6WA many Zimbabweans were disenfranchised for the recent presidental election. However, the Commonwealth observer team concluded in its report that "thousands" were unable to vote as a result of inadequacies in the registration process.
A number of observers, both local and international, were impeded by Zimbabwean authorities and partisan members of the Zimbabwean public from carrying out their duties. Despite this, many of the international observer teams (eg the Commonwealth, Southern African Development Community—Parliamentary Forum, Japanese and Norwegian) concluded that the election was not free and fair. This indicates a high degree of impartiality. We believe that a sufficient number oft he international teams' approach was impartial to give an accurate overall picture of the election process and outcome.
We have not sent any message to Mr Mugabe since the Zimbabwean presidential election on 9–10 March. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs told the House on 14 March that we did not accept that the election was free and fair and that the outcome did not reflect the will of the Zimbabwean people. The views of the Government on this issue have therefore been made very clear.
§ The Earl of Caithnessasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many observers monitored the recent presidential election in Zimbabwe; from what countries they came; and for how long they were in Zimbabwe. [HL3315]
§ Baroness AmosThe total number of international observers for the presidential election in Zimbabwe on 9–10 March was 449, broken down as follows:
- Commonwealth—62
- Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum—37
- SADC Election Support Network—54
WA 7 - SADC Election Commission's Forum—26
- Electoral Institute of Southern Africa—42
- African, Caribbean and Pacific countries—5
- Organisation of African Unity—26
- South Africa—59
- South African Parliamentarians—20
- Japan—5
- Nigeria—16
- United States—18
- Canada—8
- Norway—26
- Tanzania—20
- Mozambique—7
- Malawi—8
- Botswana—10
The observer teams deployed in phases during the run-up to the election and we do not know exactly how long each team stayed in Zimbabwe.
§ The Earl of Caithnessasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they propose to take to have Mr Robert Mugabe condemned by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. [HL3360]
§ Baroness AmosWith UK Government support, the EU intends to express its serious concern at the human rights situation in Zimbabwe at the UN Commission on Human Rights, now under way in Geneva.
§ The Earl of Caithnessasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they can confirm that a deal has been agreed by a number of countries in Africa, including South Africa, that Mr Robert Mugabe should be allowed to win the recent election with a view to retiring "with dignity" within a year. [HL3361]
§ Baroness AmosWe are not aware of any such deal being agreed.