ZIMBABWE: LEADER OF ZIMBABWE'S MAIN OPPOSTION PARTY MORGAN TSVANGIRAI SAYS HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THE UPCOMING ELECTION WILL BE FREE AND FAIR
Record ID:
584790
ZIMBABWE: LEADER OF ZIMBABWE'S MAIN OPPOSTION PARTY MORGAN TSVANGIRAI SAYS HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THE UPCOMING ELECTION WILL BE FREE AND FAIR
- Title: ZIMBABWE: LEADER OF ZIMBABWE'S MAIN OPPOSTION PARTY MORGAN TSVANGIRAI SAYS HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THE UPCOMING ELECTION WILL BE FREE AND FAIR
- Date: 22nd June 2000
- Summary: HARARE, ZIMBABWE (JUNE 22) (REUTERS) 1. WIDE/CU NEWS CONFERENCE BY MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) LEADER MORGAN TSVANGIRAI (2 SHOTS) 0.19 2. SV (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) MORGAN TSVANGIRAI SAYING "The current environment can never be considered free and fair, however, we are all going in these elections aware of the obstacles we are facing; first and foremost, the violence is continuing" 0.36 3. CA REPORTERS CUTAWAY 0.39 4. SV (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) MORGAN TSVANGIRAI SAYING "We are going in these elections with clean hands as MDC, unfortunately our opponents, ZANU-PF, are still right up to the last day, are still immersed in violence against the people and I think that is the biggest concern we have before these elections. Are people going to vote. I have been out in my constituency in the rural areas. Our expereince is that people are not going to be intimidated, they are going to be determined to go and cast that vote, and I think this is a very positive development" 1.22 5. CA REPORTERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE 1.26 6. PAN/LV/MV JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE BY ELECTORAL DIRECTORATE/OFFICIALS (3 SHOTS) 1.45 7. SV (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRMAN OF THE ELECTORAL DIRECTORATE, PROFESSOR MARIYAWANDA NZUWAH SAYING, "If an accredited person decides not to honour the code of conduct, we do have the right to withdraw their accreditation from the person, whether Observer, Monitor, Agent as the case maybe, but of course if you violate the laws of the coountryy and then you will be treated in terms of the remedies provided for in terms of whatever law you have violated." 2.17 8. CA CUTAWAY OF JOURNALISTS 2.21 9. SV (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) POLICE COMMISSIONER, AUGUSTINE CHIHURI SAYING "Only dotted reports of violence here and there have been experienced and I am happy to say these have really drastically come down. As to the number of police officers who will be deployed, that is not my job to give you, I won't say that, but there is enough security at the polling stations in where we suspect to be troubled spots and enough forces on standby." 2.53 10. CA CUTAWAY JOURNALIST 2.58 CHIVU, ZIMBABWE (JUNE 22, 2000) (REUTERS) 11. VARIOUS OF CHENJERAI "HITLER" HUNZVI DANCING WITH SUPPORTERS AT RALLY (3 SHOTS) 3.18 12. SV (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) WAR VETERANS LEADER, CHENJERAI HUNZVI SAYING, "But if were independent then were free to do what we want and that actually will even lead to free and fair elections. We as a nation should decide our own fate not Americans to decide for us, the British to decide for us." 3.32 13. VARIOUS OF HITLER DANCING WITH SUPPORTERS 3.40 14. SV (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) HUNZVI SAYING "We are talking too much of violence which is not there. If we were in Nigeria where coups have been taking place, you wouldn't be standing talking news like we are now. We are at a peaceful state so there's no talk about violence." 3.56 15. WIDE PEOPLE WATCHING AS HUNZVI SHOWS THE GATHERED CROWD HOW TO VOTE ON POLLING DAY 4.00 16. SV CROWD LISTENING (3 SHOTS) 4.06 17. MV HUNZVI EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE HOW TO VOTE HOLDING UP A BALLOT PAPER 4.18 18. WIDE PEOPLE LISTENING 4.22 19. VARIOUS OF CROWD DANCING, SINGING (2 SHOTS) 4.36 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 7th July 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: HARARE AND CHIVU, ZIMBABWE
- Country: Zimbabwe
- Reuters ID: LVA37BVNMQ5P8SZCWRDIFMQ05XYY
- Story Text: The leader of Zimbabwe's main opposition party Morgan
Tsvangirai has said that he does not believe that the upcoming
elections will be free and fair, and that the ruling ZANU-PF
party is "immersed in violence against the people".
Zimbabwe election organisers have said they were confident
everything was in place to ensure a smooth ballot this weekend
despite warnings by observers of widespread intimidation and
violence.
Meanwhile in Chivu, Chenjerai Hunzvi, the flamboyant
leader of a violent campaign to grab white farms in Zimbabwe,
predicted an easy victory for President Robert Mugabe while
warning Britain and the United States to stay out of the
country's affairs.
Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) made the comments at a news conference
in Harare on Thursday (June 22)
He said "The current environment can never be considered
free and fair, however, we are all going in these elections
aware of the obstacles we are facing; first and foremost, the
violence is continuing"
Tsvangirai said the ruling ZANU-PF party was guilty of
encouraging violence, but that people would not be
intimidated.
He said "We are going in these elections with clean hands
as MDC, unfortunately our opponents, ZANU-PF, are still right
up to the last day, are still immersed in violence against the
people and I think that is the biggest concern we have before
these elections.
"Are people going to vote? I have been out in my
constituency in the rural areas. Our expereince is that people
are not going to be intimidated, they are going to be
determined to go and cast that vote, and I think this is a
very positive development"
He also said that one of its supporteres, Zeke Chigagwa,
had been found beaten to death bringing to 31 the number of
opposition supporters who have died in the violence linked to
this weekend's parliamentary elections or the invasions of
white farms.
Zimbabwe election organisers said on Wednesday over 200
monitors from foreign non-governmental organisations would not
receive accreditation to enter polling stations or interview
election officials.
Zimbabwe has authorised 300 monitors from the
Commonwealth, European Union, Organisation for African Unity
and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC).
The U.S. government said Harare had extended a ban on some
observers to staff from the American and other embassies.
Speaking at a news conference in Harare on Thursday,
Chairman of the Electoral Directorate, Professor Mariyawanda
Nzuwah said "If an accredited person decides not to honour the
code of conduct, we do have the right to withdraw their
accreditation from the person, whether Observer, Monitor,
Agent as the case maybe, but of course if you violate the laws
of the coountryy and then you will be treated in terms of the
remedies provided for in terms of whatever law you have violated."
Nzuwah said the directorate had accredited some 302
foreign observers to monitor the polls as well as over 1,000
journalists.
He said observers from non-government organisations,
thought to number around 200, were free to travel around the
country but would not be accredited, meaning they could not
enter polling stations.
Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri, who spoke at the
same news conference, said at least one police officer would
be present at every polling station, but more would be on
duty at potential trouble-spots.
He said "As to the number of police officers who will be
deployed, that is not my job to give you, I wont say that, but
there is enough security at the polling stations in where we
suspect to be troubled spots and enough forces on standby."
President Robert Mugabe's ruling party on Thursday
aggressively rejected mounting foreign criticism of Zimbabwe's
election and told Washington and London to stay out of the
country's affairs.
Chenjerai Hunzvi, leader of a violent campaign to occupy
white-owned farms, told Reuters television whilst campaining
for a seat in Chivu, south of Harare, "We as a nation should
decide our own fate not Americans to decide for us, the
British to decide for us."
Hunzvi, who revels in his former guerrilla name of
"Hitler", also rejected criticism by former Nigerian President
Abdulsalami Abubakar, head of a Commonwealth monitoring team,
who on Tuesday strongly condemned the wave of campaign
violence in which at least 29 people have died.
"There is no truth in that. Abubakar is from Nigeria where
they are used to coups and violence. He hasn't seen any of
that here," he said.
Hunzvi, who heads an association of independence war
veterans, rejected accusations of violence and intimidation
ahead of polling, saying, "We are talking too much of violence
which is not there. If we were in Nigeria where coups have
been taking place, you wouldn't
be standing talking news like we are now. We are at a peaceful
state so there's no talk about violence."
Over five million registered voters from Zimbabwe's 12.5
million population go to the polls to elect 120 members of
parliament. President Robert Mugabe -- whose position is
not at stake until 2002 -- can appoint a further 30 MP's to
round out the 150-seat house.
Mugabe's ZANU-PF party is facing its most serious
challenge at the ballot box since first winning power at
independence in 1980. The opposition Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) has tapped into national dissatisfaction with the
parlous state of the economy and disillusionment with Mugabe's
20-year rule.
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