ZIMBABWE ELECTIONS

Dear Friends

We attach two updates from our member organisation, the Media Monitoring Project (MMPZ Zimbabwe). The first is the Prime-Time Monitoring Report No 27 of 14.4.08. It focuses on how the state broadcaster, ZBC, continues to prepare people for Independence Day celebrations on April 18 through advertisements, political songs and current affairs programmes whilst carrying no information, outside of news bulletins, on the delayed presidential results. The second is the Daily Media Monitoring Report No. 27. This looks at how the government-controlled daily newspapers presented one-sided coverage of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s failure to announce the presidential election results while attacking those critical of the delay in their opinion columns. MMPZ notes that the government papers carried 16 stories on the crisis in Zimbabwe , without viewing it as such.

The Media Institute for Southern Africa , (MISA Zimbabwe) released a Media Alert on 15.4.08 about the arrest by riot police of freelance journalist Frank Chikowore. Please find the alert attached here for further information.

The Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisation (SCCCO) has today 16/3-08 released a Press Statement condemning the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s (ZEC) for refusing to release the Presidential Election Results of 29 March 2008.
Find the whole statement on this link: http://www.anarkismo.net/newswire.php?story_id=8629

Article 19 in a Press Statement released yesterday, 15.4.08 calls on the Zimbabwe ’s ruling ZANU-PF party led by President Mugabe to uphold the people’s right to know by delivering the outcome of the elections
http://www.article19.org/

In South Africa yesterday, 15.3.08 The Centre for Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) released a press statement strongly condemning the delay in announcing the full election results in Zimbabwe and calling upon South Africa to join the international and regional call for their immediate release and to demand the cessation of violations of human rights in Zimbabwe . CSVR; a South African organisation that strives to eradicate torture and offer rehabilitation services to torture survivors; notes that since 2002 it has seen an increase in tortured Zimbabweans coming to South Africa. CSVR anticipates that if nothing is done with the current situation they will again see an increase of torture and other gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe . Find the full statement on http://www.csvr.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=895&Itemid=1

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition states that ZANU PF has intensified its retribution and reprisal campaign in the rural areas where it lost to the opposition in areas such as Mudzi East, Masvingo, Karoi, Mutoko, Hwange, Lugpane to name a few. Yesterday, 15.4.08, the Crisis group issued a roundup (attached here) of incidents from these areas about the violence that has been taking place

The National Council of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAII) at its annual meeting in Johannesburg on 10.04.08, expressed alarm at the continuing undermining of democratic processes in Zimbabwe and Kenya. Follow the link to the SAII website to read the SAII Press Statement
http://www.saiia.org.za/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1216&CAMSSID=3a72137d5824423f93d612ddda975d24 .

The Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) in South Africa has, this April, published a report on ‘Migration From Zimbabwe’. The report is based on a workshop on the migration of Zimbabweans to South Africa which was held at the CDE in November 2007. To read the report please follows the link:
http://www.cde.org.za/article.php?a_id=280

In Ireland, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dermot Ahern, T.D has issued a statement today, 16.4.08, strongly condemning reports of violence and intimidation directed against opposition supporters by security forces in Zimbabwe, following the continuing failure to release final presidential election results in that country. Read the full statement via the following web link
http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=44995