MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

22.4.2008

with request for inclusion in the agenda for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Vittorio Agnoletto
on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
on Zimbabwe

B6‑0185/2008

European Parliament resolution on Zimbabwe

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its resolutions of 16 December 2004, 7 July 2005, 6 September 2006, and 26 April 2007 on Zimbabwe,

- having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas elections to the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe, the Senate of Zimbabwe, the Presidency, and the organs of local government took place on 29 March 2008,

B.  whereas the results of the Presidential Elections have yet to be declared, and the results of elections to the Parliament of Zimbabwe have yet to be fully declared,

C.  whereas on 14 April 2008 Zimbabwe's High Court rejected an urgent demand by the opposition group Movement for Democratic Change for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to declare the results of the Presidential Elections,

D.  whereas on 12 April 2008 the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announced that it had consented to recounts in 23 Presidential Election constituencies where the result had been challenged by the ruling party of Zanu-PF,

E.  whereas the South African Development Community (SADC) has called for the immediate publication of results,

F.  whereas the country's political and economic situation continues rapidly to deteriorate,

1.  Calls on the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission to release all the election results immediately, to abandon the proposed recount of ballots, and to refrain from any actions that might be perceived as a deliberate attempt to further corrupt the integrity of those results; insists that the unadulterated results of the Presidential Elections be recognised;

2.  Stresses that, should the official results show that no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the Presidential Elections, the ensuing second round of voting must be free from all intimidation and conducted in the presence of international observers, including those from the United Nations, the Commonwealth, and the European Union, as well as from independent civil society organisations;

3.  Condemns the brutal murder of the opposition activist Mr Tapiwa Mbwada on 12 April 2008, and notes with profound concern the medical treatment required after assaults on over 100 further members of opposition parties;

4.  Deplores the arrest of almost a dozen foreign journalists in recent weeks, including that of the British Journalist Mr Clayton Michael, and the American Journalist Mr Barry Bearaik and calls for the immediate lifting of all restrictions on the freedom of the press and assembly, and for unfettered access to Zimbabwe by foreign news agencies;

5.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the governments and parliaments of Zimbabwe and South Africa, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Chairmen of the Commission and Executive Council of the AU, the Pan-African Parliament, and the Secretary-General and governments of the SADC.