Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-03-14-Speech-4-185"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2002-03-14"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Human rights2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20020314.10.4-185"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2002-03-14-Speech-4-1862
lpv:speaker	lp:Nelly Maes2
lpv:spokenAs	vice-chair; G/EFA (2002-01-08--2004-07-19)3 unknown; België Spirit (2002-01-08--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Delegation to the EU-Slovak Republic Joint Parliamentary Committee (2002-02-07--2004-04-30)3 member; Members from the European Parliament to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU) (2002-02-06--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Development and Cooperation (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, initial indications of the election result in Zimbabwe seem to point to a majority for President Mugabe. This was to be expected. No effort has been spared to achieve this result, although the majority was smaller than anticipated. Nevertheless, I see this as a moral victory for the opposition, which itself uses the term ‘stolen elections’. Following the stolen elections in Chad and the rigged elections in Zambia, this is the third round of elections which, with the best will in the world, cannot be considered free and fair according to international standards, no matter how moderate a view some other African countries, for reasons probably known only to themselves, still take. After all, the writing was on the wall: 4.5 million voters expected and 7.5 million ballots printed so as to be prepared for every eventuality; too few polling stations to enable everyone to vote properly; and the inevitable confusion about who had to vote where, since different elections needed to be held for different levels on the same day but at different locations. These are only the technicalities which typify Mr Mugabe’s craftiness. More important was the terror which preceded this, the obstructions put in place by the ruling elite in order to prevent the opposition from meeting, the monopoly of the state channels, the prevention of journalists from doing their job, the obstacles placed in the way of observers, the incidents of torture and the abductions, including even the abduction of important union leaders. The list goes on. Even the ploy involving the distribution of corn, far away from the polling stations, was predicted by the opposition. The performance about re-opening the polling stations was the icing on the cake, and yet we need to ask ourselves: what now? The elections were not conducted freely and fairly, but do we need to condemn them altogether? The elections in Zambia and Chad were not free and fair either. However, we do need to maintain the sanctions. I am not in favour of extending these, but they do need to be applied and monitored. I do call for negotiations between the members of the majority and the opposition, for the country is anxious about a civil war. Finally, I hope that a government of national unity, involving the opposition, will be set up."@en1

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