Crisis group calls for stricter sanctions if Mugabe ‘steals’ election

Date: 07/03/02

By David Cronin

CONFLICT prevention activists want the EU to widen its sanctions against Zimbabwe's ruling elite if this weekend's presidential election is 'stolen' by Robert Mugabe.

The International Crisis Group (ICG) is calling on the Union to extend the scope of the travel ban imposed recently on the dictator, his family and senior members of his regime. More officials in the ruling ZANU-PF family should be prevented from travelling abroad and should have their foreign assets frozen because of their refusal to allow the election take place in an intimidation-free environment, the charity argues.

It also wants the EU to revoke the visas of those children from key ZANU-PF families currently studying in EU member states if this weekend's 9-10 March poll is not free and fair.

'Despite the violence, intimidation and rigging, there is still a possibility that popular sentiment can be expressed through the ballot box this weekend,' said ICG spokesman John Prendergast. 'The key will be the size of voter turnout and the degree of influence that can be exerted to ensure a reasonably accurate count. Both these factors will be affected by the extent of international action in the coming days.'

The Union's foreign ministers are due to discuss the conduct of the election at their meeting on Monday. But a well-placed EU official said that 'no decisions are foreseen' on new measures. Another key ICG recommendation is that the EU should commit itself to supporting a probe into companies linked to the ZANU-PF and promise sanctions against them if Mugabe 'steals' a victory from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Conflict prevention activists want the EU to widen its sanctions against Zimbabwe's ruling elite if the presidential election, 9-10 March 2002, is 'stolen' by Robert Mugabe.