Tuesday, 19 February, 2002, 12:57 GMT
EU sanctions move 'baffles' African nations


African nations have expressed surprise at the EU's decision to impose
sanctions against Zimbabwe and withdraw its election observers.
Neighbouring South Africa described the move as "difficult to fathom".

"We're really surprised at this decision, because if there are allegations
that elections might not be free and fair, then it is important to ensure
that as many neutral, objective, impartial observers are in place," Deputy
Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad told SABC radio.

Observers from South Africa and the Commonwealth are still in Zimbabwe.

The South African head of the election observer team from the Southern
African Development Community (SADC), Samuel Motswaynarnay, contests the
view prevalent in Europe that Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party is preventing free
and fair elections through violence.

Mr Motswaynarnay attended a Zanu-PF rally at the weekend.

"It was quite big," he said. "I think there was an attendance of anything
up to 20,000 people at the rally."

"Everything proceeded in a very orderly way, and there was no evidence of
any coercion or harassment caused by the police who were there in large
numbers.

"We also attended a rally of the opposition party, in Harare, and that also
proceeded quite smoothly, with no evidence of violence at all."

Nigeria

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo - who brokered an agreement between
Britain and Zimbabwe last year - also challenges the EU assertion that Mr
Mugabe is using unacceptable means to ensure his re-election.

"What are the democratic principles that he is flagrantly abusing?" Mr
Obasanjo asked. "He says he is going into an election. He has parties other
than his own that are allowed freely to contest and participate.

"He has asked for observers from all over the world to come. He has asked
for the foreign press from all over the world to come.

"He has worked with other political parties and civil society and religious
leaders in his country, to reduce the level of violence."

Joel Kibazo, spokesman for the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, said
that its mission would go ahead as planned.

"Our observers are now in Zimbabwe, he said. "We've got 10 on the ground,
and by the end of the week, we will have a large group of observers. We
hope to have more than 40 in total."

"The Commonwealth has decided that what it wants to do is observe the
elections, and we are continuing with that."

-

BBC News

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