Poll observers assaulted in Zim
16 May 2008, 19:34
Harare - Dozens of monitors from an independent Zimbabwe election observer network have been assaulted since March's polls and many now are too scared to oversee a run-off vote next month, the group said Friday.
The Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN), which fielded 8,667 observers across 9,000 polling stations for the first round of voting, said its poll watchers "have been under siege from suspected ZANU-PF supporters," referring to the party of veteran President Robert Mugabe.
"Observers have been abducted, assaulted and injured, sometimes requiring hospitalisation," ZESN chairman Noel Kututwa told a news conference.
"We are already receiving a number of reports where our observers are saying it is no longer safe for them to observe the election, but we will have as many polling stations covered as possible."
A ZESN official, who asked not to be named, said that "dozens" of observers had been assaulted and the group believed "there are much more, as some are in hospitals in remote areas and have not been able to communicate with us."
A date for the run-off presidential election between Mugabe and opposition challenger Morgan Tsvangirai was set for June 27 by Zimbabwe's top electoral body on Friday.
The ZESN said conditions for a fair election were not in place because tens of thousands of villagers and farm workers had been driven from their homes in a terror campaign largely blamed on ruling party militias.
A farm workers' union has said around 40 000 of its members have been driven from their homes because of accusations they campaigned for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
"The political environment is not conducive. We do not believe the displaced people are ready for any election," Kututwa said.
Hundreds of the ZESN observers, particuarly those who had been posted in rural areas, have also been displaced from their homes in the ongoing post-electoral violence.
"Hundreds of obsevers have been displaced while some have been reduced to hiding in the woods for days before making their way to seek refuge," he said.
ZESN is providing shelter to some 30 observers while at least 155 are staying with friends and relatives, the organisation said. - Sapa-AFP
The Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN), which fielded 8,667 observers across 9,000 polling stations for the first round of voting, said its poll watchers "have been under siege from suspected ZANU-PF supporters," referring to the party of veteran President Robert Mugabe.
"Observers have been abducted, assaulted and injured, sometimes requiring hospitalisation," ZESN chairman Noel Kututwa told a news conference.
"We are already receiving a number of reports where our observers are saying it is no longer safe for them to observe the election, but we will have as many polling stations covered as possible."
A ZESN official, who asked not to be named, said that "dozens" of observers had been assaulted and the group believed "there are much more, as some are in hospitals in remote areas and have not been able to communicate with us."
A date for the run-off presidential election between Mugabe and opposition challenger Morgan Tsvangirai was set for June 27 by Zimbabwe's top electoral body on Friday.
The ZESN said conditions for a fair election were not in place because tens of thousands of villagers and farm workers had been driven from their homes in a terror campaign largely blamed on ruling party militias.
A farm workers' union has said around 40 000 of its members have been driven from their homes because of accusations they campaigned for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
"The political environment is not conducive. We do not believe the displaced people are ready for any election," Kututwa said.
Hundreds of the ZESN observers, particuarly those who had been posted in rural areas, have also been displaced from their homes in the ongoing post-electoral violence.
"Hundreds of obsevers have been displaced while some have been reduced to hiding in the woods for days before making their way to seek refuge," he said.
ZESN is providing shelter to some 30 observers while at least 155 are staying with friends and relatives, the organisation said. - Sapa-AFP
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