ZIMBABWE: TALKING POINTS FOR JULY 8 BRIEFING

UNCLAS STATE 072696 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNSC PREL PHUM ZI XA ZU SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE: TALKING POINTS FOR JULY 8 BRIEFING ¶1. Action Request: USUN is instructed to draw on the points in para 2 below during the July 8 UNSC meeting in which D/SYG Migiro and A/SYG Menkerios will provide briefings on the situation in Zimbabwe. If the UNSC votes on the draft resolution during this same meeting, USUN may use these points in its Explanation of Vote. USUN may also draw on these points in speaking to the press after the meeting. End Action Request. ¶2. Begin points: -- I would like to thank Deputy Secretary General Migiro and Assistant Secretary General Menkerios for their briefings. The United States remains deeply concerned with the situation in Zimbabwe. -- Even now, after the June 27 sham election, the Mugabe regime's violence, harassment, and intimidation against opposition supporters in Zimbabwe continues. Just this past weekend a group of armed militia raided two internally displaced person camps near Ruwa leaving 8 hospitalized and over a dozen others missing. On July 2, over 200 members of the opposition sought refuge at the U.S. Embassy in Harare, and internally displaced persons fleeing the violence have sought shelter in other Embassies, churches, NGO facilities, and the opposition headquarters. -- Today, I would like to make four points. -- (If resolution is voted and passes) First, we are very pleased that the Council decided to send a clear message to the Mugabe regime that its actions in defiance of the will of the Zimbabwean people and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will not be accepted by the international community. -- (If resolution is voted and fails or is vetoed) First, we are extremely disappointed that the Security Council failed to adopt the draft resolution and send a clear message to the Mugabe regime that its actions in defiance of the will of the Zimbabwean people and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will not be accepted by the international community. We are deeply concerned that the Council's failure to act will contribute to the suffering of the Zimbabwean people and to further instability in Zimbabwe and the region. -- (If there is no vote on Tuesday) First, Mr. Mugabe cannot claim victory in the June 27th run-off election. Election observers from the African Union, Southern African Development Community, and Pan-African Parliament have all reported that the June 27 elections were neither free nor fair. The Mugabe regime used violence and intimidation to force opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai -- the winner of the March 29 election -- out of the run-off election. An election conducted in those circumstances cannot be considered legitimate. -- Since the sham election, new evidence has emerged that confirms international suspicions that Mugabe and top Government of Zimbabwe officials not only plotted to steal the election, but led a well-orchestrated and deeply disturbing military-style campaign of violence and intimidation against the opposition and its supporters. According to media reports, the Mugabe regime even referred to this campaign as CIBD or Coercion, Intimidation, Beating, and Displacement. This military operation involved up to 200 senior army officers, who established nearly 2,000 base camps around the country to conduct brutal violence against the opposition. The small farming village of Chaona, which had voted for Morgan Tsvingarai in the March election, was the first to feel the brunt of this military assault. Starting May 5, the village suffered a rampage that left seven people dead and many more seriously beaten and injured, including women and children. -- This military style offensive continued through the country targeting the members and supporters of the opposition. Then on election day, as an additional measure to ensure victory, the Mugabe regime forced voters to the polls and threatened to track through ballot serial numbers those who refused to vote or who cast their votes for Tsvangirai despite his withdrawal from the run-off. No election conducted in these circumstances can produce legitimate results. -- Second, the United States introduced a draft resolution on Zimbabwe because we believe that it is important for the Security Council to send a clear message to the Mugabe regime on the need to immediately end the violence and to begin a serious dialogue with the opposition to achieve a solution that reflects the will of the Zimbabwean people as expressed in the March 29 elections. Such a dialogue is needed to end the crisis that threatens Zimbabwe and the region. -- Third, the crisis in Zimbabwe continues to be a threat to regional peace and security. As Deputy Secretary General Migiro said at the AU Summit last week, "Zimbabwe is the single greatest challenge to regional stability in Southern Africa." The people of Zimbabwe have few options to address their dire situation. Their government has failed them economically and politically. Since they were refused the chance to democratically express their frustrations, I fear many will decide to flee the country, further straining the resources of Zimbabwe's neighbors. Still, we urge neighboring governments to provide asylum to Zimbabweans and to work with UNHCR to ensure protection and assistance to refugees. We also urge neighboring governments to cease deportations of Zimbabweans during this period of conflict in Zimbabwe. -- Finally, we want to express our deep regret that Robert Mugabe, who was once welcomed as a liberator, has led his country into this unnecessary crisis through his own repressive political actions and misguided economic policies. The Mugabe regime must allow the people of Zimbabwe, through their legitimately elected officials, to chart a democratic and prosperous course for Zimbabwe. End points. RICE