EU gives Mugabe 60-day deadline

The 15-nation European Union (EU) this week gave the Zimbabwe government a 60-day ultimatum to end political violence in the country and stop the illegal occupation of farms by its supporters or face tough penalties, ‘The Financial Gazette’ reported on Thursday. Hardening its position on Zimbabwe, the EU said the government also had to take urgent and concrete steps to protect the freedom of the media, uphold the independence of the judiciary and respect court rulings. The government must also invite the EU to support and observe crucial presidential elections due next year. In a declaration on Zimbabwe after a meeting on Monday at the organisation’s Brussels headquarters, the EU council of ministers said it wanted “rapid and tangible results” on the listed issues.

Lennart Hejlmaker, the Harare representative of current EU president Sweden, refused to comment or elaborate on the EU council’s statement. But diplomatic sources told the newspaper that the declaration by the influential EU council, which comprises foreign ministers of all EU states, was the toughest signal yet to the government to get its act together or face punitive economic sanctions. “What the EU ministers are saying is that this is the last chance for political dialogue or sanctions will follow,” one European diplomat observed. Previously, the EU merely urged the government to restore law and order and implement a transparent and legal land reform programme. In its Monday declaration, the EU council said Harare must ensure “an end to political violence and, in particular, an end to all official encouragement or acceptance of such violence”.

The EU is one of Zimbabwe’s most important development and trading partners but has, together with other international donors, withheld billions of dollars worth of aid in the past year or so because of concerns over Harare’s disregard for the rule of law. The EU threat to punish Harare over mounting lawlessness, which started in the run-up to last June’s general elections, follows closely on similar steps now being taken by the US Congress to impose sanctions against top government officials who encourage and promote violence against opponents. At least 31 Zimbabweans, most of them opposition members, were killed by government supporters ahead of last year’s poll, but no one has yet been jailed for the murders.