Mick Hartley

Nothing surprising here:

It is impossible for Zimbabwe’s parliamentary election, due in ten days’ time, to be free and fair, according to a powerful report to be released today.

The Human Rights Watch document, based on the work of an undercover team that has spent several weeks inside Zimbabwe, confirms widespread suspicions that opposition supporters face daily intimidation, The Times has learnt.

The report accuses the Government of President Mugabe of lacking respect for the basic freedoms of expression, association and assembly and says that the poll will be based on an electoral roll manipulated to favour Mr Mugabe’s ruling Zanu (PF) party.

Except that this new report also criticises Zimbabwe’s neighbours:

The Mugabe Government has faced such criticism many times in recent years, but this report is likely to have a greater impact among Zimbabwe’s neighbours because it measures the conduct of the campaign against an agreement that was signed by 14 heads of state, including Mr Mugabe himself. It criticises the other heads of state for failing to press Mr Mugabe to fulfil his obligations under that agreement.

Thabo Mbeki has gone on record as stating that the forthcoming elections in Zimbabwe would be free and fair, a position he may now have some difficulty justifying.