And, indeed, few analysts other than partisans of the incumbent regime
were optimistic that ZANU PF would truly share power or cease the use
of violence against political opponents and human rights activists. But
some hoped that the new government might signal some small relief from
the downward spiral in economic and social conditions.
Zimbabwean activist Briggs Bomba, director of campaigns at Africa
Action, in Washington, DC, told Inter Press Service that the deal was
defective in many ways. "It shortchanges the people of Zimbabwe on the
most basic aspirations that have defined democracy: human rights and
social justice." But, he added, it may be "an opportunity for temporary
relief of suffering that people are going through."
Whatever their analysis of the agreement, activists inside Zimbabwe are
calling for full implementation of provisions in the agreement such as
an end to violence and a return to the rule of law, and for the Joint
Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC), established under the
agreement by the three coalition partners, to deal with complaints
promptly, Particularly urgent as a test of credibility of the
agreement, human rights groups stress, is release of activists detained
in December and still held in Maximum Security, including Jestina
Mukoko, director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project.
This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains the January 30 statement by Morgan
Tsvangirai on the MDC decision, and an article from a Zimbabwe
correspondent of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting on
Zimbabwean church reaction to the agreement.
AfricaFocus also recommends Sokwanele’s Zimbabwe Inclusive Government
Watch, with compiling detailed accounts of breeches of the unity
agreement, as signed on September 15, 2008
(http://www.sokwanele.com/zigwatch). As of February 4, ZIG Watch had
recorded 809 breaches of the agreement by ZANU PF, 11 breaches by
MDC-MT, and 2 breaches of the agreement by MDC-AM.