JOHANNESBURG Zimbabwean civil society groups have called on South Africas ruling ANC party to do more to pressure President Robert Mugabes Zanu (PF) to embrace democracy, the rule of law and human rights. Zuma has made little progress in his attempts to coax Zanu (PF) and the MDC parties of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara to quicken democratic reforms and end political violence that is resurgent in parts of the country.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition that brings together about 60 pro-democracy and human rights groups in the country said in a statement: The ANC must insist that political parties in Zimbabwe particularly Zanu (PF) which controls the countrys security forces must strictly adhere to principles of democracy and respect for the basic rights of all Zimbabweans.
We hope that ties with former liberation movements present the ANC with an important opportunity to reprimand parties implicated in abuses perpetrated against their people.
Mugabe, who has called for the unity government to come to an end following his latest spate with Tsvangirai, accuses the Premier and his MDC of campaigning for sanctions during their days as the opposition and says they must do more to call for their removal.
Tsvangirai says it is not his duty to campaign for removal of sanctions against Mugabe and other Zanu (PF) leaders, while he has also said he will not recognise all appointments made by Mugabe unilaterally.
A team of top representatives sent by Zuma last week to meet the squabbling Zimbabwean leaders has refused to say what progress it made in trying to diffuse the latest crisis in Harare, insisting it will speak only after handing a report to the South African President.
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