Complying with the Abuja Agreement
In terms of the Abuja Agreement, the Zimbabwean Government committed itself to “take firm action against violence and intimidation”. This report examines whether there has been compliance with this term of the Agreement.
October 23, 2001

Adherence to the Abuja Agreement (and the Harare Declaration)

As was seen above, the Harare Declaration and the Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme provide some clear parameters for assessing the human rights observance of any Commonwealth country. The Abuja Agreement makes explicit reference to these standards. Violations of gross human rights, especially in pursuit of electoral dominance, strike at the heart of the Commonwealth standards. 

The Human Rights Forum has repeatedly condemned serious violations of human rights over the past eighteen months. The Government has not addressed these concerns in any credible fashion. The only responses from the President and the Government have been

§          to pass an amnesty for those guilty of political violence;

§          to attempt to prevent the courts from setting aside election results even if alleged use of violence and other electoral violations were to be proven; and

§          continuously to assert, ever more vociferously, that there are no such violations and that Zimbabwe is a law-abiding country. 

The question is whether the Zimbabwe Government has taken firm measures to prevent political violence since the signing of the Abuja Agreement.

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