Kerry-Coleman Resolution Bolsters Call for Pushing Peaceful Transition to Legitimate Democratic Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate has passed Sen. John Kerry’s resolution urging Robert Mugabe to accept the results of Zimbabwe’s Parliamentary election and step aside from his position as President. The resolution was co-sponsored by Kerry, Coleman, Isakson, Obama, Feingold, Durbin, Dodd, Clinton, Biden, Lieberman, Leahy and Cardin.

“The Senate has sent a strong message to President Mugabe that he must accept the will of voters and step aside, and a clear message that the world’s leading democracy will speak strongly and clearly when legitimate democratic rule is threatened,” said Kerry. “The people of Zimbabwe have clearly voted for change, and President Mugabe must now effect a timely and peaceful transition to genuine democratic rule. Making that possible requires not just leadership from the United States, but leadership from neighboring African nations who are in a special position to demand a real democracy for the people of Zimbabwe.”

Below is the full text of Kerry’s Sense of the Senate Resolution:


Whereas, on March 29, 2008, parliamentary and presidential elections were held in Zimbabwe amid widespread reports of voting irregularities in favor of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party and President Robert Mugabe, including, according to the State Department, “production of far more ballots than there were registered voters…[and] the allowance of police in polling places”;

Whereas, official results showed that the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) won a majority of seats in the parliamentary elections, and independent monitors concluded based on initially posted results that MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai received substantially more votes than President Mugabe in the presidential election;

Whereas, as of April 24, 2008, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has still not released the results of the presidential election despite calls to do so by the African Union (AU), the European Union, the Government of South Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and the United States;

Whereas, on April 19, 2008, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission officially commenced recounting ballots in 23 parliamentary constituencies, primarily in districts that did not support candidates affiliated with ZANU-PF;

Whereas, on April 21, 2008, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband stated that the ongoing recount was potentially a “charade of democracy” that “only serves to fuel suspicion that President Mugabe is seeking to reverse the results that have been published, to regain a majority in parliament, and to amplify his own count in the presidential election,” and accused him of trying “to steal the election”;

Whereas, the Government of Zimbabwe has arrested numerous members of the media and election officials, and over 1,000 Zimbabweans have reportedly been fleeing into South Africa every day while forces loyal to the government have engaged in a brutal and systematic effort to intimidate voters;

Whereas, on April 20, 2008 the MDC released a detailed report showing that more than 400 of its supporters had been arrested, 500 had been attacked, 10 had been killed and 3,000 families had been displaced, and Human Rights Watch reported on April 19, 2008 that ZANU-PF is operating “torture camps” where opposition supporters are being beaten;

Whereas, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad stated on April 16, 2008 that he was “gravely concerned about the escalating politically motivated violence perpetrated by security forces and ruling party militias”;

Whereas, while there is currently no international embargo on arms transfers to Zimbabwe, a Chinese ship carrying weapons destined for Zimbabwe was recently prevented from unloading its cargo in Durban, South Africa, and has been denied access to other ports in the region due to concerns that the weapons could further destabilize the situation;

Whereas, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated on April 17, 2008 that President Mugabe has “done more harm to his country than would have been imaginable…the last years have been really an abomination…,” and called for the AU and SADC to play a greater role in resolving the crisis;

Whereas, the State Department’s 2007 Country Report on Human Rights Practices stated that in Zimbabwe “the ruling party’s dominant control and manipulation of the political process through intimidation and corruption effectively negated the right of citizens to change their government. Unlawful killings and politically motivated abductions occurred. State-sanctioned use of excessive force increased, and security forces tortured members of the opposition, student leaders, and civil society activists”; and

Whereas, annual inflation in Zimbabwe is reportedly running over 150,000 percent, unemployment stands at over 80 percent, hunger affects over four million people and an estimated 3,500 people die each week from hunger, disease and other causes related to extremely poor living conditions.

Now, Therefore, be it resolved, that it is the Sense of the Senate:

To support the people of Zimbabwe, who have been subjected to incredible hardships including violence, political repression and severe economic deprivation, in their aspirations for a free, democratic and more prosperous future;

To call for an immediate cessation of politically motivated violence, detentions and efforts to intimidate the people of Zimbabwe perpetrated by Zimbabwe’s security forces and militias loyal to ZANU-PF;

That the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission should immediately release the legitimate results of the presidential election and ratify the previously announced results of the parliamentary elections;

That President Mugabe should accept the will of the people of Zimbabwe in order to effect a timely and peaceful transition to genuine democratic rule;

That regional organizations, including SADC and the AU, should play a sustained and active role in resolving the crisis peacefully and in a manner that respects the will of the people of Zimbabwe;

That the United Nations Security Council should be seized of the issue of Zimbabwe, support efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution of the crisis that respects the will of the people of Zimbabwe, and impose an international arms embargo on Zimbabwe until a legitimate democratic government has taken power;

That the United States Government and the international community should impose targeted sanctions against additional individuals in the Government of Zimbabwe, state security services and militias who are responsible for human rights abuses and interference in the legitimate conduct of the elections;

That the United States Government and the international community should work together to prepare a comprehensive economic and political recovery package for Zimbabwe in the event that a genuinely democratic government is formed and commits to implementing key constitutional, economic and political reforms.

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