Streit um Oppositionsführer Tsvangirai: Simbabwe-Verhandlungen auf Eis

Bei den Gesprächen zwischen simbabwischer Regierung und Opposition kommt es zu keinem Deal. Streitpunkt bleibt Rolle von Oppositionsführer Tsvangirai in der künftigen Regierung.

Nach dem Willen Südafrikas soll Tsvangirai ein Kabinett mit Oppositionsmehrheit anführen. Bild: reuters

BERLIN taz Nur wenige Tage nach ihrem von großen Hoffnungen begleiteten Beginn sind die Verhandlungen zwischen Regierung und Opposition von Simbabwe wieder abgebrochen worden. Wie unabhängige simbabwische Webseiten am Dienstag berichteten, verließ der Verhandlungsführer von Simbabwes Präsident Robert Mugabe, Patrick Chinamasa, am Montag die Gespräche in Südafrika und flog in Simbabwes Hauptstadt Harare zurück. Oppositionschef Tsvangirai flog später aus Harare nach Südafrika, um seine Unterhändler zu konsultieren. Sein Sprecher George Sibotshiwe sagte, die Gespräche seien bis Samstag suspendiert.

Streitpunkt ist die Rolle, die Tsvangirai in einer zukünftigen Regierung der Nationalen Einheit zukommen soll. Der Oppositionsführer, der den ersten Durchgang von Simbabwes Präsidentschaftswahl Ende März gewonnen hatte, reklamiert den Posten eines Premierministers mit Regierungsvollmachten. Mugabe aber soll Tsvangirai lediglich das Amt eines dritten Vizepräsidenten angeboten haben.

Die Gespräche hatten am vergangenen Donnerstag begonnen, nachdem der südafrikanische Präsident Thabo Mbeki am Montag die Kontrahenten Mugabe und Tsvangirai zur Unterzeichnung eines entsprechenden Abkommens gebracht hatte. Die Unterzeichnungszeremonie samt Handschlag in einem Hotel von Harare war das erste direkte Treffen zwischen Mugabe und Tsvangirai seit Ausbruch der Wahlkrise gewesen.

Nach britischen Presseberichten wollte die südafrikanische Vermittlung den simbabwischen Präsidenten dazu zwingen, ein Kabinett mit Oppositionsmehrheit unter Führung Tsvangirais zu akzeptieren, als Preis für seinen Verbleib im Amt mit reduzierten Kompetenzen aber Schutz vor Strafverfolgung. Für die Gespräche wurde eine Frist von zwei Wochen und eine Nachrichtensperre festgelegt. Parallel zu den Gesprächen in Südafrika sollen Mugabe und Tsvangirai allerdings in Harare indirekte Verhandlungen über Mittelsmänner geführt haben, was die Situation verkomplizierte. Die Nachricht über eine Aussetzung der Gespräche hat die südafrikanische Vermittlung verärgert. Von Südafrikas Präsident Mbeki wurde sie am Dienstag erst dementiert und dann bestätigt. "Die Verhandler verhandeln, sie machen das sehr gut", erklärte er in Pretoria gegenüber Journalisten. "Sie sind noch nicht fertig und sie werden bald ein paar Tage Pause einlegen, weil sie nach Harare gehen und ihre Chefs konsultieren wollen. Und dann werden sie bis zum Wochenende zurückkommen."

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[Saibona]

gefunden bei: google, "The Zimbabwe Situation"

 

Information leak undermines MDC

 

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=1599

 

July 29, 2008

 

By Our Correspondent

 

JOHANNESBURG - Officials of the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC were mum last

night over a disclosure that a senior official had been caught red-handed

while supplying information about the current power-sharing talks illegally

to the media.

 

The negotiations have been conducted in a shroud of secrecy in accordance

with a clause of the Memorandum of Understanding signed last week by

President Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, leaders

respectively of Zanu-PF and the two MDC parties.

 

New Zimbabwe.com reported last night that Theresa Makoni, leader of the

women's league of Tsvangirai's mainstream MDC, had been set trapped and

exposed as the mole feeding information about proceedings at the crucial

talks to the media.

 

Theresa is the wife of Ian Makone, a key advisor to Tsvangirai.

 

The website reported that Theresa Makone had been trapped at the behest of

MDC secretary general, Tendai Biti, who was allegedly "incensed with what

appeared to be leaks coming from his own party". It was not clear how Biti

became aware that his own delegation was the source of the leaks.

 

The website quoted a diplomatic source as saying: "Biti showed strong

leadership. As guests of a foreign government, the MDC must show it is ready

to govern by swiftly moving to control unruly elements that can cause

tremendous damage to the integrity of the party and its leadership."

 

It was not explained how the unnamed diplomat, whether based in Pretoria or

in Harare had so quickly become involved in such a fast-moving series of

events. The website did not disclose either what information Makone had

leaked to the media or where it had been published.

 

Yesterday, the international wire service, Associated Press, filed a story

to the effect that the crucial talks in Pretoria had collapsed and the

Zanu-PF delegation, comprising cabinet ministers Patrick Chinamasa and

Nicholas Goche, was preparing to depart for Harare.

 

It was a dramatic story and soon other wire services had picked it up. The

Zimbabwe Times published the brief version by the AP correspondent Michelle

Faul, an experienced Zimbabwean journalist, who seems to have broken the

story. A more detailed version by the BBC was also published on the website.

 

It is claimed that these details had been fed to Makone by Biti, working in

concert with leaders of the other two delegations, Chinamasa, representing

Zanu-PF and Welshman Ncube secretary general of the other MDC led by Arthur

Mutambara. Biti had reportedly become suspicious that Makone was leaking

information to the media.

 

New Zimbabwe did not disclose what information Makone had leaked to the

media. In fact since the talks got under way on Thursday no major

information has been published in the media pertaining to the developments

in Pretoria. The closest to a leak was information published in the Sunday

Times in Johannesburg to the effect that the negotiating delegations had

requested to be moved from a three-star guest house outside Pretoria, where

they were initially booked, to more luxurious accommodation in the city.

 

In fact, the blanket of secrecy thrown over the talks in terms of the

Memorandum of Understanding signed by the three leaders seemed to be working

perfectly well. That was until the dramatic events in Pretoria yesterday to

identify the mole who, allegedly, was leaking the undisclosed information to

the media.

 

In fact by their own conduct yesterday the leaders of the delegations showed

themselves to be in breach of the very MoU they claim to be protecting. They

gave selected sections of the media a full briefing on developments at the

talks in contravention of a crucial clause of the document guiding the

talks.

 

Biti and deputy MDC treasurer, Elton Mangoma, comprise the official

delegation at the talks while Makone, vice president Thoko Khupe and

chairman, Lovemore Moyo are apparently members of a back-up team. The

allegation that it is Biti who orchestrated the expulsion of a member of his

own party from the talks appears to have been calculated to create friction

within the party which constitutes the serious challenge to Zanu-PF and

Mugabe at the talks.

 

Efforts were in vain last night to obtain an indication of the information

Makone allegedly leaked to the media before she allegedly leaked the

information that was fed to her by Biti, Chinamasa and Ncube, before she was

allegedly expelled from the negotiations.

 

It was not clear whether Biti emerged from the whole controversy with a

stronger hand or whether he was compromised by the allegations of

impropriety within his delegation. Meanwhile, New Zimbabwe authoritatively

dismissed the story about the talks collapse as false without attributing

the denial to anyone.

 

"The story was fake," New Zimbabwe declared.

 

"New Zimbabwe.com understands Makone was asked to leave the talks - a major

blow to her reputation after she caused fissures within the party when she

was thrust as chair of the women's wing in place of Lucia Matibenga - a very

unpopular move within the party and its trade union movement supporters

where Matibenga has her political base.

 

"Theresa's husband, Ian, is a key adviser to Morgan Tsvangirai who has stood

by the couple as senior figures in the party warned him to act against the

wealthy couple, also thought to be his one-time financiers."

 

It appears Theresa Makone's alleged leak to Michelle Faul will have far

reaching consequences at the power-sharing talks long after she has returned

to Harare.