/ 9 April 2008

Zille: SA must push UN to intervene in Zim

South Africa should use its powerful position on the United Nations Security Council to put the Zimbabwean election saga on the international body’s agenda, Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said on Wednesday.

Zille, who is currently in New York, said in a statement she would meet South Africa’s ambassador to the United Nations, Dumisani Khumalo, to discuss the unfolding crisis in Zimbabwe.

”I will make the case that South Africa must use its position as rotational president of the UN Security Council to put the prevention of conflict in Zimbabwe firmly on the UN’s agenda,” Zille said.

As the current president of the Security Council, South Africa has a unique opportunity to influence the UN to take action.

”However, according to the Security Council’s programme, Zimbabwe is not even on the agenda for April — the month that South Africa holds the rotational presidency,” Zille said.

Her proposals to Khumalo would include the establishment of a UN field mission to Zimbabwe, and despatching a UN peacekeeping force to Zimbabwe if full-blown conflict erupts.

”There are legitimate fears that President [Robert] Mugabe is preparing a bloody intimidation campaign to ensure that he wins a run-off election.

”In light of these developments, and mindful of events in Kenya earlier this year, it is crucial that international multilateral organisations such as the UN and the African Union take proactive steps to prevent bloodshed in Zimbabwe,” Zille said.

Given South Africa’s dismal record in speaking out against human rights abuses, Khumalo has a duty to salvage the country’s image by pushing for the Zimbabwean issue to be put on the council’s agenda, Zille said.

”Our failure to stand up for human rights in [Burma], Sudan, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Cuba and the Democratic Republic of Congo has led UN Watch to call us ”the chief human rights villain”.

”South Africa now has the opportunity to silence critics of its foreign policy by using its position on the UN Security Council to urge UN action in Zimbabwe,” Zille said. — Sapa