III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 533 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the political situation in 

Zimbabwe. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 24, 2008 

Mr. KERRY (for himself, Mr. COLEMAN, Mr. FEINGOLD, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. 

DODD, Mr. OBAMA, and Mr. ISAKSON) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the political 

situation in Zimbabwe. 

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 Department of State, ‘‘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 


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•SRES 533 IS 

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 cast 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, 


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•SRES 533 IS 

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 in Zimbabwe; 

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 Department of State’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 


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•SRES 533 IS 

Whereas annual inflation in Zimbabwe is reportedly running 

over 150,000 percent, unemployment stands at over 80 

percent, hunger affects over 4,000,000 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 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate— 

2 (1) to support the people of Zimbabwe, who 

3 have been subjected to incredible hardships, includ4 ing violence, political repression, and severe eco5 nomic deprivation, in their aspirations for a free, 

6 democratic, and more prosperous future; 

7 (2) to call for an immediate cessation of politi8 cally motivated violence, detentions, and efforts to 

9 intimidate the people of Zimbabwe perpetrated by 

10 Zimbabwe’s security forces and militias loyal to 

11 ZANU–PF; 

12 (3) that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission 

13 should immediately release the legitimate results of 

14 the presidential election and ratify the previously an15 nounced results of the parliamentary elections; 

16 (4) that President Robert Mugabe should ac17 cept the will of the people of Zimbabwe in order to 

18 effect a timely and peaceful transition to genuine 

19 democratic rule; 

20 (5) that regional organizations, including SADC 

21 and the AU, should play a sustained and active role 


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•SRES 533 IS 

1 in resolving the crisis peacefully and in a manner 

2 that respects the will of the people of Zimbabwe; 

3 (6) that the United Nations Security Council 

4 should be seized of the issue of Zimbabwe, support 

5 efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution of the 

6 crisis that respects the will of the people of 

7 Zimbabwe, and impose an international arms embar8 go on Zimbabwe until a legitimate democratic gov9 ernment has taken power; 

10 (7) that the United States Government and the 

11 international community should impose targeted 

12 sanctions against additional individuals in the Gov13 ernment of Zimbabwe and state security services 

14 and militias in Zimbabwe who are responsible for 

15 human rights abuses and interference in the legiti16 mate conduct of the elections in Zimbabwe; and 

17 (8) that the United States Government and the 

18 international community should work together to 

19 prepare a comprehensive economic and political re20 covery package for Zimbabwe in the event that a 

21 genuinely democratic government is formed and 

22 commits to implementing key constitutional, eco23 nomic, and political reforms. 

Æ 


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