IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1230 
Condemning postelection violence in Zimbabwe and calling for a peaceful 
resolution to the current political crisis. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 22, 2008 
Mr. PAYNE (for himself, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. LEE, Ms. JACK-
SON-LEE of Texas, Mr. JEFFERSON, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, 
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. RUSH, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of 
Texas, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. WATT, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, 
Mr. CLAY, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Ms. NOR-
TON, Ms. WATERS, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. SCOTT 
of Virginia, Mr. WYNN, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. 
CUMMINGS, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mrs. JONES 
of Ohio, Ms. WATSON, Mr. DAVIS of Alabama, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Mr. 
SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. CLEAVER, Ms. MOORE of 
Wisconsin, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. 
RICHARDSON, Mr. CARSON, and Mr. AL GREEN of Texas) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs 
RESOLUTION 
Condemning postelection violence in Zimbabwe and calling 
for a peaceful resolution to the current political crisis. 
Whereas the Zimbabwean African National Union-Patriotic 
Front (ZANU–PF), led by President Robert Mugabe, has 
controlled Zimbabwe’s executive and legislative branches 
for 28 years; 
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•HRES 1230 IH 
Whereas over the past 8 years, ZANU–PF has suppressed 
political dissidents and won elections and referendums 
through the use of vote rigging, localized violence, harass-
ment, and intimidation; 
Whereas the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe 
has been worsening since 2000, culminating in the cur-
rent electoral crisis; 
Whereas Presidential and Parliamentary elections were held 
in Zimbabwe on March 29, 2008; 
Whereas the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) released 
the results for the 2008 presidential election 5 weeks 
after the contest took place, announcing President 
Mugabe won 43.2 percent of the vote, while Morgan 
Tsvangirai of the opposition party, Movement for Demo-
cratic Change (MDC), won 47.8 percent of the vote; 
Whereas as the ZEC announced neither candidate won over 
50 percent of the vote, the 2 candidates have to compete 
in a runoff election; 
Whereas the long delay in announcing the presidential elec-
tion results undermined the credibility of the ZEC; 
Whereas the Zimbabwean people have indicated through the 
ballot box that they want a change in leadership; 
Whereas in the wake of the elections, President Mugabe has 
unleashed security forces and militia against opposition 
supporters and members of civil society; 
Whereas over 900 people have been tortured and beaten, and 
22 have been confirmed dead; 
Whereas government security forces raided the MDC party 
headquarters, arresting 300 people, some of them chil-
dren; 
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•HRES 1230 IH 
Whereas the offices of the Zimbabwe Election Support Net-
work have been raided and some of its employees de-
tained; 
Whereas security forces have attacked humanitarian organi-
zations and civil society groups; 
Whereas the African Union (AU) and Southern African De-
velopment Community (SADC) have been continually en-
gaged in efforts to bring about an end to the political cri-
sis in Zimbabwe; 
Whereas the AU and SADC dispatched delegations to 
Harare, but have not yet successfully compelled the Gov-
ernment of Zimbabwe to restore the rule of law; 
Whereas Zimbabwe’s gross domestic product declined about 
43 percent between 2000 and 2007 and the unemploy-
ment rate is 80 percent; 
Whereas Zimbabwe’s inflation rate, at almost 165,000 per-
cent, is the highest in the world and has contributed sig-
nificantly to the country’s economic collapse; 
Whereas worsening economic conditions and commodity 
shortages have caused at least 3,000,000 people to flee 
the country; 
Whereas after the March 29, 2008, elections the opposition 
offered to enter into a dialogue to bring about an end to 
the ensuing political crisis; 
Whereas all parties must engage constructively towards peace 
and reconciliation for the sake of the Zimbabwean people; 
and 
Whereas the people of Zimbabwe deserve the assistance of 
the international community in the restoration of funda-
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•HRES 1230 IH 
mental human rights, democratic freedom, and the rule 
of law: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) calls on all security forces, informal militias, 
and individuals to immediately cease attacks on and 
abuse of civilians; 
(2) strongly condemns the orchestrated cam-
paign of violence, torture, and harassment conducted 
by the ruling party and its supporters and sympa-
thizers in the police and military against members of 
the opposition, opposition parties, and all other civil-
ians; 
(3) supports an international arms embargo 
until the current political situation has been re-
solved; 
(4) encourages the government and opposition 
to begin a dialogue aimed at establishing a govern-
ment of national unity which would allow for the 
restoration of democratic governance structures, and 
create an environment conducive to a peaceful tran-
sition of power through free and fair elections; 
(5) advocates for a mechanism such as a truth 
and reconciliation commission through which to en-
sure accountability for all groups and individuals 
who are found to have orchestrated or committed 
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•HRES 1230 IH 
human rights violations in the context of the elec-
tions; 
(6) urges the United Nations, with the coopera-
tion and support of the African Union (AU) and 
Southern African Development Community (SADC) 
to dispatch a special envoy to Zimbabwe without 
delay, with a mandate to monitor the runoff elec-
tions and the human rights situation, and to support 
efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the political 
crisis; 
(7) urges the international community, under 
the leadership of the United Nations, AU, SADC, 
and the SADC Parliamentary Forum, to deploy 
teams of credible persons to serve as monitors to en-
sure that the outcome of the presidential runoff elec-
tions reflects the will of the Zimbabwean people; 
(8) commends the people of Zimbabwe for their 
continued courage in the face of systematic persecu-
tion, intimidation, and abuse, and commits to pro-
viding continued humanitarian assistance until the 
economic crisis is resolved; 
(9) commends the recent actions taken by re-
gional trade unions, churches, activists, and civil so-
ciety organizations in support of democracy and re-
spect for basic human rights and the rule of law in 
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•HRES 1230 IH 
Zimbabwe, and encourages these entities to maintain 
their activities; and 
(10) stands in solidarity with the people of 
Zimbabwe. 
Æ 
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