ZIMBABWE: GENERAL ELECTION PREPARATIONS скачать в хорошем качестве

ZIMBABWE: GENERAL ELECTION PREPARATIONS

(23 Jun 2000) English/Nat With polling in Zimbabwe's general election just hours away, the Head of E-U Observer Mission, Pierre Schori has appealed for an end to political thuggery. Under the tightest security, ballot boxes were being prepared and sent to polling stations. Fears about security are such that during the weekend election, opposition MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) candidates will attend polling stations flanked by 12 bodyguards. On the last day of campaigning, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai visited Harare's poorest township. Mobbed by supporters and followed by the world's media, Tsvangirai pledged to improve the living conditions of Harare's urban poor. The government of president Robert Mugabe on Friday yielded to pressure to allow four independent monitors to be posted at each polling station. Mugabe initially ruled that only one monitor from church and civic groups would be permitted inside. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Just look at these people. It's almost like a squat again." SUPER CAPTION: Morgan Tsvangirai, MDC leader SOUNDBITE: (English) "During the pre-election period there was a lot of violence and intimidation. I think that was very unfortunate because it indicated lack of political maturity and it also indicated Zanu PF's desperation to win the election and in my view at the end of day, the violence and intimidation are going to become counter productive for those who have who used it during the election." SUPER CAPTION: Dr John Makumbe, Political Analyst SOUNDBITE: (English) "We are supplying vehicles for candidates to drive around their constituencies on election days in order to give confidence to the people to vote and also to protect the candidates because we believe their lives are in danger." SUPER CAPTION: Mike Carter, MDC member and White farmer SOUNDBITE: (English) "The EU has repeatedly expressed deep concern about the violence and intimidation in this campaign and asked the government and the authorities to uphold the rule of law and we will also, I will add that violence and intimidation have no place in a democratic elex, it must be condemned and the rule of law must be upheld before, during and after the elex and therefore we will stay after the elex for some time." SUPER CAPTION: Pierre Schori, Head of EU Observer Mission Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...