Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)

I propose to share time with Deputy Mary White.

There is an urgent need for the Zimbabwean electoral commission to set a date for the presidential run-off vote. The role of the Southern African Development Community, SADC, is crucial to ensuring pressure is put on the Zimbabwean Government to hold the election within weeks rather than months. The last time we discussed Zimbabwe was six months ago. At that time I stated that inflation was 1,700% and unemployment was 80%. Within the past six months, inflation has risen to 150,000% and unemployment to 92%. Matters have become dramatically worse within the past six months and there are major concerns.

I am concerned that the deputy information Minister, Bright Matonga, has said that under the Electoral Act the election could be delayed for up to 12 months for logistical reasons. That sets the alarm bells ringing. The escalation in violence is a cause of great concern and UN spokesperson Michelle Montas has warned that the increase in incidences of violence could soon reach crisis levels. The Zimbabwean Association of Doctors for Human Rights has reported 22 deaths and widespread torture within the past four weeks. Human Rights Watch has called it state-sponsored violence and the military has been involved directly and indirectly through the provision of arms and transport.

The key phrase comes from the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, who has called for the next phases of Zimbabwe's election to be free and fair. These terms are crucial to the next weeks and months. I am concerned about reports of attacks on farmers and their workers in the past month. The inherited knowledge of husbandry of the farmland of Zimbabwe is being lost within a short period. It was lost 20 years ago but within the past year the violence, riots and seizing of land has meant the loss of established farm practices, a note of major concern to us all. In addition, the fast-track land resettlement programme implemented by the Government of Zimbabwe post-2000 has led to serious human rights violations.

An extract from the Human Rights Watch report of 2002 stated:

Once some sort of stability has been restored, and violence ended, the competing claims of commercial farmers, farm workers, new settlers, and the state to land must be arbitrated by an impartial tribunal with authority to adjudicate disputes over land and allocate title fairly. The international donor community should give generous assistance to efforts to ensure a sustainable settlement to the land question in Zimbabwe.

On this island there is a precedent for the allocation of land. Throughout the 20th century the Land Commission operated and it allocated land to the less well-off in Ireland in a fair and impartial manner. We can look back on a relatively honourable and trustworthy body's history in resolving the challenge of a post-colonial era. Ireland can bring its knowledge of the Land Commission to Zimbabwe. As one post-colonial country to another, I hope we can find a role to give the knowledge and extend the hand of friendship through the Department of Foreign Affairs. I hope the new Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for overseas development aid, Deputy Peter Power, will use his skills and talent to bring the knowledge we have in Ireland to Zimbabwe. The new conflict resolution unit is up and running and could play a role in assisting him to allow Ireland to play a strong role in leading Zimbabwe to peace once more.

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