Pan African Parliament Plans Zimbabwe Mission

by Jordan Yerman | May 11, 2007 at 07:05 am

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Perhaps the electricity shutoffs were the last straw. Still, this is just a fact-finding mission, which may not have any teeth.

In an unprecedented poll by show of hands, the Pan African Parliament (PAP) voted overwhelming on Friday to send a fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe.

Suzanne Vos, a member of the South African delegation to the PAP, proposed a motion asking for a debate on human rights abuses in Zimbabwe and that the PAP send a fact-finding mission to that country.

After more than an hour's discussion -- during which some country representatives deplored the violence in Zimbabwe, especially against opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, while others said the issue was due to the interference of Western powers -- the issue was put to the vote.

Normally, the parliamentarians vote simply by bashing their desks, but this time they were asked to vote by a show of hands.

The fact-finding mission was approved by 149 of the members with only 29, including most of the Zimbabwean delegation, voting against it.

Details on when the delegation will leave and of whom it will consist are still to be decided.