SA: George Bizos says: Grant Mugabe amnesty

[Hail Columbia]

http://www.africancrisis.co.za/Article.php?ID=14675&

[I don't know Bizo's exact history, but he defended Nelson Mandela at the Rivonia trials I think and he is still Mandela's lawyer. Is Bizos a communist-loving lawyer.

I could CRY when I see the way Mugabe gets away with everything. If only there was a way and means getting together the weaponry and the people to fight the bastard. He should be FOUGHT. Jan]

South African advocate George Bizos has urged Zimbabweans from all political persuasions to convene and consider granting President Robert Mugabe a comprehensive amnesty to pave the way for his departure from power and at least ensure a beginning to the resolution of the Zimbabwean crisis.

"There ought to come a stage when all Zimbabweans (of differing political persuasions) say: let bygones be bygones … let us look into the future and not the past …" Bizos said at a seminar entitled "Zimbabwe at the Crossroads" at the South African Institute of International Affairs in Johannesburg on Wednesday night.

"It worked for us in South Africa; it can work for Zimbabwe …" added Bizos, in reference to indemnifying Mugabe for atrocities committed while in office, just like the ANC did with most former apartheid rulers.

Bizos went on to slam constitutional amendments gazetted by the Zimbabwean government two weeks ago, which are seen as giving the ruling Zanu-PF an easy victory in next year's elections.

The amendments significantly expand the size of parliament, among other things, empowering Mugabe to create more constituencies in his rural strongholds in an effort to maintain his large majority in parliament.

Bizos said that in a nutshell, the constitutional amendments were aimed at perpetuating Mugabe and Zanu-PF's authoritarian rule.

Bizos added that he did not want to comment on whether the current talks between the opposition and the ruling party mediated by President Thabo Mbeki would succeed.

But what he was sure of was that next year's elections in Zimbabwe would not be free and fair unless the current electoral framework was overhauled.