POLITICS-ZANZIBAR: Commonwealth Steps In To Resolve Conflict

By Moyiga Nduru Reprint | | Print |

Moyiga Nduru

NAIROBI, Jan 13 1998 (IPS) - The political crisis in the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar, which erupted over the contested result of multi-party elections in 1995, shows no signs of ending soon.

The crisis has been prolonged by both the government and the opposition Civic United Front (CUF). Both sides have refused to compromise.

In a bid to break the deadlock, the London-based Commonwealth has stepped in, warning that the tension could develop into civil conflict, if no urgent measures are taken.

The warnings, contained in a statement issued in the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam, followed a short visit to Zanzibar by the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

The statement, made available to journalists late Monday, said Anyaoku had submitted proposals to both the authorities and the opposition to help break the political deadlock on the archipelago. It did not elaborate.

Anyaoku, a Nigerian, made the statement after attending the 34th anniversary of the bloody revolution which toppled the Arab Sultan of Zanzibar. The 1964 revolution led to the union of Zanzibar and mainland Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanzania.

The current crisis erupted after the CUF, under its charismatic leader Seif Shariff Hamad, claimed that the October 1995 poll in the twin islands of Pemba and Unguja — which together form Zanzibar — were rigged by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), or Revolutionary Party.

The poll results, declared free and fair by international monitoring groups despite misgivings over the organisation of the poll, gave incumbent Salmin Amour the narrowest of victories — 50 percent of the vote as opposed to Hamad’s 49.3 percent.

The opposition, which is demanding Amour’s resignation, have resorted to a campaign of civil disobedience which entails, among other things, the boycott of the House Sessions by CUF’s elected representatives and the refusal by CUF to recognise the new administration sworn-in after the elections.

In retaliation, the government began a major crackdown on the opposition which intensified late last year. Sixteen CUF officials have been arrested in the past two months and charged with treason.

Amour vowed during Monday’s celebrations to continue to clamp down on political dissent. “The government will not tolerate people who abuse the principles of democracy on the pretext of fighting for human rights,” he said.

President Amour accused external forces, which he did not name, of plotting to topple his government. However, political analysts say it was clear that he was referring to the hundreds of thousands of Zanzibaris living in Denmark, the United Kingdom and the Gulf countries who are perceived to be supporters of the opposition.

The list also includes the United States and Scandinavian countries, some of whom have terminated aid to Tanzania over allegations of human rights abuses in Zanzibar.

Last year, Mohamed Gharib Bilal, the chief minister of Zanzibar, claimed that Oman, which colonised Zanzibar until 1964, was plotting to reassert its influence on the island through the leader of CUF, Hamad, who traces his family roots back to the sultanate.

Bilal told journalists here that the one million Zanzibaris, particularly those on Unguja, populated primarily by mainlanders, have not forgotten their subjugation under the sultanate which led to the armed revolt in 1964 which unseated the monarchy.

To complicate the crisis, CUF, which campaigned for greater autonomy for Zanzibar, seems to be tapping into mounting Muslim fervour, which also echoes on the mainland, and is supporting the introduction of Islamic Sharia (law) in Zanzibar.

Tanzania is a secular state. Its constitution, drafted by the former socialist government of ex-president Julius Nyerere, has managed to hold together a country of 120 ethnic groups divided almost equally between Muslims and Christians.

There is growing concern that the unrest in Zanzibar will reduce the production of cloves on the island.

Cloves, grown mostly in Pemba, are the main export of Zanzibar, accounting for 90 percent of the island’s export earnings. Zanzibar once supplied two-thirds of world demand, but now ranks fourth.