Letter to Colin Powell

Colin Powell made the following statement on the elections in Zimbabwe.

Secretary Colin L. Powell

Washington, DC

March 13, 2002

There is overwhelming evidence that the March 9-11 presidential election in Zimbabwe was neither free nor fair. The pre-election period was marked by a sustained, government-orchestrated campaign of intimidation and violence, and the numerous and profound irregularities in the electoral process itself resulted in an outcome that did not reflect the will of the people of Zimbabwe. As a result, Mr. Mugabe may claim victory, but not democratic legitimacy.

For over two years, the Mugabe Administration has systematically subverted democratic principles and processes. His government's policies and actions have been marked by a blatant disregard for the rule of law, serious human rights abuses, a broad repression of the Zimbabwean electorate, and, ultimately, the disenfranchisement of thousands of Zimbabwean voters. This fundamentally flawed election result will only deepen the crisis in Zimbabwe and the suffering of the Zimbabwean people. The United States will consult closely with other governments to develop appropriate responses to this major setback to democracy in Zimbabwe. Among the responses we are considering is a possible broadening of sanctions against those responsible for undermining democracy in Zimbabwe.

In response, I wrote the following letter to Powell.

March 13, 2002

A message to Secretary of State Colin Powell,

"There is overwhelming evidence that the November 2000 presidential election in the United States was neither free nor fair. The pre-election period was marked by a sustained campaign of intimidation and violence, and [there were] numerous and profound irregularities in the electoral process . . . Mr. Bush can claim victory but not democratic legitimacy."

How tragic that an official of the United States no longer has the credibility to make admonitions about the corruption of democracy in other countries. Your own credibility is damaged when you make statements like that that so blatantly draw comparisons with the international embarassment of November 2000. You should get off the ship while you still maintain considerable personal prestige.

Respectfully yours,

David Cogswell Hoboken, N.J.

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