Regionalisation in Southern Africa: The SADC Principles and Guidelines and 2005 Zimbabwe

Elections

Introduction Regional integration is not only the domain Regional integration is not only the domain

of states or governments.of states or governments. Non-state actors (i.e. political parties, Non-state actors (i.e. political parties,

interest groups and NGOs) also play their interest groups and NGOs) also play their part.part.

This paper departs from the state-centric This paper departs from the state-centric analysis of regional integration.analysis of regional integration.

Focus on the transnational lobby campaign Focus on the transnational lobby campaign of the MDC, and interest groups and NGOs of the MDC, and interest groups and NGOs to influence the Zim government to abide to influence the Zim government to abide by the SADC Principles and Guidelines.by the SADC Principles and Guidelines.

Main Problem: To what extent have these Main Problem: To what extent have these non-state actors created a new normative non-state actors created a new normative cross-border region within SADC?cross-border region within SADC?

In addition: What were their strategies and In addition: What were their strategies and tactics and the significance of their actions tactics and the significance of their actions on regionalisation in SADC?on regionalisation in SADC?

Regionalisation and Norms Regionalisation represents the Regionalisation represents the

intensification of social integration, the intensification of social integration, the unassisted processes of social and economic unassisted processes of social and economic relations and the expansion of relations and the expansion of interdependent networks within regions.interdependent networks within regions.

Therefore two facets to regionalisation:Therefore two facets to regionalisation: EconomicEconomic Political: Increase in the flow of people, Political: Increase in the flow of people,

improvement of communication routes improvement of communication routes and social networks and the creation of a and social networks and the creation of a transnational regional civil society.transnational regional civil society.

Norms are shared (social) understandings of Norms are shared (social) understandings of standards of behaviour, or guidelines for standards of behaviour, or guidelines for human conduct and providing an action human conduct and providing an action guide for behaviour in certain contexts.guide for behaviour in certain contexts.

Norms and behaviour of individuals and Norms and behaviour of individuals and actors are closely linked.actors are closely linked.

Link between norms and regionalisation: Link between norms and regionalisation: regionalisation has a normative character, regionalisation has a normative character, because of the transnational spread of ideas, because of the transnational spread of ideas, political attitudes, ideologies and political attitudes, ideologies and viewpoints (behavioural character).viewpoints (behavioural character).

Individuals and collectivity actors produce Individuals and collectivity actors produce norms to direct their behaviour.norms to direct their behaviour.

Regions are resource pools of norms Regions are resource pools of norms because of their protocols that prescribe because of their protocols that prescribe behaviour in certain contexts.behaviour in certain contexts.

Non-state actors will use this resource pool Non-state actors will use this resource pool to circumvent governments to gain access to circumvent governments to gain access to this pool.to this pool.

They will also use the norms of an They will also use the norms of an international institution to circumvent a international institution to circumvent a government and to influence that government and to influence that government.government.

Circumvention is used to an increasing Circumvention is used to an increasing extent because of globalisation and low extent because of globalisation and low responses from governments to the responses from governments to the demands of non-state actors.demands of non-state actors.

Through circumvention regionalisation Through circumvention regionalisation develops to its fullest potential, because the develops to its fullest potential, because the government or state is not involved and government or state is not involved and therefore does not assist in the process.therefore does not assist in the process.

Non-state actors act as linkage actors when Non-state actors act as linkage actors when accessing this resource pool.accessing this resource pool.

A number of approaches (strategies) are A number of approaches (strategies) are available when they operate as linkage available when they operate as linkage actors:actors: Power approach.Power approach. Technocratic approach.Technocratic approach. Coalition-building approach.Coalition-building approach. Grass-roots mobilisation.Grass-roots mobilisation.

Regionalisation therefore contains actor, Regionalisation therefore contains actor, norm creation and political action elements norm creation and political action elements (circumvention, influence and linkage (circumvention, influence and linkage approaches) that are mutually approaches) that are mutually interdependent and also fundamental interdependent and also fundamental creative aspects of the process.creative aspects of the process.

Actors, their actions and norms beget Actors, their actions and norms beget regionalisation and regionalisation and vice-versavice-versa..

Mauritian Protocol is one such creative Mauritian Protocol is one such creative element.element.

The Mauritian Protocol Protocol is a governance framework Protocol is a governance framework

attempting to legitimise the conduct of attempting to legitimise the conduct of elections in SADC.elections in SADC.

Contains 10 principles to which the Contains 10 principles to which the members ‘shall’ adhere e.g. full members ‘shall’ adhere e.g. full participation of the citizens in the political participation of the citizens in the political process of elections.process of elections.

The Protocol is a collectivity of norms that The Protocol is a collectivity of norms that should guide the behaviour of governments should guide the behaviour of governments regarding elections.regarding elections.

Regionalisation of the 2005 Zimbabwe Parliamentary

Elections The Political Situation in Zimbabwe: Silent The Political Situation in Zimbabwe: Silent

Diplomacy and other Responses.Diplomacy and other Responses. The following non-state actors tried to influence The following non-state actors tried to influence

the Zimbabwe government through various means the Zimbabwe government through various means to abide by the Protocol.to abide by the Protocol. The MDCThe MDC Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe

(MMPZ)(MMPZ) Zimbabwe’s layers for Human Rights (ZLHR)Zimbabwe’s layers for Human Rights (ZLHR) Pius NcubePius Ncube

COSATUCOSATU Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International Human Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch International Crisis GroupInternational Crisis Group Institute for Justice and Reconciliation Institute for Justice and Reconciliation

(IJR)(IJR) SA Council of ChurchesSA Council of Churches Institute for Democracy in South Africa Institute for Democracy in South Africa

(IDASA)(IDASA) Centre for Policy StudiesCentre for Policy Studies Reporters Without BordersReporters Without Borders

Analysis Because of international interest groups, Because of international interest groups,

Zimbabwe’s internal political problems are Zimbabwe’s internal political problems are no longer of domestic concern but that of no longer of domestic concern but that of the wider international community.the wider international community.

In terms of the Protocol, everything In terms of the Protocol, everything Zimbabwe does is reacted upon by political Zimbabwe does is reacted upon by political parties and interest groups.parties and interest groups.

Through their lobbying campaign the non-Through their lobbying campaign the non-state entities have created a normative state entities have created a normative transnational region based on the Mauritian transnational region based on the Mauritian Protocol.Protocol.

This region is the antithesis of the state created This region is the antithesis of the state created region.region.

It contains communication routes.It contains communication routes. It is transnational because it does not abide by It is transnational because it does not abide by

state boundaries.state boundaries. It is liberal democratic contact between actors is It is liberal democratic contact between actors is

not restricted and is driven ‘by the people, for the not restricted and is driven ‘by the people, for the people’.people’.

MDC used the power approach (negotiated with MDC used the power approach (negotiated with government leaders).government leaders).

MDC and other interest groups used the MDC and other interest groups used the technocratic approach (Mauritian Protocol was technocratic approach (Mauritian Protocol was linked to Zimbabwe’s domestic politics to caution linked to Zimbabwe’s domestic politics to caution others against negative policy trends).others against negative policy trends).

The coalition-building approach was also The coalition-building approach was also used (MDC met with civil society actors in used (MDC met with civil society actors in other countries and a transnational coalition other countries and a transnational coalition was established).was established).

Grass-roots mobilisation was also employed Grass-roots mobilisation was also employed (the diaspora was mobilised).(the diaspora was mobilised).

A fifth approach – the diplomatic approach A fifth approach – the diplomatic approach – was also used (fact-finding missions to – was also used (fact-finding missions to Zimbabwe. Actors, DA and COSATU, Zimbabwe. Actors, DA and COSATU, communicated their experience to the wider communicated their experience to the wider public and gave an indication of the public and gave an indication of the political situation on the ground).political situation on the ground).

Technocratic and diplomatic approaches Technocratic and diplomatic approaches facilitated regionalisation.facilitated regionalisation.

It is through these approaches that the It is through these approaches that the Zimbabwe government was effectively Zimbabwe government was effectively circumvented.circumvented.

These approaches will be used increasingly These approaches will be used increasingly in future by non-state actors to lobby in future by non-state actors to lobby against undesirable policy trends.against undesirable policy trends.

Race is still plays an important role in Race is still plays an important role in Southern African politics, but issue-based Southern African politics, but issue-based politics is practiced to an increasing extent.politics is practiced to an increasing extent.

SADC region will be bifurcated between SADC region will be bifurcated between pro-democracy actors and those dictating pro-democracy actors and those dictating the political discourse through traditional the political discourse through traditional liberation norms.liberation norms.

The former might replace the latter in the The former might replace the latter in the short to medium future.short to medium future.

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