Statement by LI Vice-President Minister Lamine Ba
“Minister Mzila of Zimbabwe must be released without further delay”
Following the news of the arrest of Moses Mzila-Ndlovu, the Minister of National Healing and Reconciliation in the Government of National Unity of Zimbabwe, Liberal International Vice-President and President of the Africa Liberal Network, Minister Lamine Ba, expressed a message of solidarity and requested an immediate release of Minister Mzila.
“The news from Zimbabwe on the arrest of Minister Mzila-Ndlovu is deeply disturbing. We, liberals of Liberal International and Africa Liberal Network, condemn the arrest in the strongest possible terms. Those who characterized this move by the Mugabe-controlled police as a shameful “hypocrisy” are absolutely right. It constitutes unnecessary provocation and harassment.
Moses is known in Zimbabwe and abroad (particularly in the liberal world) for his wise, moderate and lawful approach. We know him very well and we can say: he is not a criminal and he would not have run away. Minister Mzila is a defender of Human Rights and rule of law in Zimbabwe. So, he must be released without further delay”, said LI Vice President Ba.
He continued: “This act is not about rule of law. It is not even about implementation of a draconian legislation imposed by the current regime to prosecute political opponents. It seems the only purpose is to keep in jail over the long weekend a person, a Member of Parliament, a Minister, who fought all his life for freedom and justice. This is an imprisonment of freedom of speech and freedom of thought. Ironically, it is on the day when we celebrate 31 years of Zimbabwe’s independence, for which Moses has fought his entire life.”
We, liberals from Liberal International and Africa Liberal Network, request justice and freedom for Minister Mzila. The Vice President of the Africa Liberal Network in the region, Mr Clement Stambuli, will follow the situation in Harare and report to our different offices and to our liberal partners around the world.
London/Dakar, 18 April 2011

The Ethiopian Democratic Party has elected a new leader at its National Conference. Mr Mushe Semu, the former Chairman, is the new EDP President, replacing Mr Ato Lidetue, in accordance with a constitutional convention that the party leader may only serve two consecutive terms of two years. Thus EDP has become the first political party in Ethiopia to change its leadership in accordance with a term limit rule.
Dr Mamadou Lamine Bâ, President of the Africa Liberal Network, has expressed his congratulations to Mr Mushe Semu and welcomed this important step by EDP in electing a new leader. This exemplary behaviour has made it clear that EDP is a truly liberal and democratic party which should set an example for other Ethiopians, including the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, HE Mr Meles Zenawi, who has promised to stand down in 2015.
Within the Ethiopian Democratic Party, Mrs Sophia Yilma Deressa retains her portfolio as EDP Vice-President, having successfully represented EDP during its membership application to join the ALN in 2010. The new party Chairman is Mr Mesfin Mengistue, who previously served as the organisational head of the party. Mr Lidetue has pledged to remain involved in the party through membership of EDP’s 25 member council.

ALN President, Minister Lamine Bâ, and UK Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg MP, have written to congratulate Dr Alassane Dramane Ouattara on finally taking up his rightful position as President of Côte d’Ivoire.
Dr Lamine Bâ congratulated Dr Ouattara for having overcome the post-electoral crisis in Côte d’Ivoire, praising his tolerance and patience following the November 2010 elections.
The ALN President, who also serves as Minister for International and Humanitarian Affairs in Senegal, welcomed the Ivorian President’s on-going commitment to democracy and liberalism, values which have been strengthened on the African continent thanks to RDR.
Nick Clegg said that he was “proud that we in the Liberal Democrats have given the RDR our support both through our Westminster Foundation for Democracy programme and through Liberal International.”
The Liberal Democrat leader welcomed the commitment to a fair trial for Mr Gbagbo, and to ensure that those guilty of crimes are held accountable.  He added that “this will be important in laying the foundations for reconciliation and moving Côte d’Ivoire forward towards a stable and prosperous future.”
Both Liberal leaders assured President Ouattara that their respective parties and governments would continue to provide their full support for the new Ivorian leader as he starts the important task of reunifying the country.
Rassemblement des Républicains, the party led by President Ouattara, are founding members of the Africa Liberal Network. They hosted the inaugural ALN Gender Workshop in Abidjan in 2009, and are represented on the ALN Executive Committee by National Secretary, Mme Kaba Yaya Fofana. RDR are also full members of Liberal International, who sent a delegation to Abidjan in support of Dr Ouattara in November 2010.

Ivory Coast must not be allowed to slide into civil war
As violence and killings escalate in Ivory Coast, there is little hope for our citizens without international intervention
On Tuesday four people were killed during a women’s protest march against Ivory Coast’s former president Laurent Gbagbo. Last week, another all-women march through the capital Abidjan, in support of the internationally recognised president of the country, was directly fired upon by troops loyal to Gbagbo and seven women peacefully exercising their democratic right of public assembly were killed.
There are multiple tragedies unfolding in the increasingly desperate and dangerous situation in Ivory Coast. Many international bodies, including the United Nations, now see the situation as close to civil war. More than 1,000 civilians have been killed since the beginning of December; some 70,000 Ivorians have fled across the border to Liberia; in Abobo, a suburb of the capital, 200,000 people have deserted their homes following violence against them.
Just this weekend, a violent militia loyal to Gbagbo, the “Young Patriots”, targeted and assaulted supporters of the internationally recognised president, Alassane Ouattara, and looted and torched properties, including my own. Since November, we members of his cabinet have been holed up in the Golf Hotel, surrounded by Gbagbo militias. It is agonising to know that while we’ve been unable to get to our homes, they have been destroying them.
These attacks are fuelled by language that is undeniably racial and raises the possibility that broader, organised attacks on specific ethnic groups – such as the world has seen in Rwanda and Zimbabwe – are being considered. This manmade disaster is not just a catastrophe for Ivory Coast, but for the country’s neighbours, such as Liberia, which, recovering from its own civil war, is ill-equipped to deal with such vast and sudden numbers of refugees.
The presidential election last November saw Ouattara elected by 10 percentage points in a poll lauded as free and fair and certified by the UN. It was intended to conclude the long negotiations towards a peaceful and democratic settlement for the country after years of civil war. The president throughout this process was Gbagbo: it was meant to be his chapter in this historic story, win or lose. But Gbagbo has been unable to countenance the fact that he lost, and his chapter is now increasingly likely to end in an international court rather than lauded in the memories of Ivorians.
The fear in Ivory Coast is that now, without international intervention, it may not be possible to halt the slide to a civil war. The International Crisis Group has warned that such a conflict is likely to lead to massive violence against citizens, with neighbouring countries drawn in.
The responsibility to halt a potential civil war lies, firstly, with the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas). Yet there is the fear that citizens of other west African states, millions of whom live in Ivory Coast, could be targeted by Gbagbo loyalists if their leaders continue to be vocal in supporting Ouattara.
But the fallout if Ecowas does not intervene is likely to be even greater; its leaders must remain resolute in their call for Gbagbo to stand aside.
There is now no possibility of a government of national unity, or a settlement in which Gbagbo himself is allowed to remain head of the nation. His actions since the election disbar him completely.
There have been moves by South Africa, as part of the African Union negotiating team, to agree a unity government including Gbagbo similar to that imposed on Zimbabwe in 2008. If this approach was unacceptable after such a decisive election win by Ouattara in November, it is even more unacceptable now, following the escalation of unrest and the killing of civilians.
The international community must also be more decisive. The UN has forces in Ivory Coast yet is struggling to hold off attacks on civilians, so must consider bolstering its presence. France, Ivory Coast’s former colonial power, must consider a military solution, as Britain did in Sierra Leone in 2000. Unlike in Libya, where military intervention considerations are complicated by the lack of Nato or other forces in place, the French have military already in Ivory Coast, making any action by them far more credible and logistically feasible. Given how France has been pilloried by the international media and its own civil society for its links to the former regimes in north Africa, the French government in concert with its EU allies can restore its reputation through undertaking to impose order in Ivory Coast.
Without decisive international intervention there is little hope for the citizens of our country, and as each day goes by the descent into civil war becomes less unthinkable. Neither Ecowas, nor the African Union, nor France, nor the EU can afford to fail to act. And the people of Ivory Coast cannot afford civil war.

Wavel Ramkalawan received unanimous supportto be the SNP’s candidate in the Presidential election to be held May 19-21,2011. At an extraordinary convention held in the STC Conference Hall on SundayMarch 13, Mr. Ramkalawan’s nomination was presented by SNP Secretary-GeneralRoger Mancienne as a resolution for the approval of the convention.
Annette Georges, who has been Mr. Ramkalawan’s running mate for two previous elections, delivered an address in support of Mr. Ramkalawan. His nomination was adoptedunanimously by members.
Mr.Ramkalawan then named Nicholas Prea as his Vice-Presidential nominee. SNP MNA Gervais Henrie gave a speech in support of Mr. Prea, who received enthusiasticacclamation from the members.
The presentation of candidates marked the moment of departure in the SNP’s campaign for the Presidential election. Members were called upon to rally for the work ahead.
‘Ansanm Pouren Meyer Lavi ” is the slogan presented by Presidential candidate Ramkalawan for his campaign. He explained that this encapsulated the two overiding goals of his leadership which would be to bring the Seychellois people togetheras one nation and to improve life for everyone in Seychelles.
SNP Presidential candidate Wavel Ramkalawan has said that the SNP vision forGovernment included a new mission for leadership. State House will have adifferent role, he said.
The Presidential candidate stated that his choice of Nicholas Prea for Vice-President corresponded to the particular role that he wanted the President andVice-President to play in a new Government. They would not be Ministers,whether for tourism, finance or other portfolio, he said. Ministries would havecompetent people in charge of them and the role of State House will be lead,supervise and monitor the work of ministries.
Mr. Prea wasa man closely in touch with people who could listen and understand theirproblems and concerns, Mr. Ramkalawan said. He will be there for people andensure that their concerns are heard in the work of Government.
Mr. Prea’srole as Vice-President would also be to bring the Seychellois people togetherin unity. This reflected the aim of the SNP Government in eliminatingdiscrimination and allowing everyone in the country to play a full role.
SNP Presidential candidate Wavel Ramkalawan has called for a debate among the Presidential candidates for the May 21 election.
A debateamong national leadership contenders is now an accepted and necessary part ofthe political process. Voters want it and should have a right to see how thosewho want to lead the country deal with important issues and questions.
In the Sunday convention, Mr. Ramkalawan designated Bernard Georges, the SNP Liaison with the Electoral Commissioner’s Office, to take up the subject and press fora debate. Mr. Ramkalawan has said that everyone knows that Mr. Michel is alwayseager to be on television. This is an occasion he was being offered, the SNPleader said.
If James Michel does not accept the challenge, it will be because he is afraid of facing the Seychellois people on equal footing with his challengers.

In the aftermath of the announcement of the results by the Independent Electoral Commission of Cote d’Ivoire, which declared Dr Alassane Dramane Ouattara, leader of RDR, the winner of the Presidential Elections with 54% ofthe vote, please find below the following documents:

Leaders of Liberal International meeting in Brussels condemned attempts by incumbent President of the Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo, to hold onto power after the independent electoral commission had announced a victory in the November 28th presidential poll for Alassane Ouattara, of the ‘Rassemblement des Républicains’ (RDR), a full member of Liberal International (LI), and the Africa Liberal Network.
LI is calling on the African Union and EU to remain firm in their support for Mr. Ouattara as the legitimate winner of the elections. A video of the press conference is available here:
ALDE-LI Press Conference
Louis Michel MEP (MR, Belgium), former commissioner for development policy, pointed out that Ouattara had legitimately won the election but, in an open and inclusive spirit, had offered to include members of the defeated ruling party in his government, once confirmed.
“The European Union and the wider International Community must be clear with Mister Laurent Gbagbo that we will not tolerate legitimate elections that have been conducted fairly and peacefully, to be overturned by vested interests clinging onto power. If necessary we should be prepared to use whatever measures we can to isolate the regime responsible for denying the results of democracy,” said Michel.
Hans van Baalen MEP (VVD, Netherlands) and President of Liberal International, had sent a delegation of Liberal International observers , led by Bulgarian parliamentarian Dzhevdet Chakarov, to the Ivory Coast in the run up to the November elections and expressed his disappointment that the regime was refusing to concede defeat to the Liberal challenger.
“We are determined that the solution to the political crisis in Cote d’Ivoire can only be the recognition of Alasane Ouattara as legitimate President of Cote d’Ivoire. Services by former South African President Thabo Mbeki are only of help if this is the outcome of the process he leads. It would be extremely unhelpful if Mr. Mbeki would try to broker a deal along the lines of Zimbabwe and Kenya, allowing a defeated President to remain in office”
Dr Lamine Bâ, Senegalese Minister (Parti Democratique Senegalais) and President of the African Liberal Network underlined that the Ivorian electoral commission had declared Ouattara the winner with 54% of the vote:
“It is unacceptable that the Ivorian Government refuse to acknowledge the outcome of the freely expressed will of the people. All democracies amount to a commitment, at some point, to give up power to someone else.”
“Western Governments must insist on the transition of power in Ivory Coast to the legitimate winner if we are to avoid continued tension and a repeat of divisions seen elsewhere in Africa when incumbents refuse to step down from power. Gbagbo must leave office. It is easier for the International Community to support a peaceful transition than deal with the consequences of a conflict if such issues remain unresolved.”

Following the disputed election results in Cote d’Ivoire, there has been a wave of support for Dr Alassane Dramane Outtara in Malawi. The country’s President, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika, currently leads the African Union.
On 6 December, in the Malawian Parliament, Hon. Khwauli Msiska spoke out in favour of ADO and was duly seconded by Hon. Abubakar Mbaya of the United Democratic Front. He issued the following statement:
“Mr. Speaker Sir, I stand in this house today a very sad person, sad because of the way some governments in our continent are conducting themselves especially during elections where a genuine winner is robbed of victory. The trend is now gradually and steadily developing whereby voters are robbed of their democratic choices soon after elections by incumbent governments that refuse to accept defeat and handover power.
A case in point are the elections which have just been concluded in Ivory Coast where the opposition leader Dr. Alassane Ouattara won with 54% of the vote and the results were duly announced by the Independent Electoral Commission of that country only to be overturned by the Constitutional Council and declared the incumbent Laurent Gbagbo the winner.
The UN election observers alongside other international observers endorsed Dr. Alassane Ouattara as the winner. Hence, notable figures such as the UN Secretary General Dr. Ban Ki-moon congratulated the long time opposition leader on his poll victory and urged Gbagbo to “do his part for the good of the country and cooperate in a smooth political transition of the country.” Likewise, world leaders and bodies including US President Barrack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, European Union, and ECOWAS echoed Ban’s support for Ouattara.
Mr. Speaker Sir, it is also pleasing that in an emergency meeting on Saturday, the African union (AU) backed Mr. Ouattara as President according to France 24 website. Further to this, the former South African President Thabo Mbeki was assigned by the AU to mediate on this matter, an initiative that we should all applaud.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I, therefore, call upon this House and the AU Chairman our President Prof Dr. Bingu wa Muntharika to urge the leaders of Ivory Coast to respect and restore the democratic wishes of their people expressed through elections that made Dr. Alassane Ouattara emerge victorious in the Africa’s Cocoa rich nation.
I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.”

Despite the remarkable evolution of human civilization and the extent of technical and scientific inventions; human rights remained the Achilles heel of a human society which recognises democracy as a mode of rational government. Human rights are often forgotten or neglected in the relations between states.
For many, if human rights are now the subject of political speculation, women’s rights and their observance and their violation has now acquired the status of a universal criterion by which could to measure the evolution of human society.
We Tunisian liberals, we have always believed that crimes against humanity and violations are the logical result of complacency by those who adopt humanitarian slogans for demagogic use, often attached to a election issue.
The awarding of the Prize for Freedom by Liberal International to Shirin Ebadi is a tangible proof of the inseparable nature between liberalism and modernity. This civil woman is the juridiquo-political synthesis of modernity.
The universal aspect of human rights leads us to reject the arguments of cultural specificity. No argument can waive these inalienable rights.
What young girls are forced to suffer in Pakistan, India, and Sudan … (to mention only a few regimes in the world) is simply unacceptable from the point of human dignity.
The forced marriage of under age girls, female circumcision, and organized rape, ignoring for a secong, issues such as female illiteracy and violence perpetrated against women, cause us to invoke the forces of civil society to conduct a global compaign on several fronts to stop this practice and to ensure that women regain their rights to dignity and freedom.
Several countries in which the rights of women have evolved, such as Tunisia, have found themselves today threatened by clear regression of social consciousness and the negative return of fundamentalism!
This phenomenon is reflected by increased graduate unemployment and the crisis of secular democracy.
This will, without recalling that the fundamentalist movement has the appearance of an international organization amplified by support from several states and has sources of funding likely to be significant.
Rawdha Seibi, Social Liberal Party, Vice-President INLW