The political crisis in Zimbabwe is intensifying, and the ruling party clearly has no intention of negotiating itself out of power. Its unrelenting attacks on press freedom have seen the closure of the Daily News with the connivance of the Supreme Court, whose Chief Justice Chidyausiku and the majority of senior judges are openly aligned with the Government. In February 2004 a 12 presidential decree introduced detention without trial , ostensibly for those accused of corruption, but which many expect will be used to further neutralize the opposition now that general parliamentary elections have been announced for March 2005. The country is under a de facto state of emergency. Civil society itself is braced for a renewed onslaught against it. In the circumstances, it would be insensitive and presumptuous for outside organisations to purport to tell Zimbabwean human rights activists what they ought to be doing. Many of those inside the country are so occupied with simply keeping going that to call on them to embark on additional programmes could understandably be resented. Zimbabweans recognise that a political settlement between ZanuPF and the MDC is an urgent necessity. To civil society activists, especially those concerned with the recent gross and systematic human rights abuses perpetuated by the present Government and its various agencies and supporters, it is obvious that one of the key issues on the agenda at any serious negotiating table will be amnesties. This is the pattern not only of Zimbabwe’s own history but also of many other countries seeking to move from dictatorship to democracy. There is a fear that in their haste to reach a settlement the MDC will agree that Mugabe and others will be ‘forgiven’ for their multiple crimes so long as they relinquish their political stranglehold. This is frequently referred to in the media as the “honorable exit” strategy. implementation, will present the plan to the political parties and other actors, and demand that it will be fully taken into account in all deliberations relating to political transition.” 12 The effect of the decree is that detainees can be held for weeks without any prospect of bail. It has been widely condemned in Zimbabwe and abroad as unconstitutional, and as a further example of Zanu – PF’s contempt for due process. Even Mugabe’s Supreme Court may have difficulty in finding the new decree lawful. 5