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Zimbabwe: Civil Society Voices
AfricaFocus Bulletin
Dec 7, 2003 (031207)
(Reposted from sources cited below)
Editor's Note
A six-nation panel including Australia, Canada, India, Jamaica,
Mozambique, and South Africa today recommended continued suspension
of Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth, until the government of Zimbabwe
meets minimal conditions indicating willingness to dialogue with
internal opponents. News coverage of this issue has
focused on the divergent views of governments, particularly the
reluctance of some African states to maintain the suspension of
Zimbabwe. The simplistic image of a split between Europe and
Africa, however, ignores the widespread consensus in civil society
in Zimbabwe and the region in favor of continued pressure.
This issue of AfricaFocus Bulletin features statements by two broad
coalitions of Zimbabwean groups, the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
and the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. Both argue for continued
international pressure on the Zimbabwean government, including
continuation of suspension from the Commonwealth. It also includes
a brief report from the UN's Integrated Regional Information
Network (IRIN) on the current humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe.
Commonwealth civil society groups meeting in Abuja have followed
the lead of their Zimbabwean colleagues. The Mozambique News Agency
(AIM) reported on December 5 a statement from 350 civil society
organizations in the Commonwealth People's Forum, urging continued
suspension of Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth. According to AIM,
activists at a parallel Human Rights Forum issued a similar call,
warning of "the continuous crisis of governance and human rights in
Zimbabwe, including political violence, widespread hunger and
unemployment and the collapse of social services".
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Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
Statement on the Occasion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government
Abuja, Nigeria 1-7 December 2003
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition Box CY434 Causeway, Harare Phone/Fax:
747 817 Email: info@crisis.co.zw
[Thanks to Pambazuka News for providing this statement. For more
information on the weekly Pambazuka News, which covers a wide range
of subjects, see http://www.pambazuka.org Further details on
current Zimbabwe issues are available at:
http://www.pambazuka.org/index.php?id=18848]
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (The Coalition) is a grouping of the
major civic organisations in Zimbabwe, comprising 350 Zimbabwean
non-governmental organisations. It was conceived in 2001 as a
collective response by Zimbabwean civics to the multi-faceted
crisis facing the country.
Zimbabwe's economic, political and human rights situation continues
to be of grave concern to its nationals, the region, and the wider
international community. Indeed, the possibility of the readmittance
and attendance of, Zimbabwe to the December 2003 Abuja
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting has occasioned
controversy. It is our fervent belief that the lifting of
Zimbabwe's suspension from the Councils of the Commonwealth imposed
on 19 March 2002 by the Commonwealth Chairpersons Committee on
Zimbabwe is not essentially a matter of politics and foreign
policy; rather it is an issue of principle, of normative values of
human rights, democracy and adherence to international as well as
national obligations.
It is not the objective of the Coalition to advocate for the
international isolation of a country we so dearly love, but to
ensure that the reasons for which it was suspended from the
Commonwealth are resolved. With deep regret, we once again advice
the international community that:
- laws that infringe freedom of expression have not been repealed
but have become more repressive and were recently used to shut down
the operations of, and arrest journalists working for, Zimbabwe's
only private daily newspaper, the Daily News;
- violent commercial farm invasions continue, albeit at a reduced
scale, despite several proclamations that the acquisition exercise
was concluded and there has been no effort to liase with the UNDP
to create a viable land reform exercise; and that
- the government consistently undermines the rule of law, the
independence of the judiciary, in addition to criminalizing all
manner of dissent and expression of opinion that does not accord
with the establishment.
- The recent and widely publicised unlawful arrest, detention and
release after two days without charge, of heads of Civil Society
leaders of organisations such as the Crisis Coalition, the National
Constitutional Assembly, Combined Harare Residents Association, and
the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions illustrates Zimbabwe's
disregard for: basic human rights and rule of law; its undertakings
to President Mbeki of South Africa and President Obasanjo over the
repeal of freedom of expression adverse laws; its obligations under
the Harare Commonwealth Declaration and the Millbrook Commonwealth
Action Programme on the Harare Declaration; as well as other
international obligations under the United Nations Charter on Human
Rights and the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, among
others.
There exist other publicised and verifiable cases of gross human
rights violations, such as the politicisation of food aid earmarked
to relieve starvation. There are also cases of continued
manipulation of the electoral system, and disregard for property
rights.
Because our internal efforts to engage with the government in
resolving the crisis have been rebuffed and criminalized, we demand
that the international community continue to pressurise the Mugabe
regime to enter into national dialogue with legitimate
representation of the Zimbabwean citizenry. By adopting an arrogant
attitude, the Zimbabwe government's reaction to its suspension has
been tainted by bad faith. It has weathered its year of suspension
and now claims that it ought to be readmitted, without making any
tangible efforts to resolve the issues which in the first place led
to its suspension.
Zimbabwe is a willing party within the Commonwealth which is an
association of sovereign countries, bound together by a value-laden
set of core principles. Crisis Coalition, therefore, resolves that
due to Zimbabwe's intransigence and seeming contempt for the ideals
held by the Commonwealth, its suspension should be extended.
Zimbabwe should be readmitted, not because it has completed its
time of suspension but because it has undertaken clear and
verifiable steps towards resolving issues of concern raised by the
Commonwealth.
We recommend that the following steps need to be taken:
- an end to political violence and intimidation;
- a repeal of repressive legislation and unjust laws;
- the opening of political space, including access to the print and
broadcast media;
- addressing the economic and humanitarian crisis;
- the development of a people driven Constitution that entrenches
democratic, just and accountable government, as a prerequisite to
new elections;
- the establishment of an electoral and legal framework that
ensures free and fair elections.
Additionally, the Coalition believes that in order to achieve
genuine national unity, there is need for a transitional government
under a transitional Constitution
The Coalition further suggests the following options on the
Zimbabwe question:
- Should the Mugabe regime continue in its failure to comply with
the conditions set down for Zimbabwe's readmission to the
Commonwealth then the issue of expulsion should be considered;
- It is important for the two African Nations at the forefront of
attempts to mediate the crisis in Zimbabwe namely, Nigeria and
South Africa to forge an alternative and democratic African voice
against the abuses in Zimbabwe. The African Community of Nations
has for too long allowed the authoritarian Mugabe regime to set the
parameters of the debate on the Zimbabwean crisis, and in so doing
allowed the gross violation of human rights in the country to be
relegated to secondary status.
The Coalition lauds all countries that have expressed dismay and
concern at Zimbabwe's continued repression of its nationals and
calls on all member states of the Commonwealth to pressure the
Zimbabwe government towards the resolution of the crisis.
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
Zimbabwe, the Abuja Agreement and Commonwealth Principles:
Compliance or Disregard?
8 September 2003
A report by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
[Brief excerpts only. For full report see
http://www.hrforumzim.com]
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (also known as the "Human
Rights Forum") is a coalition comprising 16 member organisations.
It can be contacted through any member organisation or through: The
Administrator, P O Box 9077, Harare - email: admin@hrforum.co.zw
Telephone: 250511 Fax: 250494
The International Liaison Office, 33 Islington High Street, London
N1 9LH email: IntLO@hrforumzim.com; Telephone: +44 (0)20-7713.1123
Overview
The Government of Zimbabwe has often asserted that the economic,
social and political problems currently plaguing the country are
rooted in the inequitable distribution of land. The Government
further claims that the reason that attempts to address these
problems have attracted an unprecedented amount of regional and
international attention is that the Government's land reform
program has been viewed unfavourably by Britain and its fellow
Western nations, white farmers in Zimbabwe and the opposition
political party the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which is
perceived as an extension of these white interests. It is however
the Human Rights Forum's contention that while the issue of land
has always been and is a very critical issue requiring urgent
attention, it is debatable as to whether the land issue is at the
core of the current Zimbabwean crisis or whether it is in fact a
crisis arising out of misgovernance, mismanagement of the economy
and a political struggle to retain power; all masqueraded as a
campaign for land reform. ...
While the land issue has been used to divert attention away from
economic decline and a general onslaught on civil and political
rights, these factors are not causally linked with the need to
redress land imbalances. The consequence of the crisis on the
enjoyment of economic and social rights has also been severe. The
economic crisis has shrouded Zimbabwe since late 1997 predating the
start of the Fast Track Land Reform Program by at least two years.
The high levels of political violence commonly reported throughout
the country, since March 2000, by no means have their root in the
need for land reform but conversely were closely associated with
elections and mass demonstrations.
Since the signing of the Abuja Agreement violence on commercial
farms has scaled down. However, the massive displacement of
commercial farm workers is ongoing although it has received little
Government attention. Farm workers continue to be victims of gross
human rights violations. Additionally, there has certainly been no
significant reduction in the prevalence of gross human rights
abuses generally. ...
...
Civil society's position on dialogue is that it is necessary for it
to resume without delay. Furthermore civil society wishes to assert
its position as a necessary constituency that must be part of the
dialogue. Civics meeting in various forums have reiterated this
demand. Over 175 civil society leaders meeting at a Conference on
Dialogue and Transition hosted by Crisis In Zimbabwe Coalition on
5 July 2003 declared, "that civil society has an integral role to
play in any political transition, and should be involved in
discussions regarding such transition as an equal partner. In
addition, the meeting agreed to encourage non-partisan regional
interventions around nation-building while opposing external
partisan interference." Zimbabwean civil society again convened in
Johannesburg at a Symposium entitled "Civil Society and Justice in
Zimbabwe" and on 13 August 2003 issued a Declaration which outlined
minimum demands on the two main political parties when they sit
down to negotiate. Negotiations for a settlement must take into
account and examine colonial and post-colonial human rights abuses
in the country with a view to setting up mechanisms for redress.
Demands for immediate action include an immediate end to political
violence and disbanding of militia groups, a return to the rule of
law evidenced by non-partisan policing, and non-selective
application of the law. ...
[the statement also] emphasised that the issue of food shortages
should be urgently addressed. It further solicited the assistance
of the international community in the provision of food aid. Food
has remained in short supply, particularly in the rural areas, and
has steadily become inaccessible in terms of cost in the urban
areas. Response to food shortages through the provision of food aid
has been hampered through policy conflict in terms of the manner in
which this food is to be allocated and distributed. Most recently
government announced that food aid would only be distributed
through village headmen and not directly through donor agencies. In
terms of this arrangement "beneficiaries of the NGOs food
distribution programme will be selected from the ward/village
assembly and neighbourhood committee registers." This has resulted
in uncertainty and ultimately this may impact negatively on the
objectivity in selection of recipients of food aid according to
criteria of need. ...
Recommended Action
The Human Rights Forum calls upon the Zimbabwe Government and the
Commonwealth (as the architect of the Abuja Agreement) and other
regional groupings including the African Union, SADC, and the ACP
to acknowledge that the Zimbabwean crisis does not have a single
nucleus in the issue of land redistribution but rather is a
multi-faceted crisis.
We call upon them to recognise the crisis as resultant of the
combination of racial inequities in possession of land that date
back to forceful occupation of land by colonial settlers in the
late 19th to early 20th century; the endemic political violence and
human rights abuses; a partisan and politicised judiciary; the
break down in the rule of law and a deteriorating economic and
social environment that has prevailed since March 2000.
It is of in the particular interest to African countries to
accurately diagnose the crisis for as the Abuja Agreement aptly
stated it, "the situation in Zimbabwe poses a threat to the
socio-economic stability of the entire sub-region and the continent
at large". Misdiagnosing the crisis, as has been the case to date,
perpetuates further decline of the Zimbabwean nation and subsequent
negative effects on Africa.
Efforts should be made, in particular by regional mediators, to
reach a consensus as to the approaches that should be taken to
address the Zimbabwean crisis. Disparate positions on the roots of
the crisis and its plausible solutions have to date heavily
contributed to the deterioration of an already desperate situation.
We call upon them to recognise that these factors pertaining to the
Zimbabwean crisis are inter-related and cannot and should not be
dealt with as elements independent of each other, or as a single
core issue with several minor implications
Dialogue between ZANU PF and the MDC should be resumed as a matter
of urgency. Civil society must not be left out of the process as a
critical constituency. Negotiations must proceed in good faith. It
would be deplorable for either party to resume negotiations
superficially as a face saving measure to provide troika members
with cause to petition for Zimbabwe’s readmission into the Councils
of the Commonwealth in Nigeria in December. Negotiations should be
entered into with sincerity and with the aim of addressing the
Zimbabwean crisis.
The culture of intolerance and impunity in Zimbabwe must be
urgently addressed. Perpetrators of past and present human rights
violations must be made accountable so as not to perpetuate further
abuses.
While appreciating Government efforts to review the Fast Track Land
Reform Program, we call for an independent assessment of the Fast
Track Land Reform Program in order to establish land ownership and
occupancy of reportedly redistributed land, taking corrective
measures to ensure security of tenure and equitable, non partisan,
rational and sustainable redistribution of land.
We call upon the Zimbabwe Government, in upholding the principles
contained in the Harare Declaration, to take firm measures to end
political violence, gross human rights violations, including the
disbanding of militia groups. We further call upon the Government
to ensure that the rule of law prevails and that there is impartial
investigation and prosecution of all crimes by the Zimbabwe
Republic Police
ZIMBABWE: Economic crisis compounds food shortages
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (IRIN)
http://www.irinnews.org
This material from IRIN, a UN humanitarian information unit, may
not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its
agencies.
JOHANNESBURG, 19 Nov 2003 (IRIN) - Zimbabweans continue to face a
particularly severe humanitarian crisis, with nearly half the
population having had their livelihoods eroded by severe
macroeconomic decline and precarious food security, said the UN
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
"What began as a food crisis in Zimbabwe in 2002 has grown into a
major humanitarian emergency, with people suffering the effects of
a deteriorating economy, HIV/AIDS, depleted social services and
policy constraints," OCHA said in an appeal to donors.
The organisation noted that "as the country enters its fifth
successive year of economic decline, Zimbabwe faces critical
shortages of foreign exchange to maintain essential infrastructure,
and inflation has soared".
Inflation reached 526 percent in October, according to figures
issued on Tuesday by the state's Central Statistical Office (CSO).
Compared with prices in October a year ago, the cost of living went
up 525.8 percent, against September's annual rate of 456 percent,
the South African Press Association reported.
The Humanitarian Appeal 2004 for Zimbabwe is based on plans by UN
Agencies and partner NGOs, to respond to the humanitarian crisis by
concentrating on three main areas: firstly, to prevent loss of life
through food, nutrition, and critical health interventions; and
secondly, to mitigate the impact of the crisis on vulnerable groups
by supporting household livelihoods and basic services, and
addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS. The third aim is to develop a
productive dialogue among humanitarian stakeholders to strengthen
co-ordination, in order to protect the most vulnerable.
"The HIV/AIDS pandemic is central to the crisis. Recent estimates
indicate that around 34 per cent of Zimbabwe's 15 to 40 age group
is infected, and more than 2,500 people die every week of
AIDS-related causes," OCHA said.
Compounding the crisis is a steady decline in the delivery of
health, education, social and public services due to a lack of
finance, and the loss of human resources to emigration and AIDS.
"One result is that malaria, tuberculosis and cholera cases are on
the rise. Another result is that Zimbabweans face a severe food
security crisis in 2003-04. An estimated 5.5 million people will
require food aid during the coming year. The country has enough
food to feed its population for just four to five months," OCHA
said.
In the Consolidated Appeal for Zimbabwe, agencies request US $109.4
million to meet outstanding funding requirements.
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