In an an attempt to cow and intimidate people into voting, Zimbabwe's statesecurity agents had launched "Operation Red Finger" to identify if peoplehad voted by checking if they had indelible ink-stains on their finger.Those who had not voted could be beaten and forced to do so. (Chaz Maviyane-Davies, Photographer/Artist)
To: President Kikwete, Chairperson of the African Union
To: President Yar'Adua, Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council, AU
To: President Mwanawasa, Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community
To: Dr Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission
To: Members of the UN Security Council
Your Excellencies,
As you know, Zimbabwe is in the throes of a devastating political, economic, and humanitarian crisis. A presidential run-off election was scheduled for June 27th but the widespread political violence inflicted on the population has overshadowed the poll to the point where the opposition feels it cannot participate. Indeed President Mugabe insists he would remain in office regardless of the results, mocking the courage of those voters still willing to go to the polls. Meanwhile men, women and children are daily bludgeoned, medical care is scarce, homesteads burned, food is exhausted and the thousands displaced are on the move. The depth of the crisis has moved the governments of Tanzania, Angola, Nigeria, Rwanda, Kenya, Senegal, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Botswana to express their concern and to criticise the government of President Robert Mugabe.
African leadership is desperately needed at this time; we urge you to launch an urgent program of action to accomplish the following goals:
- Cessation of the violence and repression through deployment of a protection force and monitors, and containment of perpetrators;
- Restoration of aid flows and urgent increase of humanitarian assistance;
- Convening of a process to secure a political solution establishing effective governance, restoration of the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, along with necessary steps to allow economic recovery and a rapid return to democratic rule.
- Prevention of any further destabilizing spillover into the wider region.
THE DEPTH OF THE CRISIS
ZANU-PF responded to President Mugabe's loss in the first round of elections on March 29, 2008, with violent retaliation against the population, characterized by brutal beatings, burning of homes and villages, harassment, arrests, and torture. The violence is largely one-sided, perpetrated by agents of the government and ruling party and the impact has been devastating; indeed, what Zimbabwe is now experiencing is more akin to conflict, than an election. In such conditions, while we salute the determination of the voters to be heard, any election result must lack credibility.
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights states that it has documented so many cases of systematic violent assault and torture that at times its members have been overwhelmed by the numbers. In May alone ZADHR members saw 1007 patients suffering from extensive injuries sustained during these violent attacks. A hospital in Harare says it has seen almost 2000 victims of violence and torture since the first round poll. The opposition MDC states that at least 70 of its supporters have now been killed and 25,000 forced from their homes as a result of the state's campaign of violence.
A CONFLICT SITUATION
As observed by President Kagame of Rwanda, there is no reason to hold a vote if you do not intend to abide by the outcome. Yet President Mugabe declared that he would refuse to cede power, regardless of the result. He thereby confirms that an election cannot resolve Zimbabwe's crisis. President Mugabe even threatened more violence, warning of "war" if the vote goes against him. Continental leaders and regional neighbours can have no clearer indication of the threat to regional peace and security and the impending and increased danger to civilians, a threat that is even greater if the election is not completed. We call on you to find solutions for Zimbabwe that go beyond merely salvaging the election.
NEIGHBOURS AT RISK
Regional governments bear a significant burden as a result of the economic and political crisis. Approximately 25% of the people of Zimbabwe have left. Millions of them are now in neighbouring countries and their needs impose a strain on already stretched domestic social services and intensify tensions between the host population and immigrant communities. This flow of people across borders contributes to active instability and conflict in the region as evidenced by the recent xenophobic attacks against immigrant populations in South Africa. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has recognized the threat that the situation in Zimbabwe poses to peace and security in its region by mandating President Thabo Mbeki's efforts to mediate a resolution to the crisis between the ruling party and the opposition. It is time to make resolution of Zimbabwe's problems a priority for the continent.
AFRICA'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ZIMBABWE'S CITIZENS
Although SADC must be commended for its attempts so far to resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe, its effort has not been repaid. The ruling party is effectively refusing to subject itself to a democratic contest, and waging a violent conflict against its citizens, aggravating a humanitarian crisis. As such it has lost legitimacy, triggering a necessary shift in Africa's stance. Under the Constitutive Act of the African Union, member states are enjoined to "promote and protect human and peoples' rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights" and the African Union has an obligation "to intervene in a Member State pursuant to a decision of the Assembly in respect of grave circumstances, namely war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity." There is extensive documentation in Zimbabwe today of torture and killing of named individuals by agents of the ruling party and government who have been described and/or identified. African Union engagement, particularly by the Peace and Security Council, is fully mandated by conditions on the ground and is urgently needed.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
To SADC: Convene an emergency summit to:- Recognize the failure of the Government of Zimbabwe towards its citizens and the need for an urgent regional, continental, and international response;
- Request the AU to assume leadership of a mediation process with support from SADC and the UN;
- Authorize and initiate a discussion with international partners about funding humanitarian needs and a recovery plan for Zimbabwe.
To the AU Peace and Security Council: Convene an emergency session to:
- Establish the responsibility of Zimbabwe's authorities for the situation, confirm AU responsibility to protect civilians and prevent further destabilization of the region;
- Authorize deployment of a protection force and additional monitors;
- Plan discussions with the United Nations about support, resourcing and deployment of a protection force;
- Send a fact-finding mission to determine the level of responsibility of the different branches of the State in the current human rights violations and humanitarian crisis.
To the AU Commission:
- Include, as an urgent matter, the current situation of Zimbabwe in the agenda of the Sharm El Sheikh Summit and ask the Assembly for a mandate to intervene in the crisis and protect citizens;
- Appoint a Special Envoy on Zimbabwe;
- Authorise him/her to initiate dialogue with key players and the international community with the objective of establishing a mediation process aimed at achieving a political settlement and associated plan of work for achieving long lasting peace and timetable for return to democracy.
The UN Security Council:
- Urgently adopt the crisis in Zimbabwe as an official item on the UNSC agenda recognizing the threat it poses to international peace and security and requiring regular political and humanitarian briefings to the Council;
- Issue a clear statement indicating GoZ responsibility for the current violence, deploring the tactics used against the population by the GoZ and demanding the facilitation of adequate humanitarian assistance;- Provide support for an AU-led mediation effort and protection force.
Respectfully,
1. Action des Chrétiens Activistes des Droits de l'Homme à Shabunda (ACADHOSHA), DRC
2. Aids Law Project, South Africa
3. Botswana Civil Society Solidarity Coalition on Zimbabwe (BOCISCOZ), Botswana
4. Centre for Excellent on Aid Effectiveness, Ghana
5. Centre for Peace and Conflict Management (CAFSO), Nigeria
6. Coalition for Peace In Africa (COPA), Southern Africa
7. Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Zimbabwe
8. East African Law Society (EALS), East Africa
9. Economic Justice Network of FOCCISA, Southern Africa
10. Environnement, Ressources Naturelles et Développement (ERND), DRC
11. Foster National Cohesion (FONACON), Kenya
12. Global Zimbabwean Forum, Switzerland
13. Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF), South Africa
14. Human Rights Institute of South Africa (HURISA), South Africa
15. Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Kenya
16. le Centre de Recherche sur l'Environnement, la Démocratie et les Droits de l'Homme (CREDDHO), DRCFor full list of signatories, please follow this link:
17. Legal Assistance Centre (LAC), Namibia
18. Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ), Zimbabwe
19. MISA, Swaziland
20. Muslim Human Rights Forum (MHRF), Kenya
21. National Association of Democractic Lawyers, South Africa
22. Nigeria Bar Association, Nigeria
23. Open Democracy Advice Centre, South Africa
24. Open Society Foundation for South Africa (OSF), South Africa
25. Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), Southern Africa
26. Positive Life Association of Nigeria (PLAN), Nigeria
27. Protection Enfants Sida, DRC
28. Public Personalities Against AIDS Trust, Zimbabwe
29. Rencontre Africain pour Defence des Droits des L'Hommes (RADDHO), Senegal
30. SANGONeT, South Africa
31. Southern Africa Communications for Development (SACOD), South Africa
32. Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC), Southern Africa
33. Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW), Southern Africa
34. Southern African Legal Assistance Network (SALAN), Southern Africa
35. The Botswana Centre for Human Rights - Ditswanelo ¸ Botswana
36. Treatment Action Movement (TAM), Nigeria
37. Trust Africa, Senegal
38. West Africa Bar Association, West Africa
39. West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), West Africa
40. Youth Intercommunity Network, Kenya
41. Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights, Zimbabwe
42. Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development, Zimbabwe
43. Zimbabwe Exiles Forum, South Africa/Zimbabwe
44. Zimbabwe Human Rights Association, Zimbabwe
45. Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Zimbabwe
46. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZHLR), Zimbabwe
47. Zimbabwe Liberation Veterans Forum ¸ Zimbabwe
48. Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU), Zimbabwe
49. Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum (ZSF), South Africa
50. Zimbabwe Women's Resource Center Network, Zimbabwe
51. The African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), Kenya
Students are being targeted by Mugabe's police, read below:
"On Monday this week, the offices of the Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe were raided at 1pm by heavily armed members of the police, as well as central intelligence and military personnel.
During the raid, the police ransacked the offices, confiscating computers, laptops, digital cameras, and a mini bus. Prosper Munatsi, the Movement's General Secretary, as well as other members were arrested in the raid and they were released four days later but had to report to the police every day. In the process they spent the whole day of Thursday 12th of June and Friday 13th of June at the police station where they had to report. We believe they were arrested and continuously harrased for educating Christian students and youth about their rights and responsibilities in the face of a second round of presidential elections.
Please tell Mugabe's government to stop harrasing the Christian students, allow them to work and carry out their activities."
Send a message to Zim officials to STOP the harassment, click below:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/zim_rights_alert_2/
Check out this message from our Zimbabwean partners:
"Jenni Williams and 13 other members of Women Of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), a citizen group, were arrested and detained by armed riot police on 25 May for peacefully marching for regional support in ending violence in Zimbabwe. This week 12 of the activists were granted bail, but Jennie Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu were denied -- because the state said they were likely to mobilise people to demonstrate on the streets. Please tell Mugabe's government that you are watching and demanding justice for these women!"
Click here to send a message to free the WOZA women:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/zim_rights_alert/
Robert Mugabe's government has stepped up a campaign of intimidation and terror as the 27 June run-off election draws near.
In response, Avaaz is teaming up with Zimbabwean groups to direct international pressure on specific rights abuses at Zimbabwean diplomats across the world.
We will be introducing new alerts regularly.
Our first concerns the brave women of Women Of Zimbabwe Arise (Woza) and can be found here:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/zim_rights_alert/2.php?cl=97386170
The global effort to prevent weapons from reaching Zimbabwe during the current crisis is led by Southern African trade unions, NGOs, and church organisations, with support from global civil society. Together, these organisations have produced the sign-on letter (see below) to the leaders of the Southern African Development Community. If your organisation would like to sign the letter please email campaigns[at]avaaz.org. For individuals looking to sign our petition, please click here.
To the leaders of the Southern African Development Community,
We call on you to condemn the shipment of arms to Zimbabwe and to agree an immediate moratorium on arms transfers to Zimbabwe to stop any weapons reaching that country.
Weapons and munitions must not be allowed to reach Zimbabwe, be it via air, sea, rail or road, as long as there is a clear risk that they will be used for state sponsored violence. SADC countries should monitor their airspace closely to prevent attempts to fly in weapons. Only this will guarantee that arms will not reach Zimbabwe and be used to exacerbate the current violence.
The SADC Firearms Protocol, adopted in 2004, explicitly recognises the harmful effects of poorly regulated arms transfers and the dangers they pose to the well being of people in the Region, their social and economic development and their rights to live in peace. The Protocol commits the community to promote and facilitate regional cooperation to prevent the excessive and destabilising possession and use of firearms and ammunition, including the development of robust legislation to control the transfer and transit of these weapons through SADAC territory. The risks that arms transfers pose to the human rights of the people of Zimbabwe also highlight the urgent need for a strong, global Arms Trade Treaty, based on human rights and international law, to effectively control the international trade in weapons.
Following action led by South African trade unions, the Chinese vessel "An Yue Jiang", carrying a deadly load of 77 tonnes of arms, including three million rounds of ammunition, 1500 rocket-propelled grenades and 3000 mortars bombs was forced to leave Durban on Thursday 10 April, when dockworkers refused to unload it, and a coalition of civil society groups and lawyers succeeded in blocking the cargo from being taken overland to Zimbabwe. It has been unable to dock elsewhere after governments refused to allow it to use their ports. It should be noted that the ship left Durban in violation of a court order issued by Judge Pillay at the High Court of Durban on Friday 18 April.
The campaign to stop this ship reaching Zimbabwe has been lead by African trade unionists and citizens. Regional leaders have supported them. Now all governments must act immediately to protect human rights.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu issued the following public statement at 1300 hours Thursday 24th April:
Zimbabwe is staring into the abyss. Violence is growing and the people are suffering greatly as a result. It is now vital that we all do what we can to calm the situation.
In particular I join the worldwide calls to stop the supply of weapons to the country--by land, sea or air--until the political crisis is resolved. It is obvious that supplying large quantities of arms at this stage would risk escalating the violence, perhaps resulting in the large-scale loss of life. We should be proud of the African Trade Unions and governments who refused to let the most recent Chinese shipment off-load in their ports but China must now agree not to try and send these arms by air instead.
I join the South African church leaders in urging all governments to immediately start work at the UN level to agree a binding UN arms embargo as quickly as possible. In the meantime I hope that every country will agree to a moratorium on the supply of any arms to the country.
If violence flares further in Zimbabwe, those supplying the weapons will be left with blood on their hands. It is up to every country in the region and beyond to take a stand.
To sign the petition calling on governments to stop the arms shipments for Zimbabwe click here.
So far, nearly 42,000 people have signed up to Avaaz's petition calling for tougher, targeted sanctions on Robert Mugabe's crumbling regime in Zimbabwe. (You can have a look at the International Crisis Group report that recommends this course of action here, if you'd like to know more).
Mugabe's increasingly extreme tactics for hanging on to power in the Sub-Saharan African state have progressively destroyed a country that was once one of the brightest hopes for democracy in the region. The last few weeks have seen his bullying behaviour taken to ever greater extremes, but for ordinary Zimbabweans this is just the last in a long line of problems they've had to face - they're also contending with unpredictable food suppplies, high levels of HIV and AIDS and hyperinflation - some experts guess inflation could reach 5000% if Mugabe stays in power until the next election in 2008.
But there are several signs that the tide is turning away from Mr Mugabe in Zimbabwe. First, members of his own party are starting to lose faith in his ability to rule and quiet discussions about putting a different candidate forward in the 2008 elections have started to take place. Second, other African powers - most significantly, neighbouring South Africa - are becoming increasingly vocal in their criticism of the crackdown in Zimbabwe. And most importantly, ordinary Zimbabweans seem to be getting ready to tell their leader that "enough is enough" - ensuring the vital foundation of public support for removing Mugabe from power is in place.
The campaigners calling for real democracy in Zimbabwe deserve to know that they have the support of the whole of the international community and Mugabe needs to understand that he must face real consequences as a result of his violent and irresponsible actions. Help us to keep up the pressure for tougher sanctions against the regime - sign the petition and tell your friends and family to do the same!
Even from their hospital beds, Zimbabwe's opposition activists continue to denounce Robert Mugabe's complete disregard for the most basic human rights. And tens of thousands of us have joined their call for action.
In less three days, we've managed to get almost 35,000 signatures urging the EU and South Africa to tell Zimbabwe's leaders that their violent scare tactics are inadmissible.
International outcries against Mugabe pile on, but concrete action, especially from Zimbabwe's neighbor, South Africa, has not followed. Let's take advantage of the fact that all eyes are on Zimbabwe to show the world what ordinary people across borders can accomplish when we join together. If you haven't done so already, sign the petition, send it to your entire address book, post it on your blog or website.
Thanks for all you do!
RSS FEED