Dear Friends

The Forum will have delegates attending the forthcoming 48^th Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), and the preceding NGO Forum, taking place in Banjul, the Gambia from 10-24 November. We will keep you uptodate with developments as they occur. For more information about the Session please go to the following link: _http://www.achpr.org/english/other/Agenda/Agenda%2048th%20OS.pdf_

Statements/reports on Zimbabwe from our member organisations in recent days include the following items:

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) issued two items in the past few days:

The first Newflash dated 4.11.2010, attached below, reports on the intimidation Makoni North residents are facing and the fact that individuals are being forced to state that what they had said during COPAC meetings was wrong.

An earlier Newsflash (attached) of 3.11.2010 talks about the positive results of their advocacy work for increased wages for farm workers'.

On 04.11.2010, The Student Solidarity Trust (SST) issued the attached 'Solid Alert' reporting on the remand of student activist, Patrick Danga, and expressing their concern over the decay of the justice delivery system in Zimbabwe.

The Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ) issued the attached Weekly Media Review 2010-42 covering October 25-31..10.2010. A significantissue mentioned is the use of the state media as a platform to promote ZANU PF policies to the exclusion of their coalition partners. It also discusses a conference held by the President to garner the support of traditional leaders; the selective coverage of the disruption of 52 already delayed outreach meetings in Harare and the continued upward trend of human rights violations.

Transparency International Zimbabwe (TI-Z) issued the attached press release on 27.10.2010 highlighting the fact that out of 178 countries studied Zimbabwe is ranked 134 in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI). The press release calls on the inclusive government to formulate and implement a plan to combat corruption to allow for the economic recovery of the country.

Other recent statements/reports from civil society organisations and international bodies include the following items:

On 4.11.2010 the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released their '2010 Human Development Report' indicating that most developing countries have made progress in the last 40 years. However, in this study of the 169 countries, Zimbabwe was ranked at the very bottom of the the Human Development Index. For more details and the full report go to: _http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2010/november/undp-launches-2010-human-development-report-analysing-long-term-development-trends.en_

Today (5.11.2010) Global Witness commented on the Kimberley Process (KP) annual plenary meeting that has just taken place in Jerusalem. Noting that the meeting ended without an agreement on Marange, the KP Civil Society Coalition are calling for an agreement to be reached between the KP and Zimbabwe. Further information about this can be found on the Global Witness website at: _http://www.globalwitness.org/library/conflict-diamond-scheme-must-resolve-zimbabwe-impasse_.

Following the just ended meeting in Israel of the Kimberly Process, Zimbabwe Europe Network and Zimbabwe Watch will host a free public meeting at Leiden in the Netherlands on Zimbabwe's blood diamonds entitled 'Diamonds are Mugabe's New Best Friend'. The meeting will feature Zimbabwean researcher Shamiso Mtisi, the Local Focal Point Co-ordinator, who will have come direct from attending the Plenary meeting. The meeting will take place on 8.11.2010 at 19.00 in the Faculty of Social Science, room 1A20 (Pieter de la Court building)Wassenaarseweg 52, Leiden (close to Leiden Central Station) Further information about the meeting can be accessed via the following link: http://www.zimbabwewatch.org/eng/Nieuws/2010/ZW-Debat-Diamonds-are-Mugabe-s-new-bestfriend

The agenda for the meeting can be accessed via _http://www.zimbabwewatch.org/eng/Agenda_

On 5.11.2010 the Centre for Research and Development (CRD) issued the attached Press Statement welcoming the investigation into the circumstances around the awarding of a diamond mining licence to Canadilie Miners in 2009; and calling for a serious commitment to transparency and accountability in the diamond sector in Zimbabwe.

The attached Communique of 1.11.2010 from the Ecumenical Zimbabwe Network (EZN) outlines a meeting held on 21-22 October 2010. With the announcement of elections to be held next year a central concerns were the increasing political violence, human rights violations and tensions within the Inclusive Government.

Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) published their Zimbabwe Update October 2010. This can be accessed via the link below:

_http://www.actsa.org/Pictures/UpImages/Zimbabwe%20Update%20October%202010.pdf_

On 4.11.2010 UN announced that Juan Mendez of Argentina had been elected as the new Special Rapporteur on torture, or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. For more details please see the following link: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=36661&Cr=torture&Cr1 =