LATEST ON ZIMBABWE

The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) released the Information Alert No 22 focusing on the continuing violence after the 27 June elections.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe issued two Alerts on 7.7.08 as well as one on 3/7-08:
-The first concerns the summoning by police of a journalist following publication of a story that a police officer had reportedly been dismissed for allegedly refusing to cast a postal vote in the presidential election run-off.
-The second concerns the harassment by police of a journalist over an unpublished story.
- 3.7.07 on the trial of two Kwekwe based journalists being postponed to 15.7.08
These Alerts are available on the MISA website http://www.misa.org or, alternatively through this office upon request.

We are delighted to pass on the good news contained in a News Update of 4.7.08 from Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) about the release of Jenni Williams and Magadonga Mahlangu who were granted bail on 3.7.08. Further details at http://www.wozazimbabwe.org/

Other items from Zimbabwe include:

The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) issued a statement on its position on the June 27 election run-off which states that it does not recognise the election which it regards as both a ‘sham’ and ‘a joke’.

On Friday, 4.7.08 the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) released the first edition of ‘Ballot News’, a newsletter containing a range of articles focusing on various issues going beyond the 29 March harmonised elections which can be read at http://www.zesn.org.zw/biannual/newsletter_8.pdf

Bulawayo Agenda issued a discussion paper on 4.7.08 entitled ‘Breaking the political impasse in Zimbabwe ’ which can be read at the following web http://www.swradioafrica.com/pages/breaking040708.htm

Finally, we have two other statements of interest:

On 3/7/08 the Africa Liberal Network, a coalition of 17 African liberal parties, issued a reaction to the resolution of the African Union on the crisis in Zimbabwe where they express that “this travesty may set a dangerous political precedent in Africa” and that “Robert Mugabe cannot be considered the legitimate president as the results of the run off elections do not reflect the will of the Zimbabwean people” and calls for replacement of President Thabo Mbeki as mediator. This full statement can be read at the following web link
http://www.africaliberalnetwork.org/news_item.aspx?i_PageID=14218&i_News_CatID=18

The Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba issued a statement which we attach here strongly condemning the repressive actions of Robert Mugabe and the Zimbabwe government. www.wmd.org/democracynews/july2008demnews08.pdf