Dear Friends,
Today we have 3 statements and reports:
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) released two items recently
The first is a new report into the trauma experienced by their members. The report, entitled ‘Counting the Cost of Courage: Trauma Experiences of Women Human Rights Defenders in Zimbabwe’ was launched on 19.8.08, at a Press Conference in Johannesburg , South Africa . As well as outlining the findings on the research on WOZA members, the launch also outlined some statistics of post-election violence since the 29 March harmonised elections, giving a brief overview of the horror that many Zimbabweans have been faced with in the last few months. Please see the WOZA website for a News Update on the launch of the report and to download a copy of the report http://www.wozazimbabwe.org/
In a WOZA News Update issued on 18.8.08 there is a report that 9 WOZA members were released from detention and two face charges of criminal nuisance. Read the update at http://wozazimbabwe.org/?p=244
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Zimbabwe) issued an Alert on 18.8.08 concerning the acquittal of South African company, Globecast Satellite which was facing charges of violating Zimbabwe 's Broadcasting Services Act (BSA). The Magistrate agreed with defence counsel Beatrice Mtetwa ‘that the evidence which had been led by the state was so manifestly unreliable to the extent that no reasonable court would rely on it’. The Alert can be read via the following web link http://www.misa.org/
From the region we have the following items:
Further to our updates last week on the outcome of the meetings of various civil society organisations in South Africa in the run up to the SADC Summit , the final declaration of the 4th annual Southern African People’s Solidarity Network (SAPSN) Summit held in Gauteng on 14-16.08.08 is available on request.
The 28th SADC Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government was held in South Africa on 16-17.08.08. The Final Communiqué of the Summit referred briefly to Zimbabwe reaffirming its commitment to work with the people of Zimbabwe . An Extraordinary Meeting of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation was held concurrently to consider political developments in Zimbabwe . President Mbeki delivered a report containing all of the documents that have been negotiated and agreed to in the negotiations since the March 2007 SADC Summit in Tanzania, including a Draft Constitution that was agreed in September last year. There is also a Bill Watch Special 0f 19.8.08 produced by Veritas which provides an overview of these meetings and offers to make the relevant documents available on request. Copies will also be available on request to this office.
As SADC were meeting last weekend 80 organisations from around Africa including CIVICUS and Amnesty International signed aletter of solidarity with Zimbabwe and had it published in the South African Sunday Independent and Sunday Times this past weekend 17.8.08. The letter can be read online at http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AFR46/027/2008/en/4cc6d7d5-6ad9-11dd-8e5e-43ea85d15a69/afr460272008eng.html
In other reports from civil society on Zimbabwe we refer you to the following items:
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CCZ) together with the Solidarity Peace Trust released a new report on 15.8.08 about the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe . Report availavle on request.
Yesterday, 19.8.08 the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CCZ) released the attached communiqué concerning attacks in the state controlled Zimbabwean media on the Republic of Botswana following the recent deportation of two ‘ZANU PF sympathisers’.
We refer you to a compendium; produced by Zimbabwe Watch and EEPA; focusing on ‘Benchmarks for the assessment of outcomes and recommendations from Zimbabwean civil society’. This paper released on 18.8.08 comes in the context of SADC endorsed negotiations between ZANU PF and the two formations of the MDC facilitated by South African president Thabo Mbeki with the support and endorsement of the African Union. This paper can be obtained from us upon request.
The Zimbabwean Exiles Forum released a Press Statement today, 20.08.08, following sad news of the death of the President of Zambia. Stating that ‘Zimbabwe joins the world in mourning the sudden and unexpected death of His Excellency, Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa’, it says his ‘leadership in the SADC exhibited what has been lacking all along in the regional body, namely frankness in confronting issues affecting the continent including tyranny and lack of democracy in Africa’.
The African Women Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), a Pan- African Network working for the promotion and protection of the rights of women and children in the Africa issued an Open Letter to President Mugabe on 9.07.08. Noting its ‘concern at the continued suffering of women and children in Zimbabwe Femnet says that it ‘joins the Presidents of Africa countries and other civil society organisations in Africa to condemn in the strongest terms the undemocratic elections that took place in Zimbabwe on the 27th of June 2008.’ The letter goes on to say that Mugabe’s political conduct ‘is unacceptable and shameful to the entire continent of Africa ’. It can be read in full at the following web link
http://www.femnet.or.ke/viewnews.asp?ID=71
Today we have 3 statements and reports:
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) released two items recently
The first is a new report into the trauma experienced by their members. The report, entitled ‘Counting the Cost of Courage: Trauma Experiences of Women Human Rights Defenders in Zimbabwe’ was launched on 19.8.08, at a Press Conference in Johannesburg , South Africa . As well as outlining the findings on the research on WOZA members, the launch also outlined some statistics of post-election violence since the 29 March harmonised elections, giving a brief overview of the horror that many Zimbabweans have been faced with in the last few months. Please see the WOZA website for a News Update on the launch of the report and to download a copy of the report http://www.wozazimbabwe.org/
In a WOZA News Update issued on 18.8.08 there is a report that 9 WOZA members were released from detention and two face charges of criminal nuisance. Read the update at http://wozazimbabwe.org/?p=244
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Zimbabwe) issued an Alert on 18.8.08 concerning the acquittal of South African company, Globecast Satellite which was facing charges of violating Zimbabwe 's Broadcasting Services Act (BSA). The Magistrate agreed with defence counsel Beatrice Mtetwa ‘that the evidence which had been led by the state was so manifestly unreliable to the extent that no reasonable court would rely on it’. The Alert can be read via the following web link http://www.misa.org/
From the region we have the following items:
Further to our updates last week on the outcome of the meetings of various civil society organisations in South Africa in the run up to the SADC Summit , the final declaration of the 4th annual Southern African People’s Solidarity Network (SAPSN) Summit held in Gauteng on 14-16.08.08 is available on request.
The 28th SADC Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government was held in South Africa on 16-17.08.08. The Final Communiqué of the Summit referred briefly to Zimbabwe reaffirming its commitment to work with the people of Zimbabwe . An Extraordinary Meeting of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation was held concurrently to consider political developments in Zimbabwe . President Mbeki delivered a report containing all of the documents that have been negotiated and agreed to in the negotiations since the March 2007 SADC Summit in Tanzania, including a Draft Constitution that was agreed in September last year. There is also a Bill Watch Special 0f 19.8.08 produced by Veritas which provides an overview of these meetings and offers to make the relevant documents available on request. Copies will also be available on request to this office.
As SADC were meeting last weekend 80 organisations from around Africa including CIVICUS and Amnesty International signed aletter of solidarity with Zimbabwe and had it published in the South African Sunday Independent and Sunday Times this past weekend 17.8.08. The letter can be read online at http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AFR46/027/2008/en/4cc6d7d5-6ad9-11dd-8e5e-43ea85d15a69/afr460272008eng.html
In other reports from civil society on Zimbabwe we refer you to the following items:
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CCZ) together with the Solidarity Peace Trust released a new report on 15.8.08 about the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe . Report availavle on request.
Yesterday, 19.8.08 the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CCZ) released the attached communiqué concerning attacks in the state controlled Zimbabwean media on the Republic of Botswana following the recent deportation of two ‘ZANU PF sympathisers’.
We refer you to a compendium; produced by Zimbabwe Watch and EEPA; focusing on ‘Benchmarks for the assessment of outcomes and recommendations from Zimbabwean civil society’. This paper released on 18.8.08 comes in the context of SADC endorsed negotiations between ZANU PF and the two formations of the MDC facilitated by South African president Thabo Mbeki with the support and endorsement of the African Union. This paper can be obtained from us upon request.
The Zimbabwean Exiles Forum released a Press Statement today, 20.08.08, following sad news of the death of the President of Zambia. Stating that ‘Zimbabwe joins the world in mourning the sudden and unexpected death of His Excellency, Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa’, it says his ‘leadership in the SADC exhibited what has been lacking all along in the regional body, namely frankness in confronting issues affecting the continent including tyranny and lack of democracy in Africa’.
The African Women Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), a Pan- African Network working for the promotion and protection of the rights of women and children in the Africa issued an Open Letter to President Mugabe on 9.07.08. Noting its ‘concern at the continued suffering of women and children in Zimbabwe Femnet says that it ‘joins the Presidents of Africa countries and other civil society organisations in Africa to condemn in the strongest terms the undemocratic elections that took place in Zimbabwe on the 27th of June 2008.’ The letter goes on to say that Mugabe’s political conduct ‘is unacceptable and shameful to the entire continent of Africa ’. It can be read in full at the following web link
http://www.femnet.or.ke/viewnews.asp?ID=71
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