We the undersigned Zimbabwean civil society organisations stand in total solidarity with the working people of Zimbabwe, civil servants, the informal traders, vendors, cross border traders and the millions of the suffering and impoverished masses during this darkest hour of state failure in the history of the country.
The past few months have been particularly eventful and historic for Zimbabwe as it has seen the economic recession sink deeper with cash shortages and a striking fall in government revenue being its most striking feature.
In addition to the economic collapse, elite greed and naked corruption by the top leadership of government has riled the population setting in motion waves of peaceful citizen protests which have peaked in the last few weeks.
Typical of its nature and DNA in the past 20 years, the ZANU PF led government has responded both to the economic collapse and political crises by deepening state repression and implementation of quasi-economic policies.
Various statutory instruments, policies and actions by government have worsened the situation with such instruments, as statutory instrument 64 of 2016 being a case in point.
With these statutory instruments, the government has precipitated an attack on the people’s livelihoods by banning the importation of goods from mainly South Africa without a clear substitution strategy.
This resulted in massive protests at Beitbridge Border post as cross border traders engaged in running battles with ZIMRA officials and the Police Border control Unit.
The protests resulted in the destruction of property worth millions of dollars as well as arrests and injuries to persons as a result of state sanctioned violence.
As civic society we condemn in the strongest of terms the use of violence as a response to ordinary citizens airing their grievances with government.
It is unreasonable for those in top echelons of power to ban imports when they and their families shop outside the country and in fact get even basic services such as primary health care in foreign countries.
After the Beitbridge protests, civil servants i.e. teachers, nurses, doctors and other auxiliary workers have declared a strike starting 5 July 2016 over none payment of the June 2016 salaries, thus effectively declaring their lack of confidence in government’s economic policies.
Commuter omnibus operators across the country’s major cities have also embarked on wildcat protests against shameless police corruption and the unreasonable US$200.00 fine regime, which was gazetted throughstatutory instrument 41 of 2016.
The response of the state has been ruthless, brutal and has negated the basic tenets of respect for fundamental human rights and the obligations of the state.
As civic society we are in full solidarity with the ordinary citizens who are asking the right question on government and placing their legitimate demands but are being met with brute force and naked brutality.
The government must be reminded of its obligations and duties as defined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment 20 chapter 4 as well as the various international treaties, conventions and protocols to which Zimbabwe is party to.
It is criminal for the government to abuse its resources and power to crush ordinary citizens as being observed in the Beitbridge, Epworth, Mabvuku and other areas where protests are under way.
We thus demand as follows:
- The state security organs especially the police must forthwith cease to use violence on peaceful protestors.
- The state must uphold the rule of law and respect human rights.
- Immediate payment, in full, of civil servant salaries
- Immediate repealing of anti-people economic policies, legislation and conduct.
- The state must respect freedom of speech, of the media, assembly and to petition as set out in the national constitution.
- The government must put an end to corruption, arrest and incarcerate those who have looted the economy empty.
- SADC, AU and the rest of the international community must restrain the government of Zimbabwe from the spiraling state-organized violence and human rights abuses against protesters.
Artists for Democracy in Zimbabwe Trust, Cat-Zim, Centre for Community Development Zimbabwe, Centre for Natural Resources Governance, Chitungwiza Residents Trust, Christian Legal Aid Society, Civic Education Network Trust, Combined Harare Residents Association, Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development, Doors of Hope, Ecumenical Support Service, Election Resource Centre, Federation of African Media Women in Zimbabwe, Female Students Network, GALZ, General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union in Zim, Gweru East Taxpayers and Residents Association, Habakkuk Trust, Heal Zimbabwe Trust, Institute for Young Women Development, International Revolutionary League, Japa Edutainment Trust, Katswe Sistahood, Masvingo Residents Association, Masvingo Residents Trust, Media Institute of Southern Africa, Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe, Mission to Live, Msasa Project, National Association of Societies for the Care of the Handicapped, National Movement for Catholic Students, National Youth Development Trust, NGO Human Rights Forum, Nhimbe, Non Violent Action for Social Change, Padare, Platform for Youth Development, Plumtree Development Trust, Poets for Human Rights, Progressive Teachers Union Of Zimbabwe, Radio Dialogue, Savannah Trust, SAYWHAT, Shalom Trust, Student Christian Movement in Zimbabwe, Students Solidarity Trust, Transparency International Zimbabwe, Uhuru Network, Veritas, Women in Politics Support Unit, Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, Women’s Institute for Leadership Development, Women’s Institute for Leadership Development, Women’s Trust, Young Voices Zimbabwe, Youth Agenda Trust, Youth Agrarian Society, Youth Alliance for Democracy Trust, Youth Dialogue Action Network, Youth Environmental Management and Protection Trust , Youth Forum, Zim Doctors for Human Rights, Zimbabwe Coalition for Debt and Development, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust, Zimbabwe Democracy Institute, Zimbabwe Farmers Union Development Trust, Zimbabwe Liberators Platform, Zimbabwe National Students Union, Zimbabwe Organisation for Youth in Politics, Zimbabwe Pastors Forum, Zimbabwe Peace Project, Zimbabwe United Residents Association, Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association, Zimbabwe Women Resources Centre and Network, Zimbabwe Young Women’s Network for Peacebuilding, Zimbabwe Youth Movement, ZimRights