Zambia Deports Zimbabwean Activists

Dennis Rekayi—The Zambian government, working in collusion with the Zimbabwean authorities in Zambia, has deported 65 delegates to the SADC People’s Forum, which is held parallel to the SADC Heads of State Summit.

The People’s Forum discusses regional socio-economic and political issues affecting the region.

Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Angola, Mauritius, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya are represented at the meeting.

A statement from Zimbabwe’s civic groups campaigning and calling on SADC leaders to take a tougher stance on Zimbabwe and help end the suffering of the ordinary people said approximately 20 participants to the People’s Forum had initially defied Zambian border authorities to get into Zambia to attend the forum.

“They were part of a delegation travelling from Zimbabwe who were refused entry into Zambia by Zambian border authorities, who in collusion with the Zimbabwean Embassy security staff in Lusaka, coordinated the deportation of the 65 social activists,” the statement said.

“The delegates were subsequently arrested on reaching the Zimbabwe side of the border and are presently being detained at Chirundu police station at the border.”

“The reason cited by border authorities for the deportation is that the Zimbabweans were being a security threat to Zambia as they were wearing t-shirts inscribed “Save Zimbabwe!”

Save Zimbabwe is the banner under which pro-democracy groups in Zimbabwe have united in their bid to fight for change in the country.

After being deported at Chirundu border post around 2pm on Tuesday, the delegation slept at the border before being refused entry into Zambia again when the boader opened this morning.

“This deportation by the Zambian and Zimbabwean authorities put to shame the current agenda of the Heads of States that focuses on regional integration. This proves assertions that the so called regional integration is a dummy as it is centered on capital, and not on people,” the civic groups said.

“It also flies in the face of President Mwanawasa’s previous condemnation of the conditions in Zimbabwe and of Mugabe.”

Mwanawasa once likened the situation in Zimbabwe to a “sinking Titanic.” To many observers, the comment signaled a willingness to put aside the deference that many regional leaders have shown Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.

But Mwanawasa and his government now appear to be toeing a more cautious line on the Zimbabwe crisis.

Zambia is taking over the rotating leadership of the Southern African Development Community at the summit.

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