‘Let the People Speak’ – Effective Civil Society Lobbying for Zimbabwe Workshop, Harare October 30-31, 2003

Press Statement

At a landmark solidarity meeting in Harare on 30-31 October, Zimbabwean, African and international human rights organizations pledged to alert Africa and the SADC region to the full extent of the Zimbabwe Government’s continued gross human rights abuses and its relentless persecution of the media.

The group agreed to launch a vigorous and coordinated campaign to petition fellow Africans and the international community about the oppression of the Zimbabwean people.

The meeting agreed the time had come for African governments to recognise the reality of tyranny in Zimbabwe and to move away from the diplomatic paralysis over the worsening human rights crisis in the country.

The immediate focus of this campaign will be the upcoming meeting of the African Commission in The Gambia and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Abuja, Nigeria.

Among those joining the Zimbabwean media and human rights groups were representatives from organizations such as Journalistes en Danger (JED), Media Rights Agenda, West African Media Foundation, COSATU, Amnesty International, Article XIX, the International Bar Association, Zimbabwe Watch and the International Media Support group.

(Issued by MMPZ and MISA Zimbabwe, 31/10/03)

Rashweat Mukundu
Research and Information Officer
MISA-Zimbabwe
84 McChlery Ave
Eastlea
Box HR 8113
Harare
Zimbabwe
Phone 00 263 4 7761 65
Mobile 00 263 11 602 685
E mail [email protected]