Zimbabwe Social Forum places socialism on the national agenda.

By Thomas DEVE

Participants at the Zimbabwe Social Forum which was held in Harare from 9-11 October have called on the working class communities the world over to enhance global solidarity and roll back the advance of neo-liberalism by working for and marching towards Socialism.

The forum that was convened as a People's Forum for Peace, Reconstruction and Prosperity in Zimbabwe" using the slogan "Another Zimbabwe is possible!" adopted a charter of principles that basically said "Say no to capitalism, no to Globalisation, No to any form of domination!"

Testimonies from students fighting against privatisation, children and parents from overcrowded parts of Zimbabwe's large towns, women engaged in cross border trade and other numerous community-based organisations outlined the challenges faced by ordinary people in Zimbabwe especially those that were caused by privatisation of basic social services.

Most testimonies unequivocally proclaimed that the current thrust in global economic governance was not sustainable.

The Forum which deliberated on the role of social movements in anti-globalisation struggles, underlined the importance of building a value-based resistance movement whose vision underscores global solidarity rooted in the working class, the poor and marginalised people.

Brutal frankness marked most of the sessions and it is instructive to note that the Youth Tent produced fireworks especially after some sentiment had been expressed that "Zimbabwe was a nation of cowards".

Debates that subsequently transpired highlighted the weaknesses in the existing movements especially around the ideology that guided them in creating a critical mass.

Participants agonised for example the confusion that now surrounded the importance of using the clenched fist when sloganeering and resolved that the space provided by the social forum should be used to reclaim working class songs, symbols and social mobilisation tactics which the ruling elite in African polities have appropriated.

The participating faith-based organisations emerged as a clearly organised grouping that had developed progressive positions on issues of global injustice.

They articulated the need to build a world that was based on people-centred social and economic justice.

Emphasizing the need to take a position on the way forward out of the political, social and economic crisis currently gripping Zimbabwe, faith based organisations coined the slogan "Its our time", which was chanted repeatedly to highlight the fact that faith-based organisations' were siding with the poor and ready to expose the bankruptcy of neo-liberalism by advancing the cause of Freedom.

A people's tribunal was one of the forums' major achievements. It saw real life situations being used to judge the culpability of the Zimbabwean government, the Bretton Woods institutions and the World Trade Organisations in promoting injustice through Structural Adjustment Programmes and its attendant neo-liberalism.

A peace march scheduled to be held on Saturday to seal the Forum's proceedings was cancelled because police did not grant permission.

Instead, a peace rally was organised and in all the solidarity messages that were made, participants welcomed the hosting of the social forum as a rare opportunity to share, acquire, reflect and promote awareness on anti-globalisation and struggles against poverty.

The Forum successfully brought together non-governmental organisations, social movements, students, labour organisations, residents and small traders associations and faith based-organisations.

But if the Social Forum has to grow in Zimbabwe, it needs to address gender concerns identified by activists during the Addis Ababa, Africa Social Forum.

This is critical in mobilising women's organisations, lest the space becomes another sphere of male-domination.

MWENGO, Seatini, Trades Centre and Afrodad were some of the regional non-governmental organisations that threw their weight behind the Zimbabwe Social Forum.

* Thomas Deve