THE MDC'S PRESIDENT'S REMARKS AT A NEWS CONFERENCE ON THE OCCASION OF THE
JUNE 2-6 2003 PHASE OF THE PEOPLE'S MASS ACTION.

Harare, June 6 2003.

It is a matter of public record that Zimbabweans from all walks of life
overwhelmingly responded to the first stage of our final phase of democratic
resistance.

The call by the MDC for a national shutdown and mass action represents a
national effort to challenge an unpopular regime. This was the first dose of
action in the final phase of the people's collective push against this
regime under our code: The Final Push.

True to form, the regime responded with the predictable brute force and mass
reprisals. But as expected, this failed to stop the people from
demonstrating their unflinching support for the MDC.

Special tribute goes to the men and women who braved the brutality of the
Mugabe regime. Some were killed. Others were injured. Scores were arrested.

In a normal democracy, the people's response to our call for action could
have led to the resignation of a sitting regime. Instead, Robert Mugabe
still thinks the mass action was a flop.

The national effort to challenge the Mugabe regime to resolve the current
crisis will now continue with greater intensity from today. More action is
coming as we apply internal pressure on Mugabe for national dialogue.

We have a natural right to intensify the fight for good governance.

In our short history of the struggle against tyranny in Zimbabwe, the June 2
to 6 2003 mass action has been the most successful and indeed, the most
devastating in terms of sapping the morale and confidence of the Mugabe
dictatorship.

Through peaceful mass action, the people of Zimbabwe delivered a mortal blow
to the dictator. They have aptly demonstrated their capacity to set the
limits to the dictatorship.

>From Monday, June 2, up to today June 6, Mugabe was not in charge of this
country. He was busy marshalling his forces of repression against the
sovereign will of the people of Zimbabwe. However, even in the context of
the brutalities inflicted upon them, the people's spirit of resistance was
not broken and the jackboot or the sound of gunfire will never silence their
demand for change and freedom.

For the past five days, therefore, the people of Zimbabwe reclaimed their
sovereignty. They were in charge. This was a major installment, indeed a
landmark towards a permanent recovery of their freedom.

Throughout the world the struggle against tyranny and the retrieval of
stolen freedom and liberty has never been a single event, but a traumatic
process of relentless sacrifice and utmost dedication. We in Zimbabwe are
not exempt from following the route charted by democrats and fellow fighters
for freedom the world over.

Consequently, the peaceful mass action that we embarked upon is the
beginning of new multifaceted phase towards a permanent resolution of the
crisis. Whereas in the past our mass action concentrated on stayaways, we
have now entered a qualitatively different phase where we have added
peaceful marches to confront the dictator on the streets of every city and
every town.

As a result the dictator is now cornered and reduced to using the hit and
run tactics of a bandit against defenceless people.

As we progress in the fight for our freedom we shall continue to explore and
add new sites and arenas of struggle on our agenda for change until the
ultimate goal is achieved.

The people are now well aware of the exact nature of the crisis and the
dimensions and sites of the struggle and in future there will be no need for
trumpeting resistance to the dictatorship.

>From now onwards we will embark on rolling mass action at strategic times of
our choice and without any warning to the dictatorship. The spirit of
resistance has sunk organic roots in the people and the Mugabe dictatorship
will never be allowed again to trample on people's rights with impunity.
More action, as I said, is certainly on the way.

Mugabe has now been exposed as a violent and illegitimate dictator with
absolutely no pretence to any semblance of civil mass support. He continues
to shamelessly hang on to power through brutal force.

The current phase of the people's mass action has demonstrated to Mugabe
where his power lies. He is now under no illusion about this.

His power now lies completely in the forces of repression supervised by a
coterie of his bootlickers.

He has ceased to be a civilian leader ruling with the consent of the people.

He is now a civilian dictator propped up by sections of a subverted police
and military.

Not even his regional and continental supporters can alter that fact. The
regime is now a self-serving dictatorship in pursuit of its own narrow
material interests at the expense of the welfare of millions of Zimbabweans.

Through their weapon of peaceful and steadfast protest the people of
Zimbabwe have demonstrated their resilience and determination to confront
the dictatorship in the face of mortal peril.

The people have been tortured, brutalized and murdered by a regime that is
meant to protect them. Their only crime is that they sought to peacefully
demonstrate against the dictatorship, assert their democratic rights and
reclaim their freedom.

The people's message of peace was met with blood and iron. All these
atrocities are not in vain. They lay the foundation for a future democratic
culture that will never again allow one dictator and his cronies to capture
the state and use it as an instrument to oppress the people.

There is life at the end of all this suffering. As I said before, if we want
life we must expect pain.

I therefore want to say to the people of Zimbabwe: You have demonstrated
tremendous courage in the face of evident danger. You have remained
disciplined and peaceful. You have remained steadfast.

The struggle for freedom demands unwavering commitment and sacrifice. Lets
maintain our unity of purpose and lets travel the last mile together towards
our freedom.

Victory is inevitable.

Morgan Tsvangirai
MDC President.