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All stakeholders should participate in national dialogue
Zimbabwe Liberators Platform (ZLP)
September 18, 2003

The Zimbabwe Liberators Platform, a non-partisan non-governmental organisation advocating for peace, development, democracy and good governance, believes the participation of all stakeholders in the current political dialogue will pave the way for sustainable development in Zimbabwe.

While MDC and Zanu PF have taken centre stage in preparing for the dialogue, ZLP holds that the crisis in Zimbabwe goes beyond the capacity of the two political parties and therefore a broader approach is required. Because Zimbabwe faces political, economic, social and humanitarian crises, all political parties, civic society organisations, the business community, churches, youths, students, peasants, farmers and non-partisan traditional authorities should all be involved in the national talks in order to come up with a holistic solution.

Efforts must be made to bring all stakeholders together to work out a lasting solution to the crises. Civic society, which represents a large constituency in Zimbabwe, should play an important role in national dialogue. ZLP, which is an integral part of the civic society, has embarked on an advocacy campaign in raising awareness of the crisis.

In its advocacy work, ZLP is demanding a new people-driven democratic constitution which includes the core values of the liberation struggle encompassing peace, development, democracy, good governance, truth and political tolerance, respect for human rights, freedoms and the rule of law. No truly democratic elections will ever take place in Zimbabwe if the defective constitution, which concentrates excessive power in the hands of the President, remains in place.

The ZLP believes that there can only be free, fair and transparent elections in Zimbabwe if the following are put in place:

1. A new electoral framework that provides for an independent electoral authority and independent monitoring and observation of the whole election process.
2. Implementation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum's Norms and Standards for Elections as a minimum standard.
3. Scrapping of all draconian laws such as Public Order and Security Act (POSA), Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Broadcast Services Act (BSA) and Private Voluntaries Organisation (PVO) Act
4. Liberalisation of air-waves and the public media
5. Unfettered distribution of all newspapers throughout the country
6. All political parties should have equal access to a non-partisan public media.
7. Dismantling of militia groups
8. Unbiased application of the law by the law enforcement agents.

The culture of violence currently gripping Zimbabwe is an impediment to freedom and democracy, which are prerequisites for socio-economic prosperity. It is for this reason that ZLP is currently involved in peace building programmes that involve communities, the very victims of violence. The ZLP peace efforts include participation of traditional and local authorities in peace building activities, and empowering communities to defend their civil liberties. Central to the ZLP's strategy of peace building is also the building of localised capacity for conflict resolution in communities.

The ZLP advocacy and peace-building efforts are focused on the following target groups: the public, political parties, parliamentary and local councillors, communities, war veterans, youths, the police and the army, peasants, farmers, local authorities and traditional leaders.

ZLP is advocating the documentation of true history of the national liberation struggle. It is inviting written contributions from politicians, national liberation movements and other participants on the struggle of independence in their proper historical perspective while taking note of the contributions from other sectors of society in particular the rural folk.

ZLP, whose membership is open to all: former liberation war fighters; detainees and war collaborators; workers; youths; peasantry; students; trade unions; churches; peasants; farmers and civic organisations envisages a Zimbabwe that is forever peaceful, independent, sovereign, politically stable, economically prosperous and non-racial with equal opportunities for all. ZLP membership now exceeds 10 000.

Visit the ZLP fact sheet

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