|
Back to Index
This article participates on the following special index pages:
Strikes and Protests 2007- Save Zimbabwe Campaign
Solidarity
statement from the Botswana Civil Society Coalition on Zimbabwe
(BOCISOCZ)
Botswana Civil Society Coalition (BOCISCOZ)
March 20, 2007
View Save Zimbabwe
Campaign index
of images and articles
At a meeting
held on Tuesday 20 March 2007, we, BOCISCOZ, comprising The Botswana
Council of Churches (BCC), The Botswana Council of Non-Governmental
Organisations (BOCONGO), The Botswana Secondary Teachers Trade Union
(BOSETU), DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights, The
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Botswana Chapter, The
Concerned Africans Association (CAA), The People to People Coalition
of Zimbabwe (PPCZ), Amnesty International Botswana, The International
Socialists Botswana, The Disability HIV/AIDS Trust (DHAT), The Botswana
Congress Party (BCP), The Botswana National Front Youth League (BNFYL),
The Bible Society of Botswana, Kgolagano Theological College, The
Lutheran Church, Tirisanyo Catholic Commission, The Dutch Reformed
Church, The Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana, The Kweneng Rural
Development Association (KRDA), Lifeline Botswana, The Botswana
Community Based Organisations Network (BOCOBONET), The Botswana
Network on Law HIV and AIDS (BONELA), The Botswana Unified Local
Government Service Association (BULGASA), The Botswana Teachers
Union (BTU), Habitat for Humanity Botswana, CORDE, and The Botswana
Scouts Association, wish to express, in the strongest terms, our
condemnation of the recent events which led to the arrests and brutal
attacks on civil society members in Zimbabwe.
We recognise
that:
- there is
increasing shrinking democratic space affecting faith-based, civil
society, political, media and human rights organisations
- the crisis
in Zimbabwe has serious security implications for the country
and the Southern Africa region, as suggested by reports of desertions
from the Zimbabwean security forces
- the serious
lack of good governance and respect for human rights has led to
the collapse of the rule of law. This is evident through arbitrary
arrests and detention, assaults by the security forces on citizens
and the flouting of court orders by those in authority. The current
policy of ‘silent diplomacy’ used in the SADC region in dealing
with the Zimbabwe question, has proved to be ineffective. It can
no longer continue to go unchallenged as a valid policy which
guides inter-state relations in the region.
- the number
of undocumented migrants from Zimbabwe into neighbouring countries,
including Botswana is increasing. This is due to the economic
hardship faced by the ordinary citizen.
- there have
been recent robust parliamentary debates in Botswana concerning
the Zimbabwean crisis. We are heartened by this welcome development
and believe that it will further strengthen calls for the reclaiming
of democratic space in Zimbabwe.
BOCISCOZ commits
itself to continuing to take forward the movement to provide solidarity
with the citizens of Zimbabwe. This we will do through various activities,
including the rally on Thursday 22 March 2007 (GSS Grounds, 4:30p.m.),
until there is positive change in Zimbabwe.
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|