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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
Solidarity
with civil society towards peaceful resolution to Zim crisis
Botswana
Civil Society Solidarity Coalition for Zimbabwe (BOCISCOZ)
April 30, 2008
We, the Botswana Civil
Society Solidarity Coalition for Zimbabwe (BOCISCOZ) express our
solidarity with other civil society organizations in the region
in contributing towards the peaceful resolution to the post electoral
crisis in Zimbabwe. BOCISCOZ commends the efforts made by the Government
of Botswana to support an end to the post election crisis in Zimbabwe,
including the fielding of election monitors to observe the verification
process of the Parliamentary results.
We have learnt that a
Chinese arms ship, An Yue Jiang, carrying 77 tonnes of weapons and
ammunition for Zimbabwe, which docked at Durban in South Africa
had to set sail after the Durban High Court declared that the decision
to grant the conveyance permit was unlawful and invalid. An application
had been brought to the Court on behalf of Bishop Rubin Phillip
and Gerald Patrick Kearney, acting in the public interest, with
the support of the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC). Members
of the South African Transport and Allied Union (SATAWU) refused
to offload the cargo from the ship. Namibian rights activists have
been prepared to go to court in Namibia to block the vessel docking
there.
BOCISCOZ would like to
acknowledge the contribution made by Southern African Civil society
and the churches in ensuring that the weapons and ammunitions did
not reach Zimbabwe. These actions are reflective of the fact that
the power of people can positively affect the ongoing crisis in
Zimbabwe. These are in stark contrast to the position of governments
such as China which do not demonstrate an ethical responsibility
to recall a shipment which could fuel escalating violence in Zimbabwe.
BOCISCOZ would like to
call upon the Government of Botswana not to allow the cargo from
the An Yue Jiang to pass through Botswana. We also urge the Government
of Botswana to encourage SADC member states to prevent it from passing
through their countries en route to Zimbabwe.
The Government of Malawi
has recently been reported to be planning to assist the Government
of Zimbabwe by clearing the weapons and ammunition in its own name.
We therefore urge the
Government of Botswana to engage with SADC member states to ensure
that the current situation in Zimbabwe is resolved peacefully in
accordance with the wishes of the will of the people of Zimbabwe.
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