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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
Post-election violence 2008 - Index of articles & images
The
people of Zimbabwe must take the lead!
South
African Communist Party
June 24, 2008
http://www.sacp.org.za/main.php?include=docs/pr/2008/pr0624.html
The SACP is
extremely concerned at, and disturbed by, the latest developments
in Zimbabwe, including the increase in violence directed at opposition
members and supporters, the arbitrary arrest of opposition leaders,
the trade union movement, and other sections of civil society, now
culminating in the withdrawal
of the MDC from the Presidential run-off.
The SACP strongly
condemns the decision by the Zimbabwean government to proceed with
the elections this coming Friday under these conditions. Such a
decision can only create further chaos and instability and it is
not in the interests of the Zimbabwean people.
The SACP therefore
calls upon SADC to make an urgent intervention to create conditions
for a free and fair election, including urgent measures to speedily
adopt a new constitution, putting an end to politically orchestrated
and all other forms of violence, and end the use of state security
organs to serve the electoral and political interests of the ruling
party.
It is for these
reasons that the SACP pledges its continued solidarity with the
struggles of ordinary Zimbabwean workers and the poor for democracy
and the reconstruction of the economy of that country. It is not
for us to choose which party must rule Zimbabwe, but we are in solidarity
with the struggle for conditions to be created for the people of
Zimbabwe to freely exercise their choice.
The SACP has
over the recent years consistently pointed out and warned at the
deteriorating situation in the country, and called for the Southern
African Development Community (SADC) to intervene and insist on
the strict observance of its own protocols on free, fair and democratic
elections.
At the heart
of the crisis in Zimbabwe has been, a degenerating ZANU-PF, characterised
by use of the state as a means to accumulation by elites located
in the state, the consequent abuse of state resources, gross mismanagement
of the economy, thus leading to a growing gulf between the government
and the people. This has led to the alienation of key former constituencies
of ZANU-PF from this once heroic liberation movement, culminating
in the loss of elections by ZANU-PF on 29 March 2008. Consequently,
the very arms that were used to fight a heroic and justified struggle
against British colonialism have now been turned against the people.
This is the tragedy of a once promising revolution led by ZANU-PF.
Much as imperialism
will always try to undermine all progressive revolutions in order
to establish neo-colonial regimes in its former colonies, it is
disingenuous for ZANU-PF to blame all of its problems on imperialism.
How come that in the 1960s and 1970s imperialism failed to win the
majority of the Zimbabwean people onto its side, but now, according
to ZANU-PF, the people are being successfully 'manipulated' by these
imperialist forces? Any revolution that begins to turn its guns
on the people is surely a revolution in deep trouble, and requires
serious self-reflection by the liberation movement itself.
It is also a
fact that during the mid-1990s the ZANU-PF government itself colluded
with the imperialist structural adjustment programmes imposed on
the people, with sections of the elite benefiting handsomely in
the privatisation and outsourcing of state services. This was the
beginning of the seeds of the destruction of the Zimbabwean revolution.
It is clear
to us that with the latest developments Zimbabwe will never be the
same again. But of serious concern to us is a danger of Zimbabwe
getting into a self-destructive and violent cul-de-sac.
The SACP strongly
believes that it is Zimbabwean people themselves who must take the
lead in resolving the problems of that country. They have tried
to do so through their vote in the last elections, but this is being
deliberately undermined and frustrated by the government.
We also call
for the immediate release of all opposition leaders that are detained
and for an end to the harassment of all other activists who are
targeted because they hold different views to that of government.
The SACP will
throw its weight behind the mass activities that COSATU will be
engaged in and we will intensify our solidarity work, in collaboration
with all progressive forces, in our quest to find lasting solutions
for the crisis of Zimbabwe.
*For more
information, please visit, http://www.sacp.org.za
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