|
Back to Index
Solidarity
in practice - The Zimbabwe Solidarity Conference
Zimbabwe Solidarity
Extracted from the Zimbabwe Solidarity Newsletter Issue 01
February 27, 2005
It wasn't always
easy for the many speakers to address the plenary session of the
solidarity conference on the 24th and 25th of February. The atmosphere
at the conference facility in the South African capital was fiery,
and laden with activist energy. Chanting and singing filled the
conference hall on several occasions and came to a climax when Morgan
Tsvangirai approached the hall. The many Amandla!'s and much spontaneous
singing resulted in speeches lasting longer than planned as well
as a very sweaty organizing committee. Jeremy Cronin had to wait
at least ten minutes before the singing crowd, happy to see him
stand before them, allowed him to read out and explain the collectively
drafted statement.
The bulk of
the chanting and singing came from a big presence of South African
youth organizations such as Cosas and Sasco. Thy cheered up the
atmosphere with their activist energy as well a provided the necessary
insightfulness with critical questions to the keynote speakers.
But delegates were not only of South African origin. Civics from
the SADC region at large were well represented, and delegates from
as far away as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Angola
were present, alongside with brothers and sisters from Mozambique,
Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland and Zambia.
Another show
of solidarity came from the chair of the conference, Bishop Rubin
Phillip of Kwazulu-Natal, when he asked for moments of silence and
moments of prayer. These allowed delegates a chance to commemorate
the many Zimbabweans who have given their lives for freedom. This
sombre reflections allowed participants to pay respect to the many
who, over the last few years, have been killed, tortured, raped
or have been made homeless as a consequence of their continued struggle
for freedom. But with the Inter-denominational Women's Prayer League
from Mamelodi to back the prayers up many found their moment of
silence with Zimbabwean friends and family on their minds and in
their hearts.
The conference
ended in several strong commitments to concrete acts of solidarity,
as can be witnessed by the conference statement (further on in the
newsletter) and the ensuing agenda. The conference agreed that the
focus should not only be on the March 2005 elections, but also long-term.
It was further noted that these problems not only exist in Zimbabwe
but elsewhere in the region but that we have to join forces to tackle
the Zimbabwe crisis first. Delegates emphasised that we have to
repay Zimbabwe for the respect and support it showed us during the
anti-apartheid struggle as much as we would expect their help and
assistance again if ever we in South Africa are faced with the ordeals
Zimbabwe is now faced with.
Bishop Rubin
closed the conference with a poem by Freedom Nyamubaya, who had
joined Mugabe's ZANLA army at the age of 15 where her first sexual
experience with men was to be raped in the camp - an all-too-common
experience for many women recruits in the ZANLA forces during the
liberation war. And sadly today this experience is no different
for the many young women in the youth militia camps.
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
|
