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NCA
independence statement
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
April
14 , 2008
Today marks the 28th
anniversary of Zimbabwe's liberation. 28 years ago our mothers and
fathers liberated Zimbabwe from the yoke of colonialism, and for
that we will always honor you and herald you as leaders and those
who spurred us on to claim our dignity and self-worth.
Our triumph over colonialism
will always be celebrated and revered. The ideals of the liberation;
dignity and justice will remain relevant for all of Zimbabwe's lifetime.
The crude privatization
and manipulation of these values and aspirations over the last 28
years has produced a Zimbabwe that is hungry, its government is
at "war with its people", most of our productive workforce
has left the country, rampant looting of the economy, a fearful
and distrustful nation, an insecure people, a people with little
hope. How ironic, since today we should ideally be celebrating our
great triumph over suppression and subjugation.
28 years ago, the ordinary Zimbabwean individually and collectively
sounded the death knell of the colonial regime. The right to vote
became a powerful weapon in the hands of every Zimbabwean. March
29, as in 2000, ordinary Zimbabweans once again demonstrated this
silent unsung force, but this time the power of the vote, did not
account for much, apart from further improvishing the lives of ordinary
people.
3 million Zimbabweans
have fled and reside in other countries, much like their families
back home; most Zimbabweans in the Diaspora continue to live in
fear and poverty. A nine year old child was killed in Mamelodi recently,
it was said that her death was an act of xenophobia; we believe
it was an act of criminality. The NCA calls on the South African
Police Services to act shiftily and apprehend the perpetrators.
In the lead up to our day of independence, a shipment of arms and
ammunition destined for Zimbabwe from China was discovered at the
Durban port. Government sources claim that this is not illegal.
Technically, this may be so, but this response encapsulates the
hurdles Zimbabweans face in affecting change themselves. The crisis
in Zimbabwe is not only a legal or procedural crisis; it is a moral
crisis and a crisis of daily survival. It is morally and politically
reprehensible for any government to expand scarce resources of weapons
of destruction and suppression, when the biggest security threat
it faces is its people starving to death. The call is for "bread
not guns"
In the name of our liberation,
the NCA salutes Satawu members for refusing to unload the ship.
Your solidarity and support will provide us with the courage and
determination to pursue our cause for dignity and justice.
This act by ordinary workers, faced with their own challenges for
survival stands in sharp contrast to the outcome of the recent SADC
meetings. Where our leaders sought to hide behind the technicalities
of law and diplomacy to avoid taking a position and to act.
Whether the state of Zimbabwe constitutes a crisis or not, the NCA
believes is an academic argument and flies in the face of the current
realities that exist. Realities that ordinary people across the
world have acknowledged and acted upon, whilst our "leaders"
continue to delude themselves, in the hope that the "crisis"
will vanish.
To all Zimbabweans, on this our day of liberation let us remember
and feel our quest for dignity, justice and a better life. None
of this will be achievable in our lifetimes if each and every one
of us becomes involved and engaged in the struggle for liberation
in Zimbabwe. We need to re-establish our collective worth and strength
to overcome the indignities perpetuated upon us daily by our "liberation"
hero's. Our call is that injustice anywhere and from any quarter
is abhorrent and must be resisted.
Dr Lovemore Madhuku
NCA Chairperson
Visit the NCA
fact
sheet
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