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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Talks, dialogue, negotiations and GNU - Post June 2008 "elections" - Index of articles
Statement
on Zimbabwe talks
Action
for Southern Africa (ACTSA)
July 22, 2008
View article
on the ACTSA website
ACTSA welcomes the agreement
between Zanu PF and the MDC (Tsvangirai) to discuss a solution to
the crisis in Zimbabwe. We welcome the broadened mediation of SADC
supported by the African Union and the United Nations. The talks
are a necessary first step towards an end to the violence and intimidation.
It is critical that humanitarian aid is resumed and provided on
the basis of need not political affiliation.
The Zimbabwean
people are enduring a protracted political and economic crisis and
we welcome efforts to facilitate a peaceful and democratic resolution
driven by the people's will. For this reason it is vital that
the voice of the Zimbabwean people is heard during the negotiations
and their will acted on. There is concern that the talks will not
be inclusive and we draw attention to the statement issued by the
Zimbabwe Congress
of Trade Unions (ZCTU) on 21 July:
"Our concern
however is that, there has not been openness and wider consultation
on the drafting of the MoU. On behalf of labor, the MoU has not
been availed to us for scrutiny or comment. The only time we have
had a feel of the MoU, has been through the media, where we are
told that MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai had at one time refused to
sign it. Nothing more has been said about the document . . . The
current problems in Zimbabwe now require not only a political solution,
but concerted approach which involves all arms of the civic and
political world."
Tony Dykes,
Director of ACTSA commented, "We believe that any negotiated
settlement should provide a platform for a legitimate election process
to take place where the true will of the people is represented.
ACTSA acknowledges that there is a long way to go for this to be
realized and urges caution and strict monitoring of the negotiation
process while welcoming the agreement to hold talks."
Furthermore,
ACTSA supports the COSATU statement of 18 July, which states:
"We seek
to declare Southern Africa an oppression-free zone and an oasis
of justice and democracy for its people, who for years have suffered
different forms of degradation, from colonialism through neo-colonial
despotism to neo-liberal savagery with its resultant dehumanizing
poverty . . . An opportunity has presented itself for us to forge
closer ties and build an effective regional network of progressive
social forces, who want an immediate end to oppression, undemocratic
elections, poverty and underdevelopment."
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