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SADC is to blame for deaths in Zimbabwe: Machel
Trust Matsilele, ZimbabweJournalists.com
January 21, 2009

http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com/story.php?art_id=5197&cat=1

"The blood of those dying on daily basis in Zimbabwe will be laid on the feet of Southern African Development Community (SADC) leadership as they are failing to undertake duties they are elected to do" said rights activist Graça Machel in Johannesburg today.

Machel who is also a member of elders's group who were barred from entering Zimbabwe last Novemember by the Mugabe regime was speaking at the launch of a regional fasting that is meant to last for three months over the Zimbabwe crisis. Organisers of this fasting period believe 'politicians alone could not solve the crisis.'

"Politicians have an ego and by themselves can not solve the crisis in Zimbabwe as they negotiate with selfish interests, the mediation needs to be broadened.

"Activists who are currently being held in prison in Zimbabwe for political reasons should be released immediately "added Machel who herself confessed was not involved in the fasting but said would continue to speak over injustice taking place.

Machel stopping shot of mentioning the word genocide also likened deaths in Zimbabwe to those ones of Rwanda in 1994 and those taking place in Sudan on the Darfur region.

A coalition of South African organisations has launched a fasting period under the banner of Save Zimbabwe Now in a latest bid to save Zimbabweans from the current crisis .

Bishop Paul Verryn of Central Methodist Church, Kumi Naidoo Honorary Director of Civicus, and Selvan Chetty from the Solidarity Peace Trust that assists many Zimbabweans are some prominent names who have committed themselves to this fast.

Professor Tinyiko Maluleke, President of the South African Council of Churches urged fellow citizens to join in this fast as it is another in which God can remove Mugabe from office.

"We do fasting as Christians since it is a way of petitioning God to respond to our prayers, hence we have to fast over the Zimbabwe impasse" said Maluleke.

Among other organisations whose membership is committed to this fasting are Revolutionary Youth Movement, Soweto Social Movements and Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum.

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