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Police
Arrest NANGO Board Chair and CEO
National
Association of Non-Governmental Organisations in Zimbabwe (NANGO)
October 25, 2009
Victoria Falls police arrested NANGO board chairperson
Dadirai Chikwengo and Chief Executive Officer Cephas Zinhumwe Sunday
October 25 2009 after the NGO Directors' Summer School held 23-24
October 2009 in the resort town.
Information
coming from Vic Falls is to the effect that the two are to be charged
under POSA
for holding a meeting the police deemed political. It is understood
that the two were in police custody and they were expected to appear
in court Monday 26 October 2009. Zimbabwe
Lawyers' for Human Rights Director Irene Petras, who also attended
the Summer School, is representing the two.
The Directors'
Summer School is an annual event organized by the National Association
of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) bringing together directors
from NGOs in Zimbabwe to reflect on their work, discuss the way
forward as civil society and issue statements targeted at the development
of Zimbabwe among other things.
Police charges
against the two stemmed from the statement issued by the directors
in which they called for the intervention of SADC and the AU to
ensure that the Global
Political Agreement (GPA) was fully implemented. SADC and the
AU are the guarantors of the agreement.
The arrests
came hot on the heels of various news articles and opinion pieces
in the state controlled media that attacked NGOs openly labeling
them as working in cahoots with the West and MDC to effect regime
change. NGO heads and other members of civil society have said the
arrests are malicious and they are aimed at intimidating civil society
members to dissuade them from their work that includes the call
for the democratization of the country and the full implementation
of the GPA among other things.
Below is the
full statement issued by NGO directors at this year Summer School
that triggered the arrest.
Declaration
by NGO Directors on the ongoing crisis in Zimbabwe We the leaders
of 120 Non Governmental Organisations working to enhance social,
economic and political development in Zimbabwe, having met from
the
23rd to the 24th of October 2009 in Victoria Falls on the occasion
of the NGO Directors Summer School:
Gravely concerned
about the continuing crisis in our country which is manifested by
widespread food insecurity, high unemployment, outbreaks of diseases,
lack of access to essential services, high migration rates, fear
and denial of basic human rights,
Recalling, that
the signing of the Global Political Agreement and the subsequent
formation of the transitional Government of National Unity (GNU)
gave hope to many people,
Noting the widely
held anticipation that the participation of the main political parties
in the Inclusive Government would end the polarisation of the country
and that Zimbabweans would finally unite in a democratic and peaceful
country in which the dignity of every human being and the rule of
law would be respected and upheld,
Reiterating
the NGO sector's demonstrable and long-standing commitment to contribute
to progressive efforts to promote development in Zimbabwe in spite
of the continued threats and incitement against representatives
of the sector,
Acknowledging
some slight improvements in humanitarian and economic conditions
since the formation of the GNU,
Concerned about
the growing list of challenges yet to be addressed or resolved by
the Inclusive Government and thus requiring immediate attention
- especially in regards to social service delivery, transitional
justice, promotion and protection of human rights, constitutional
reform, and Institutional reform,
Maintaining
that the observance of the rule of law and separation of powers
is non-negotiable and essential for the speedy recovery of our country
and its re-integration into the regional and international community
of nations,
Worried, that
the current Inter-party crisis has arisen at a time when Zimbabwe
requires a cohesive, accountable and democratic government to respond
to amongst other urgent imperatives the predicted drought and deadly
cholera outbreak,
Deeply disappointed
by the non-action of the guarantors of the Inter Part Political
Agreement and their continued unwillingness to perform their mandate
and protect the people of Zimbabwe,
Further disappointed
about the Inclusive Government's failure to be accountable and transparent
to the people of Zimbabwe about developments surrounding the 'pull-out
/disengagement of the MDC-T' party from the Inclusive Government,
Hereby,
Resolve to insist
via peaceful means for the Inclusive Government to fulfil its own
stated obligations in the Inter-party Political Agreement to amongst
other things establish a people-driven constitutional reform process,
improve social service delivery, facilitate Institutional reforms
and create economic stability,
Urge all concerned
stakeholders to join the NGO sector in efforts to urgently pursue
immediate and honest solutions to the ongoing crisis in the interests
of cohesively addressing with purposefulness the suffering that
the people face in Zimbabwe,
Call for the
immediate and decisive intervention by SADC and the African Union
as guarantors of the GPA in fulfilment of their responsibility to
ensure the full implementation of the agreement and protect the
people of Zimbabwe,
Insist on the
urgent resumption of a people driven Constitutional reform process
through people driven means in an environment permissive for the
full enjoyment of the fundamental freedoms of speech, assembly and
association,
Further insist
on the Inclusive Government to bring national healing to the people
of Zimbabwe through transitional justice mechanisms.
Visit the NANGO
fact
sheet
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