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5th Meeting of the Ecumenical Zimbabwe Network (EZN)
Ecumenical Zimbabwe Network (EZN)
November 01, 2010

We are pleased to brief you on the proceedings and outcomes of the 5th Meeting of the Ecumenical Zimbabwe Network (EZN), held in Geneva from 21 to 22 October 2010. Coinciding with the second anniversary of the signing of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) facilitated by the Southern African Development Community, the meeting provided an opportunity for Zimbabwean churches and church groups and international ecumenical partners to gather and share information, analysis and strategies on the human rights and humanitarian developments in the country. A high level delegation representing Zimbabwe's church networks participated in the meeting and added significant insights and value to the deliberations and action plans. The representatives were - Bishop Alexio Muchabaiwa (Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference); Rev Dr Solmon Zwana (Zimbabwe Council of Churches); Rev Andrew A. Muchechetere (Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe); and Rev Useni Sibanda (Zimbabwe Christian Alliance). Bishop Ambrose Moyo (Ecumenical Church Leaders' Forum) presented a paper on Churches and the National Healing Process, whilst human rights lawyer and researcher Dewa Mavhinga who is now Coordinator of the Crisis Zimbabwe Coalition Regional Office in South Africa was also invited as a key facilitator.

The meeting emphasized the need for renewed urgency in church and civil society action to address rising political violence, human rights violations and tensions within the Inclusive Government. Two years after its signing, the GPA is threatened with collapse as ZANU PF and MDC leaders fail to agree on full implementation.

President Robert Mugabe's call for elections in 2011 has provoked a return to election campaign mode and violence in provinces across Zimbabwe. The constitutional reform exercise in which the churches have been involved has failed the legitimacy test as violence has been unleashed by militia on ordinary citizens wishing to express their views. Very little progress on national healing and reconciliation has taken place with the multi-party National Organ on Healing and Reconciliation close to being defunct. Perpetrators of the 2008 election violence still roam freely and have begun to threaten their victims once again. In a recent incident a young man was beaten by militia for expressing his views during a constitutional outreach meeting in Harare in full view of police who did not act to stop the attack. He later died from his injuries.

There are several clear indicators showing that the same structures used to unleash violence during the 2008 elections are being rejuvenated and that the next election will most likely be a very violent exercise once again.

The meeting also discussed several other issues including international restrictive measures and sanctions imposed on members of the ZANU PF party and the unresolved issue of conflict diamonds, militarization and plundering of the country's natural resources. We were also briefed on the continued persecution of Anglican church leaders and members in Zimbabwe by groups supported by powerful politicians and police.

After these intensive deliberations, Zimbabwean churches re-affirmed their commitment to providing moral leadership and united prophetic action to the country and play a proactive role in helping prevent a return to full scale violence and repressive rule towards the next election. The churches also underlined the importance of ensuring that the will of the people is freely expressed and respected on all national issues including the constitutional reform and election processes. At the end of the meeting Zimbabwean churches agreed on an action plan whose implementation will begin immediately and came up with a Coordinating Mechanism that will drive the implementation of the plan. They also highlighted the importance of engaging SADC, the African Union and regional church partners. EZN members also undertook to continue to provide active support and solidarity to the Zimbabwean church groups through lobby and advocacy actions in members' home countries, European Union and at the United Nations.

EZN's 6th Meeting will take place in the Southern Africa region in 2011.

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