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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
Civil
groups to set common agenda for resolving Zimbabwe crisis
Tererai Karimakwenda, SW Radio Africa
January 24, 2008
http://www.swradioafrica.com/NEWS240108/Civil240108.htm
A broad coalition
of civil society organisations has convened what they are calling
the People's Convention, which will take place on Friday and Saturday
in Harare. The aim is to assess the critical situation the people
of Zimbabwe are facing, and map the way forward in resolving the
political crisis that has crippled the country. The Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZ), Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) and the umbrella National
Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) are among
the groups involved.
Fambai Ngirande, spokesperson
for NANGO, said the groups came together bearing in mind the failure
of the SADC initiated talks to resolve the crisis. He described
the Convention as an attempt by civil society to determine the kind
of 'Zimbabwe' people want to see, and the kind of political dispensation
they want in the 2008 elections.
Ngirande explained that
they are hoping for an all-inclusive democratic transition in the
country. This means including the voices of the vulnerable, the
weak and the church. He said: "We are trying to make it a truly
people-centred initiative that has everyone who can input into the
Zimbabwe that we want." The civil groups believe the environment
that exists today is not conducive to free and fair elections.
Ngirande criticised the
talks mediated by South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki that are
currently stalled. He said there had been no consultation and no
consensus from the people. Civil organisations were not included
in the talks and they felt betrayed. He added that the whole process
involved politicians consolidating their power bases.
Ngirande said the Convention
will produce a Charter that will define the kind of activities that
civil society will be taking on. They also plan to activate dialogue
and engagement with the government of Zimbabwe, other groups in
the Diaspora, and the diplomatic community.
Meanwhile, civil groups
from Zimbabwe succeeded in putting the critical situation at home
on the agenda at the Civil Society Forum that is taking place in
Addis Ababa, ahead of the African Union Summit. This is one way
to lobby for an issue to be included on the final agenda that is
discussed by the Heads of State.
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