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African Freedom Day
Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR)
May 25, 2010

ROHR Zimbabwe joins the people of Africa from the entire member states of the African Union to commemorate this year's African Day of Freedom which is being commemorated under the theme 'The year of peace and security'. The year of peace was proclaimed by the 14th ordinary session of the African Union Assembly in Addis Ababa Ethiopia and the Tripoli Declaration on the Elimination of Conflicts in Africa and the Promotion of sustainable Peace. African Freedom Day came to be as a result of the 1st Pan African conference of 1958 to symbolize the unity and determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation. We acknowledge that the hosting of the 2010 World Cup Football show which kicks off in a few days is a historic milestone for the entire African continent.

This year's commemorations come at a time when the continent of Africa is in need of visionary leadership with a new dimension that is premised on development that is based on the foundation of the unity of the people of Africa, the respect of the inalienability of human rights and the dignity of the human family as enshrined in the Universal declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and People's Rights.

Cognizant of the fact that the body politic in Africa has shifted from the era of colonization by foreign nations, African states have attained sovereignty and self rule, there is need of the African Union to shift attention towards the need of ensuring that people of Africa exercise their fundamental right to chose leaders of their choice without fear of coercion or persecution. The sprouting of negotiated coalition governments as in the case of Zimbabwe and Kenya is against the people's wishes and runs contrary to democratic principles.

The persistent raging armed and unarmed conflicts in Madagascar, Somalia, Sudan, Darfur, Guinea and Zimbabwe are attesting to a failed leadership. It is concerning that when leaders fail it is innocent people who bear the brunt of selfish pursuit of power driven struggles. Millions of African people find themselves outside of their boarders of birth due to the scourge of political conflict, security concerns, and abuse of human rights, economic hardships and poverty.

Worse still, against the spirit of our connectedness derived from our common struggles, challenges and achievements reports have sprouted of cases of gross ill-treatment of refugees in other countries, as in unfortunate case of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa in the recent years.

As ROHR Zimbabwe we note with concern that, a lot needs to be done in putting focus in efforts to promote sustainable peace and security in the grassroots communities particularly in countries emerging from legacies of violence and hotly contested elections like Zimbabwe. The continued relentless victimization of victims of political violence of the year 2008 and subsequent failure of their official recognition particularly by the government of Zimbabwe undermines the declaration of the year 2010 being a year of peace and security.

We challenge the coalition government to use the treatment of past victims of political violence as the barometer of measuring peace efforts before more talk is generated on the country's preparedness of holding the next credible election that can produce legitimate results that reflect the people's choices. As long as victims of political violence continue to be persecuted it means any attempt to hold elections will only produce more victims.

The country can only redeem its image on the continent by refraining from political violence, putting to an end the cancerous culture of impunity, respecting human rights, embracing free political activities, freeing the media and stopping corruption. ROHR Zimbabwe's Acting Director, Ronald Mureverwi has slammed the recent arbitrary arrest of political party members of the newly formed MDC99 as a serious violation of the GPA and it reflects badly on the countries' preparedness to transform itself from the dominance of a one party state into a multi party democracy. The suffocation of the political environment amplifies the need for a new democratic constitution that guarantees people's freedoms.

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