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All stakeholders constitutional conference communiqué
Joint Statement
September 29, 2007

Visit the special index of articles, analysis and opinion on Constitutional Amendment 18

We, civil society organisations and citizens of Zimbabwe, having met on 29 September 2007 in the city of Bulawayo to deliberate on the implications of Constitutional Amendment Number 18 and the SADC led mediation between the ruling ZANU PF and opposition MDC parties on the future of Zimbabwe; and with the full knowledge of our democratic right to meet and discuss issues that we hold pertinent to the establishment of a democratic and people-centred Zimbabwe; with a complete understanding of previous all stakeholders conventions that have consistently called for a people driven constitutional reform process in order for our country to have a new democratic constitution, hereby resolve the following:

1. Consistent with the principles and resolutions of previous all stakeholders conventions, we reiterate our demand for a new, democratic and people driven constitution as a foundation for resolving the crises in our country.

2. We totally reject the piecemeal amendment to the current constitution. Accordingly we reject Constitutional Amendment Number 18 and any further piecemeal amendments to the current constitution.

3. We regard recent events surrounding the passing of Amendment 18 as a serious infringement of our principle that a new constitution must be derived from a people driven process. We shall therefore communicate to political parties involved in these processes our displeasure at this serious breach of principle and ask them in both word and actions to retract their position and reaffirm their commitment to this principle.

4. That the SADC mediation has not taken into account the input of the ordinary people of Zimbabwe as represented by civil society organisations and therefore is flawed by way of process as well as by the levels of secrecy that have characterised it. We therefore call upon SADC and in particular President Mbeki of South Africa to accept the principle that the future of Zimbabwe cannot be resolved by secret talks between MDC and Zanu Pf. In this respect we do not accept the exclusion of civil society and other political parties form the current SADC talks.

5. Pursuant to our communication to the MDC in resolution 3 and MDC’s response thereof we shall convene a people’s convention to consider the MDC’s response to and actions regarding our core principles as civil society and map a practical way forward.

6. That despite the SADC led mediation process the political environment in Zimbabwe remains repressive without recognition of the rights of the people of Zimbabwe to freedom of association and freedom of expression wherein human rights defenders, civil society activists are still being targeted through unlawful detention, torture and harassment.

7. That the people of Zimbabwe continue to live in economic circumstances that remain inhumane and demand the recognition of their rights to sustainable livelihoods through social and economic justice.

8. That we mandate each organisation attending this conference to conduct outreach programmes at the grassroots level with a view to spreading the virtues of the principles articulated at this conference.

9. To facilitate implementation of our resolutions, we mandate the leaders of civic groups attending this conference to constitute a task team which will report at the people’s convention.

10. That we, as civil society organisations, shall remain united and open to dialogue with any Zimbabwean on issues that are of importance to the future of the country whilst remaining accountable and consistent with the principle of a people driven constitution reform process and promises of the liberation war of jobs and equal opportunity.

Organisations present: Over 930 members of the following organisations endorsed this communiqué.

1. WOZA

2. MISA

3. ZIMCODD

4. CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE

5. SAVEZIMBABWE

6. SST

7. ISO

8. ZINASU

9. NCA

10. ZLHR

11. PTUZ

12. MMPZ

13. ZESN

14. NANGO

15. YIDEZ

16. CHRA

17. ZYCS

18. RORH

19. ZADHR

20. ZCTU

21. ZIMBABWE YOUTH MOVEMENT

22. ZSS

23. SCMZ

24. BULAWAYO AGENDA

25. HUMAN RIGHTS NGO FORUM

26. ZIMRIGHTS

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