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WOZA
remind mayor his deadline is up
Women
of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
June 30, 2006
His Worship,
Japhet Ndabeni Ncube
The Executive Mayor of Bulawayo
CITY HALL BULAWAYO
Your Worship,
Re: Visit
to your offices by members on 14 June 2006
World Refugee
Day 20 June Campaign - "We are refugees in our own country. Our
lives have been stolen but the flame of hope still burns. We demand
the right to earn a living."
We are writing
to thank you for granting us an audience on 14 June 2006 and for
listening to our requests with such respect.
The issue that
brought us to your offices during our World Refugee Day campaign
was Bulawayo City Council involvement in Operation
Murambatsvina activities being conducted by a Government that
no longer cares for its citizens. We had noted that when the Operation
was launched, your office and Council were lonely voices speaking
out and trying to defend the right to trade of the long-marginalized
people of Matabeleland. However we have noted that in the last few
months, Council has been at the forefront of harassing parents trying
to put food into the mouths of their children. Children who cannot
now even access affordable education and thereby a better future.
We also note that previous concessions to freely trade during weekends
and holidays have also been withdrawn. We also remind you that we
informed you that the process of registering for vending licenses
has become politicized and that we are therefore not able to register
and refuse to allow the right to earn a living to be only for those
carrying Zanu PF party cards.
Some of our members
noted the Bulawayo Upcoming Traders Association court order barring
the council and the police from raiding until a solution could be
found. Bulawayo City Council has ignored this. After our visit we
resolved to observe the situation to see if there would be any change,
but there has been no change. We then saw Council being quoted through
spokesman, Pathisa Nyathi on 28 June 2006 in Zim Online saying Council
will continue to raid vendors.
We are now writing
to ask you the following questions.
- Where is the
spirit of Ubuntu you spoke to us about?
- Are you forsaking
the legacy left behind by the Kings this city is named for - Mambo,
Mzilikazi and the King of the Kalanga people?
- We demand
you call a full Council meeting and withdraw from any Operation
Murambatsvina activities until a solution is found that.
All we are asking
for is our right to earn a living because without that right and
the right to keep what we earn, there is no right to life. See the
African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, Article 22:
- All peoples
shall have the right to their economic, social and cultural development
with due regard to their freedom and identity..
- States shall
have the duty ... to ensure the exercise of the right to development.
See Convention on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination
against Women (CEDAW), Article 14: "State parties shall take appropriate
measures ..that they participate in and benefit from rural development
and ensure the right: (e) to organise self-help groups and co-operatives
in order to obtain equal access to economic opportunities through
employment or self employment."
Visit
the WOZA fact
sheet
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