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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Strikes and Protests 2007/8 - Index of articles
WOZA
& MOZA commemorate Human Rights Day in the streets of Bulawayo:
No cause for celebration
Women
of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
December 10, 2008
http://wozazimbabwe.org/?p=280
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| WOZA members outside
The Chronicle, 10 Dec 08 |
OVER 1,000 members
of WOZA marched through the streets of central Bulawayo today to
the offices of the state-owned Chronicle newspaper. The peaceful
group distributed flyers calling on the so-called government to
stand aside to allow the United Nations to deal with the humanitarian
crisis. Other flyers distributed by the group demanded the immediate
release of Jestina Mukoko, Violet Mupfuranhehwe and her two-year
old baby and the other pro-democracy activists abducted in the last
few weeks. They also sang custom-composed songs to portray their
message. No arrests have been reported at the time of this release.
The peaceful
protest also commemorated Human Rights Day and the 60th anniversary
of the United Nations Declaration
on Human Rights under the theme - Human Rights of Women -
Human Rights for All. Zimbabweans - stand up for the TRUTH and it
will set you free of this regime.
Eight riot
police, accompanied by a senior ranking officer, arrived at the
Chronicle offices after the protest dispersed. They were overheard
asking each other who to arrest. The officer was observed radioing
for instructions, whilst the others arrested the placards and newsletters
and started to follow the trail of the protest. At this time, an
audit is being conducted to check if any arrests have been made.
Both protests
yesterday in Harare and today in Bulawayo were lead by different
levels of leadership to send a clear message to the regime that
even if they arrest WOZA leaders, there are others to step forward
and lead. Strict non-violent discipline was observed by all participants.
Comments overheard
from bystanders in the bank queues included one woman saying to
another, "this is WOZA - and they are singing the truth
- children are crying." To which the other woman replied,
"why don't you join them?" The answer: "I
am a coward".
On this Human
Rights Day, WOZA would like to pay tribute to all human rights defenders
in the country, commend them for their courage and urge them to
remain resolute in the fight for a better Zimbabwe.
Visit the WOZA fact
sheet
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