SW Radio Africa (London)
Tererai Karimakwenda
10 June 2011
The Saturday discussions on Zimbabwe, being held on the sidelines of the Free Trade Area summit in Johannesburg, have attracted much media attention.
Civic groups and political parties have organized activities to ensure that no aspect of the crisis back home, especially ZANU-PF abuses, is ignored. Pressure is also growing on regional leaders to finally deal with Robert Mugabe.
The ZANU-PF thugs who disrupted a Crisis Coalition press conference on Thursday were captured on video by activists and a report of “common assault” has been filed with South Africa’s police. The complainant, Rodrick Magaisa, says the ZANU-PF chairperson for Johannesburg, Ndaba Nyoni, attacked him with a piece of glass.
Dewa Mavhinga, regional coordinator for Crisis, said the disruptions are an attempt by ZANU-PF to divert attention from their failings and from important SADC business.
“We are confident that SADC leaders are clear about what is happening and what ought to be done in Zimbabwe,” Mavhinga explained.
Mavhinga said they expected ZANU-PF to make further attempts to disrupt activities. The group’s photo exhibit titled “Zimbabwe Footprints of Abuse” opened in Sandton on Friday. Mavhinga said it includes very upsetting images of the state-sponsored violence from the 2008 elections and recent incidents.
“It is clear evidence that the maker of violence in Zimbabwe is ZANU PF and their state machinery,” he added.
There is also a protest rally scheduled for Saturday in Sandton. “We are pleading with SADC leaders to ensure that a credible roadmap for elections is produced, that addresses violence and military interference in electoral affairs,” Mavhinga said.
Meanwhile, officials from the Swaziland Democracy Campaign expressed solidarity with Zimbabwean activists and called on SADC leaders to ensure that peaceful elections are held. A statement from the Swazi Campaign said they hope the protest “will serve as a wake up call to SADC” as the grouping has “virtually destroyed its own reputation by prevaricating on the need for democratic change in Zimbabwe”.
“Those campaigning for democracy in Swaziland share the frustrations of the people of Zimbabwe,” the statement said.
The intensified pressure on SADC leaders is bound to ensure that the discussions on Zimbabwe are heated. It remains to be seen whether the region will finally act on Robert Mugabe, and ensure he stops the violence and allows free and fair elections to be held.
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Link:
Zimbabwe: Pressure Grows On Regional Leaders Ahead of Talks