Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum
The Escalating Zimbabwe Crisis
A demand for socio-economic and political transformation
The Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum (ZSF) joins all progressive forces that are deeply concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation, ongoing human rights violations and the inability of the Zimbabwe government to effectively respond to the demands and needs of the people of Zimbabwe.
The escalating mass arrests, illegal detention and brutal treatment of activists organised around socio-economic and political concerns are unacceptable. Forced disappearances and repression against juveniles adds a dangerous and aggravating element to the escalating tensions.
Working in solidarity with organised Zimbabweans inside the country and in the diaspora the ZSF has pledged its support to the emerging demands for far-reaching political and economic reforms. We will be working with solidarity formations across the region to add weight to the call for SADC leaders to intervene before the country descends into further chaos and bloodshed.
The ZSF specifically calls on the heads of States of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to heed the sage advice of the respected group of Elders and urgently apply pressure on Zimbabwe to implement the constitutional reforms that will support a successful and inclusive transition in Zimbabwe and a return to stability and growth for the country and the region.
The ZSF commends the bravery and resilience of the people of Zimbabwe, organising under extremely difficult circumstances. This commitment attests to the reality that ultimately the solutions to the complex challenges in Zimbabwe will be owned and driven by the people of Zimbabwe. But people-to-people solidarity actions and the involvement of regional leadership is needed now to contain and prevent excesses by the state and add impetus to the calls for reform.
While we call on SADC and the African Union, to facilitate a transformative transition in Zimbabwe, the ZSF will be working with its allies to build a collaborative solidarity response:
1. A Regional Solidarity Summit on Zimbabwe will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Summit will give a comprehensive analysis of the Zimbabwe crisis, debate the politics around transition; identify possible immediate scenarios and developing strategies sustainable transformation. The outcomes of the summit will give guidance and energy to the broader regional solidarity action on Zimbabwe.
2. The ZSF will be strengthening its National and Regional Solidarity Structures to maximise participation of the citizens across the SADC Region who seek to express their solidarity support and respond rapidly to increasing the levels of violence.
The ZSF reasserts the importance of recognising that the concerns around the current climate in Zimbabwe and the flouting of democratic principles and values is not a concern for Zimbabweans alone. Current events in Zimbabwe are a concern for all progressive forces across the region and throughout the continent of Africa. Our collective future is threatened by the anti-democratic and violent nature of state actions in Zimbabwe, the time to take action is now.
About the ZSF
Hosted by the ACTION Support Centre, the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum is a network movement of progressive South African civil society organisations, including youth, women, labour, faith-based, human rights and student formations that are engaged in the promotion of people-to-people solidarity for sustainable development, peace, democracy and respect for human and peoples rights in Zimbabwe. The ZSF works collaboratively with regional counterparts and solidarity formations in Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland
For additional information may you kindly contact:
Philani Ndebele
Campaigns Manager
The ACTION Support Centre
+27 11 482 2453, +27 76 942 3565
philani@asc.org.za