The human rights and political situation in Zimbabwe has continued to deteriorate.
Introduction
Not only has the government continued to fragrantly flout and deny the populace their human rights, but going by the recent vicious assaults on peaceful members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions in Harare, it appears that they have now publicly sanctioned the use of brutal force on anyone who dares challenge the status quo.
Politically, the weakened state of the opposition continues to offer the ruling ZANU PF party space and opportunities to campaign well enough to beat the two MDC factions and the United People s Party during the recent by elections in Rushinga and Chikomba which took place on the 7th of October 2006. In both constituencies the ruling party romped home, winning on average about 80% of the vote.
Although ZANU – PF has traditionally always had strong support in the rural areas, these results are a sad indictment of how ineffective the opposition is, even in the face of the very serious political and economic hardships which are severely affecting all sections of the population. For most Zimbabweans life has got tougher as the days unfold.
In the meanwhile, neighbouring states and the UK government in particular have not been putting enough pressure on the Robert Mugabe regime to change. In light of the lacklustre and ineffective overtures by the international community, more of the same is expected in Zimbabwe – at least in the short term.
Given the above state of affairs, this report will underscore the challenges faced by all those fighting to preserve what little of ‘democracy’ still remains in Zimbabwe. Furthermore, the report will allude to the political strife within ZANU –PF and will say that the ongoing infighting within the ruling party may yet present opportunities for the opposition forces to advance their objectives of delivering a new Zimbabwe.
In addition, it will briefly appraise the UK situation vis – a vis the advocacy work being done across the whole gamut of Zimbabwean societal needs and will single out the commendable work being done by the youth group called Free Zim Youth.
In its assessment of the work being done by the hotch - potch of Zimbabwean community organisations and associations in the UK, the report will conclude that whilst there is hope for greater cooperation and networking between and among them, many challenges still present, mainly those deriving from political and tribal affiliations.
The report will also say that recent initiatives to try and forge a more coordinated front by these numerous groups in the UK are welcome as the benefits of closer cooperation are obvious. These include avoidance of duplication of effort, efficiency through achieving more with less, the fostering of greater inter-organisational tolerance and greater understanding. Indeed, all these attributes are critical as Zimbabweans weather the storm and prepare for a new chapter in their history.
Due to the inextricable link between, politics, human rights and the economic considerations, the report will also take into account the performance of the economy and its impact on the political landscape in Zimbabwe. In this regard, aspects of food shortages and inflation will be highlighted.
The report relied heavily on secondary sources in the form of news websites and television reports as well as some qualitative evidence from informal contacts that are on the ground in Zimbabwe. It is somewhat handicapped by the lack of first hand experiences of the situation in the country.
The same is not true of its appraisal of the UK group’s efforts of advocating for change in Zimbabwe and indeed in the UK governments policies on Zimbabwean Asylum seekers and refugees. In this regard, the report benefits from first hand experiences of the advocacy work being done and the spirit in which it is being executed. As for the objectivity of the report, it is up to the reader to judge from the facts.
State sponsored violence
Recent press reports suggests that the Zimbabwe government intends to continue tinkering with the peoples rights such as the right to freely express themselves through public actions such as street campaigns. According to Kembo Mohadi, the Home Affairs minister, there are plans afoot to stop organisations such as the MDC from protesting in the streets for fear incitement to overthrow the present government.
The continuous decline of the socio – economic and political situation in Zimbabwe has seen human rights being pushed further and further away from the country’s agenda by the Mugabe government. Earlier this month, in a clear sign of a derogation of its legal and moral responsibility of protecting the people’s human rights, the government, through the police, dealt very strongly with members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) who were on the streets demonstrating for better pay and economic performance.
Some of them including Wellington Chibhebhe, the secretary general were so badly beaten that they had to be hospitalised and up to now still have bandages and plaster casts as a result of the beatings they sustained at a Harare police station. Again, evidence suggests that violence has become institutionalised in an institution whose main duty is to protect the public.
Difficult times
To paraphrase from the late Steve Biko, not only are the people being kicked, but they are being told how to respond to the kicking. Instead of speaking out against such utterances and vicious attacks on Trade Unions, neighbouring states have favoured quiet diplomacy which has not achieved anything tangible. Owing to its political linkages and economic sway over Zimbabwe, South Africa in particular has failed to play a more meaningful role in trying to help the situation in its neighbouring country.
Given that members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), who had come to show solidarity for their Zimbabwean counterparts, were unceremoniously deported from the country, no condemnation was forthcoming for the South African government. Only the trade unions criticised the Mugabe regime for their interference with the legitimate activities of trade unions through brutal force.
Indifference and Inactivity
The indifference which has been shown by Zimbabwe’s neighbours has also been mirrored on the international stage. In the words of Lord Blaker, “London and Pretoria should end their silence over the Zimbabwe situation and speak against misrule”.[1] His comments illuminate the problem. Most of the ‘actions’, other than the smart sanctions currently imposed on many of the country’s leadership, have been in the form of insipid rebukes.
Although the UK Government summoned the Zimbabwean ambassador to express its dismay at the way the ZCTU leadership and members were treated by the Police, the lack of a coherent strategy to deal with the issues in Zimbabwe leaves room for many interpretations. After all, according to the talk Zimbabwe website (talkzimababwe.com), the House of Lords, on the 25th of October 2006, noted that the human rights situation in Zimbabwe is now so bad that it should be reported to the United Nations Security Council.
Despite efforts by Gideon Gono, the Reserve bank governor, to deal with hyper inflation in Zimbabwe, the country has the highest rate of inflation in the world. At the last time of checking, it stood at well over 1300%.
The economy is in meltdown and food shortages have continued to worsen.
Basics such as bread and maize are hard to get and when they are available, are sold at extortionate rates - well above the reach of the ordinary man. Unemployment is well over 70 % and rising. The government has announced plans to import maize from other countries such as Zambia in order to address food security concerns. It would not be surprising to see food aid being used by the ruling party to further its political agenda in the rural constituencies.
Many people now rely on remittances from their family members, relatives and friends out of the country to enable them to survive the harsh economic conditions. This month’s withdrawal of many licences from private foreign exchange companies by the government has interfered with people’s ability to access these much funds which help them make ends meet. The black market will grow even stronger as a result.
According to economists, the very same remittances are partly responsible for keeping inflation high as there is an artificial increase in buying power which forces prices up. Despite this very trying environment, the opposition has failed to exploit the situation and make political headway. This in part owes to the split of the MDC which has resulted in ZANU PF winning seats in recent by elections.
Losing Political Ground
According to the Herald newspaper of the 9th of October 2006, ZANU PF not only won convincingly in the recent by elections in Rushinga and Chikomba, it also won “13 out of the 14 wards that were contested in the rural district council elections….”[2]
Whilst one accepts that each party normally has strongholds and that vote tempering is always possible as alleged by the defeated MDC candidate, the lack of a good showing for the opposition is a cause for concern. For example, in Rushinga, ZANU PF polled 13 642 votes against 1801 votes for the MDC – Tsvangirai party.[3]
MDC Re-invention and
Cracks in Zanu PF
There appears to be a need for reinvention on the part of the opposition, particularly MDC as it has the biggest potential of mounting a formidable challenge in the 2008 presidential elections. Speaking in London, in the House of Lords on the 25th of this month, Lord St John lamented the lack of plausible opposition in Zimbabwe. More work remains to be done in this aspect of Zimbabwean politics. Perhaps the infighting within ZANU PF itself offers new opportunities for the opposition and all those fighting for change in Zimbabwe.
According to the publication Sokwanele, there are 2 factions which have emerged in the ruling party power struggle. These are the Joyce Mujuru and Emerson Mnangagwa camps. All are eying the top job after Mugabe’s demise. It would be premature to predict a winner so soon in the ‘game’ but time will tell. Nonetheless, these cracks should provide useful ammunition for the opposition.
Actors in the Diaspora
Zimbabweans in the UK have over the years shown real spirit and dedication to the cause. Numerous organisations have mushroomed all over the UK and all purport to be serving the needs of their people. Whatever the truth of these claims, the lack of collaboration between them has reduced the impact they may have had in dealing with issues in the UK and in Zimbabwe.
It would be inaccurate though not to mention that some good work has been done by these organisations. Special mention is merited by the Free Zim Youth organisation led by the energetic Alois Mbawara and his counterpart Wellington Chibhanguza. They have often teamed up with Peter Tatchel, a seasoned and consistent campaigner on Zimbabwe to good effect.
Only 2 days ago, they held an effective demonstration at the London School of Economics where the South African foreign Minister was delivering a lecture. They challenged Dr Zuma and South Africa to take meaningful steps at aimed at addressing the problems of human rights violations and general misrule in Zimbabwe. It is hoped that all their gallant and spirited efforts are not be in vain.
International Recognition
There are other groups and individuals too who are taking action to further the Zimbabwean cause. Human rights watch has recently honoured Arnold Tsunga, a human rights lawyer in Zimbabwe for his commitment and bravery in fighting for peoples rights in a very harsh environment. He will be receiving his prize in New York on the 2nd of November 2006.
“Tsunga is the executive director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, an organisation which provides legal representation to victims of human rights abuses, including human rights defenders who are often arrested and detained in Zimbabwe”.[4] He has helped to document and bring many of the human rights atrocities to the attention of the international community.
Coming together
A recent development aimed at the creation of a politically non aligned coalition of all such organisations is a positive move. Potentially, this initiative will see greater participation and collaboration between the groups and will help in cutting down duplication of effort. This should see the groups operating more efficiently and should prevent the politics within the two opposing MDC factions from negatively affecting the workings of these committed Zimbabweans.
In the end, it is clear that Zimbabweans are in the eye of the storm and will need to be vigilant and dynamic in thoughts and deeds if they are to weather the storm. Food security remains a major challenge and an opportunity for the opposition. Human rights and political freedoms are constantly under attack and hard work still remains to protect and ensure that no one gets away with the breach of peoples rights.
The international community has to do more to help the brave efforts of Zimbabweans at home and abroad who are fighting so gallantly to advance the cause of a new Zimbabwe. In this respect, a plausible opposition front will be necessary if any new initiatives by the international community are to have any impact on the ground.
It will take more than commitment alone to achieve this. Good and effective planning and organisational skills will be needed in addition to courage and selflessness if positive change is to be achieved. As the saying goes, after the storm comes the calm.
