SUSAN NJANJI, Harare | Sunday
ZIMBABWE’S leading civic groups on Saturday called for an end to political violence, economic decay, land reforms and stressed the need for free and fair presidential polls next year.
Some 500 delegates drawn from rights groups and labour unions across the country attended the one-day conference here dubbed “Crisis in Zimbabwe – a time to act”.
They agreed that the crises facing Zimbabwe need to be resolved immediately before the country slides into an abyss.
The one-day meeting ended with a list of resolutions and demands, and a threat of civil disobedience if government fails to accede to them.
“The conference believe that the crises in Zimbabwe must be resolved immediately before the country descends into chaos,” the groups said in a resolution.
“We reserve the democratic right to engage in civic action, including civil disobedience, if government refuse to accede to the demands of this conference or to engage in meaningful discussion on these demands,” the resolution said.
They also called on regional and international bodies such as the United Nations, the European Union, the Commonwealth and the African Union “to use their influence to bring about a restoration of peace, functioning democracy and the rule of law within Zimbabwe.”
“There must be an immediate return to the rule of law,” they urged.
Zimbabwe is in the grips of its worst-ever depression, with inflation and unemployment rates at more than 60%, and foreign currency reserves all but exhausted.
While acknowledging the need for land reform in the country, the groups condemned the violence associated with the current scheme dubbed “fast track” land reform.
“We fully accept the present inequities and that there is urgent need for a major land reform in Zimbabwe,” but “the reform must be properly planned and executed… and carried out within the legal framework and without violence.” “There must be an immediate cessation of the current fast track land reforms and evacuation of all occupied farms,” the groups proposed.
They agreed for a need for a comprehensive constitutional reform before the 2002 presidential elections and called for the setting up of an independent electoral commission and a code of conduct for political campaign.
“All Zimbabweans must feel free to exercise their political rights without fear.”
“The chances of an internationally acceptable presidential election taking place in Zimbabwe are looking bleak,” conference spokesman Brian Raftopoulos had earlier said. – AFP
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