Press Statement

ZEF Appeals to Zimbabwe Facilitators for Diaspora Vote

04 October 2011

ZEF Press Statement

ZEF Appeals to Zimbabwe Facilitators for Diaspora Vote

The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF) has taken it’s bid for a Diaspora Vote to the Facilitators of Zimbabwe’s Global Political Agreement (GPA). ZEF Executive Director Gabriel Shumba this week appealed to Ambassador Lindiwe Zulu, one of the Facilitators, to ensure that the over 4 million Zimbabweans externally displaced by Zimbabwe’s political and economic crisis are given the franchise following a seminar organized in Pretoria, South Africa, by the Southern African Liason office titled “Building International Consensus Policy Dialogue on Zimbabwe and Swaziland”. The Seminar was held at Burgers Park Hotel and was addressed by among others, Honourable Douglas Mwonzora, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Secretary for Information and Publicity and also Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. Also addressing the meeting was Miriam Mshayi, MDC-N Director of Strategic Planning and Implementation and Thoko Matshe of the Olof Palme International Centre.

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ZEF Letter to His Excellency J Zuma

____________________________________________________________________________

19 November 2010

His Excellency,  Jacob G. Zuma, N.O., President of South Africa and SADC Facilitator

Office of the President,

Union Buildings,

Pretoria.

Your Excellency

RE: SADC’s Search for A Sustainable Political Solution In Zimbabwe, and the Forthcoming Election

The AU, SADC and Facilitator in the GPA guaranteed Zimbabweans a referendum within 17 months of birth of an Inclusive Government –i.e. by July 2010. That didn’t happen. Nor, inexcusably, were airwaves freed or impunity ended [as pledged & guaranteed] to allow open informed debate during its ‘consultations’ on a new Constitution. What the people said on that in 2000 was ignored. What the people said this time was dictated. Extra time cannot cure such defects.

Read more: ZEF Letter to His Excellency J Zuma

Zimbabwean Authorities still ignore the concerns of the South African Government, Civil Society and the plight of desperate passport applicants

Press Statement
ZIMBABWEAN AUTHORITIES STILL IGNORE THE CONCERNS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT, CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE PLIGHT OF DESPERATE PASSPORT APPLICANTS


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Thousands of Zimbabweans have been “robbed” as the Zimbabwean Consulate turns the passport application process into a sham. The consulate continues to shun both its Diaspora and civil society when asked about when and how they will deliver the passports.  This crisis has forced the South African Home Affairs Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to arrange an official visit to Zimbabwe in search of “political intervention”, this visit may be the only way through the current Zimbabwean documentation impasse.   


The Zimbabwean government continues to shamefully fail its Diaspora in South Africa by not delivering desperately needed passports to over 100,000 Zimbabwean migrants. These passports are needed to collect the South African permits offered under the Zimbabwean Dispensation Project.  

Read more: Zimbabwean Authorities still ignore the concerns of the South African Government, Civil Society and the plight of desperate passport applicants

Police, ZANU PF drag Zimbabwe into its dark past

Police, Zanu PF drag Zimbabwe into its dark past
Tuesday, 01 February 2011

The MDC is gravely concerned by what is fast becoming clear that the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and Zanu PF hooligans are targeting the MDC for harassment, violence and wanton arrests on trumped up charges of public violence.

The police have become openly and undisputedly partisan in that in cases of any skirmishes involving youths from rival political parties, it is the MDC that suffers most.  At the moment, dozens of MDC youths have been arrested and charged with public violence, a sizeable number is nursing gunshot and stab wounds in hospitals, hundreds are being hounded out of their homes, and MDC property is being destroyed with impunity.

Read more: Police, ZANU PF drag Zimbabwe into its dark past