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STATEMENT
FROM THE BOTSWANA CIVIL SOCIETY COALITION ON ZIMBABWE (BOCISOCZ)
Statement
after launch of movement
At a meeting
held on Tuesday 20 March 2007, we, BOCISCOZ, comprising The
Botswana Council of Churches (BCC), The Botswana Council of
Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO), The Botswana Secondary
Teachers Trade Union (BOSETU), DITSHWANELO – The Botswana
Centre for Human Rights, The Media Institute of Southern Africa
(MISA) Botswana Chapter, The Concerned Africans Association
(CAA), The People to People Coalition of Zimbabwe (PPCZ),
Amnesty International Botswana, The International Socialists
Botswana, The Disability HIV/AIDS Trust (DHAT), The Botswana
Congress Party (BCP), The Botswana National Front Youth League
(BNFYL), The Bible Society of Botswana, Kgolagano Theological
College, The Lutheran Church, Tirisanyo Catholic Commission,
The Dutch Reformed Church, The Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana,
The Kweneng Rural Development Association (KRDA), Lifeline
Botswana, The Botswana Community Based Organisations Network
(BOCOBONET), The Botswana Network on Law HIV and AIDS (BONELA),
The Botswana Unified Local Government Service Association
(BULGASA), The Botswana Teachers Union (BTU), Habitat for
Humanity Botswana, CORDE, and The Botswana Scouts Association,
wish to express, in the strongest terms, our condemnation
of the recent events which led to the arrests and brutal attacks
on civil society members in Zimbabwe.
We recognise
that:
• there is increasing shrinking democratic space affecting
faith-based, civil society, political, media and human rights
organisations
• the crisis in Zimbabwe has serious security implications
for the country and the Southern Africa region, as suggested
by reports of desertions from the Zimbabwean security forces
• the serious lack of good governance and respect for
human rights has led to the collapse of the rule of law. This
is evident through arbitrary arrests and detention, assaults
by the security forces on citizens and the flouting of court
orders by those in authority. The current policy of ‘silent
diplomacy’ used in the SADC region in dealing with the
Zimbabwe question, has proved to be ineffective. It can no
longer continue to go unchallenged as a valid policy which
guides inter-state relations in the region.
• the number of undocumented migrants from Zimbabwe
into neighbouring countries, including Botswana is increasing.
This is due to the economic hardship faced by the ordinary
citizen.
• there have been recent robust parliamentary debates
in Botswana concerning the Zimbabwean crisis. We are heartened
by this welcome development and believe that it will further
strengthen calls for the reclaiming of democratic space in
Zimbabwe.
BOCISCOZ
commits itself to continuing to take forward the movement
to provide solidarity with the citizens of Zimbabwe. This
we will do through various activities, including the rally
on Thursday 22 March 2007 (GSS Grounds, 4:30p.m.), until there
is positive change in Zimbabwe.
20 March
2007
Gaborone
For more information: please contact DITSHWANELO – The
Botswana Centre for Human Rights.
Tel: 3906998, Fax: 3907778. E-mail: admin.ditshwanelo@info.bw.
Website: www.ditshwanelo.org.bw
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