MDC to protest at SA embassies
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PRESS RELEASE
WHAT: Free Zimbabwe Global Protest
WHERE: At All South African Embassies, Consulate Missions and Union Buildings
WHEN: Saturday, January 21, 2012
This is an appeal to all Zimbabweans and Friends of Zimbabwe wherever they may dwell to heed the call for a worldwide mass protest at the Embassies, Consulate Missions and the Union Buildings of the Republic of South Africa on Saturday, January 21, 2012. The protests will be held simultaneously to gain media leverage and attain maximum coverage. We will hand over petitions of our demands to the authorities at these targeted institutions. These protest demonstrations will continue on a monthly basis until the South African facilitators to the GPA heed our demands.
Reasons for Targeting South African Embassies, Consulates and Union Buildings
· South Africa, through its former President Thabo Mbeki, was the chief architect of the GPA and the coalition government.
· As the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) appointed mediator, SA is responsible for ensuring that the GPA is implemented to the letter and spirit of its intent.
· South Africa, with the support of China and Russia blocked UN Security Council action on the Zimbabwe crisis/
· South Africa has always maintained to the world that the Zimbabwean crisis is an African problem that requires African solutions, so we want to hold them true to their word.
· South Africa as the dominant power in Africa has the political and economic muscle to get Robert Mugabe and his Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU-PF) to respect the wishes of the Zimbabwean people which were demonstrated through the overwhelming support of the MDC in the 2008 elections.
· South Africa itself was a beneficiary of global protests that resulted in the demise of apartheid and ushered in a new democratic era.
· By virtue of being Zimbabwe's neighbor, and considering the number of Zimbabwean refugees in SA, it is commonsensical that SA has a strong national interest in finding a lasting solution to the Zimbabwean crisis.
The Major Protest Issues
1. The deterioration of the GPA agreement - The refusal by ZANU- PF to implement the GPA in letter and spirit.
2. Rising political tension in the country - increasing cases of violence as ZANU-PF forces its election campaign ideology on the people.
3. Total disrespect of the Prime Minister's office by the police - the security apparatus is now above the law, disruption of MDC rallies.
4. Continued incarceration of MDC members - including party youth leader Solomon Madzore.
5. Grand theft of the Marange diamond proceeds which should be used to benefit the country at large and not diverted to maintain Mugabe's party in power
6. The disruptive Indigenization Act - discourages foreign investment and benefits the elite.
7. Security Sector Reforms - Repeal of the Public Order and Security Act and bringing to justice members of the security forces who do not respect the rule of law.
8. Media Reforms – Repeal the Access to Information and Privacy Protection Act (AIPPA) and opening up of the airwaves. Condemn the partisan issuance of two broadcasting licenses to ZANU- PF affiliates.
9. Electoral Act reforms – remove all language and articles that give undue power to ZANU- PF functionaries.
10. A New and Clean Voters' Roll – Dismissal of the current ZANU-PF aligned Register-General Tobaiwa Mudede and the dissolution of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and appointment of a new independent body.
11. The Election Roadmap - the role of international observers six months before and after elections. We also demand a peacekeeping force during the same period.
12. Dual Citizenship in the new Constitution.
13. The Diaspora Vote – more than 5 million Zimbabweans in the Diaspora constitute a substantial portion of the electorate and should be allowed to vote.
14. Deportation of Zimbabwe nationals from South Africa - this is inhumane based on the conditions in Zimbabwe.#333333">#333333; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
