By Edward Makuzva
Harare, Zimbabwe. (News of The South) -Citizens’ Manifesto Conveyor, Briggs Bomba said the Zimbabwean government should immediately take measures to create an inclusive framework for national Dialogue towards a Comprehensive National Settlement as already proposed through the National Convergence Platform.
Addressing Journalists today, in the capital, Bomba said the government should not blow this chance to resolve the national crisis.
“As a citizens’ social movement, we are founded on a vision of a ” Better Zimbabwe for all” and this vision is anchored on respect for human rights, democracy and social justice.
“In support of# ZimbabweanLivesMatter we have come up with a citizens’ petition which has been signed by over 2000 calling South Africa and the SADC region to do more to pressure the Zimbabwean government to finding a solution to the current crisis.
“In this interim we call on the government to seize the crackdown against dissenting voices, release all political prisoners and stop the widespread persecution of activists and respect our democratic rights as granted by the constitution”, Bomba explained.
The Citizens Manifesto Conveyor highlighted we demand an immediate end to the persecution of civil society and opposition political activists as well as the wanton harassment of ordinary citizens by security forces under the guise of enforcing Covid-19 lockdown measures.
Bomba added when the liberation struggle was waged against colonial era injustices, at it’s core was the proclamation that #ZimbabweanLivesMatter! Forty years later, this Clarion quest for dignity remains unfulfilled.
He said Zimbabwe is in deep crisis and as citizens’ we can’t breathe under the burden of a total social, economic and political breakdown.
“We are calling on all progressive citizens to protest and speak out against the unjust state affairs in our country. To end this we echo and stand in solidarity with recent statements by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishop’s s Conference as well as the Platform for Concerned Citizens’ among others.
” Equally we are calling on Citizens’ of SADC, Africa and indeed, the world to speak in solidarity with the long suffering and our struggle” Bomba added.
Bomba said the appointment of special envoys to look into the zimbabwean crisis by the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa and we expect these envoys to engage widely guided by the interests of ordinary Zimbabweans.
Comments
About Author
