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Zimbabwe: Role of Civil Society in Country Vital
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Business Daily (Nairobi)
OPINION
25 March 2008
Posted to the web 26 March 2008
Kumi Naidoo
Nairobi
In a few days time, Zimbabwe will be holding its national harmonised elections, combining the presidential, parliamentary, senate and local elections. The last election in March 2005 was marred by state violence against voters and civil society activists, and severe silencing of the media.
Tragically, in the three years since, the situation has continued to worsen for both activists as well as the average Zimbabwean citizen. Food shortages have increased, inflation has skyrocketed and repression of civil society actors has become even more heavy-handed.
Inflation is now at a level when figures and notes appear meaningless, and where $100 buys about 20 kilogrammes of local currency. The harvest for this year is well below the needs of the country, and the government is rushing to bring in maize imports from other Southern African states, as well as relying on food aid. A year ago, in March 2007, the violent suppression of a prayer meeting by Zimbabwean police made headlines around the world.
A few weeks later I visited Zimbabwe and was struck by the stories of violence, as well as the stories of courage coming out of the country. In the months that followed, civil society actors critical of government actions sadly continued to be threatened, arrested and attacked.
In reaction to the March 2007 violence, the Southern African Development Community initiated talks between the opposition (MDC) and ruling ZANU-PF, mediated by South African President Thabo Mbeki.
Despite the negotiations' focus on free and fair elections, civil society and the media continue to be silenced through restrictive laws, as well as threats and harassment. In this atmosphere, civil society in Zimbabwe - as well as internationally - fears the elections process has already been undermined, preventing public discussion and deliberation.
I was in Geneva for the start of the Human Rights Council session, to speak as one of four civil society representatives at the High Level Segment.
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While I did not speak specifically on Zimbabwe, I pointed to the importance of civil society in the fight against poverty and inequality - and how crucial it is for civil society to have the space to contribute to this work, as well as to many other areas of important work.
Any restrictions on civil society organisations threaten such contributions - which are particularly vital in today's Zimbabwe, where civil society provides the only outlet for public discussion.
Dr Naidoo, is the Secretary General CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
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