Debattartiklar
- Detaljer
- Publicerad söndag, 27 mars 2005 16:27
On the 31st of March, elections are being held in Zimbabwe. During the past few years, the situation in the country has gradually deteriorated, and the preconditions for free and fair elections are virtually non-existent.
In Zimbabwe, young people are being militarized, peaceful protests are clamped down upon, voter education is forbidden and food aid is being used as a political tool.
During the end of last year, the parliament in Zimbabwe debated and approved a new piece of legislation that prohibits Zimbabwean organisations working with issues on democracy and human rights to receive foreign funding. These conditions have forced Swedish organisations which have been supporting the fight for democracy within Zimbabwe to leave the country.
20 years ago, Zimbabwe was a fairly well off democracy with a newly won independence and a lot of hope for the future. Today, wide spread starvation, an inflation of 400 percent, and the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic has affected the life expectancy, which has sunk from 56 to 33 years. The crisis in Zimbabwe is also accentuated by the unfair global trade system.
Violence has characterised previous elections in the country, and Zimbabweans live in constant fear during the run up to the elections. New laws adopted by the parliament limits freedom of speech, press freedom and freedom of assembly. In spite of this, there exists in Zimbabwe a very active civil society, whose champions, with risk for their own lives, continue to advocate for the right of every one to actively participate in the development of the country. For national as well as foreign organisations operating in the country, the grip, however, is tightening.
Since the 1970s Swedish popular movements have supported liberation movements in Southern Africa in their fight for freedom from the colonial powers. During many years, we worked in solidarity with the forces in Zimbabwe fighting for the freedom of all people, for dignity, equality and for peoples right to choose their own leaders through free and fair elections.
Since independence in 1980, our task has been to support the most vulnerable groups in the society and to continue promoting a democratic development of the country. The values that we supported during the liberation struggle are the same that we, through our partner organisations, are striving to fulfil today.
The Africa Groups of Sweden, Diakonia and Forum Syd are supporting organisations working with issues like popular education, HIV/AIDS prevention, the rights of children and of farm workers, promotion of debt cancellation and more fair terms of trade. During the last few years, it has however become increasingly difficult for our organisations to operate in Zimbabwe. Recently, The Africa Groups of Sweden and Forum Syd had to close down our offices and allow our development workers to terminate their contracts since they had been denied work permits.
We are convinced that dedicated people in various popular movements are a prerequisite for a democratic social progress. In order for poor people to receive more power, resources, possibilities and security, they need to organise themselves and demand influence in decision-making processes affecting them. Without popular movements and influence from the grassroots people, a just, democratic and sustainable development is not possible, neither in Zimbabwe, nor in other countries.
The present laws in Zimbabwe make it difficult for people to meet and discuss issues that are important to them. But nothing can stop the youth from playing football or believers to meet to worship. The civil society is vivid and broad based, and it will survive all attempts to ban its activities.
We know, through our Swedish experience, that organisations work as schools teaching democracy, and that popular movements can drive development in a democratic direction. Now more than ever, organisations in Zimbabwe need our support. In this situation, it is important that we people outside Zimbabwe, in spite of practical difficulties, show our solidarity.
In the short term, we need to put the spotlight on the parliamentary elections on the 31 of March, in order to limit the extent of political violence and ballot rigging. In a longer perspective, we need to make sure that the attempts to crush the civil society do not succeed. Free elections are important, but without active citizens with an ability to participate in and contribute to the development of the society, there will be no democracy.
We have to respond to the attempts to cut the contacts with the world outside Zimbabwe by creating new links between people. The more Swedish organisations start to co-operate with sister organisations in Zimbabwe, the better the possibilities for a democratic development in the country, with real popular participation and influence on all levels.
The Zimbabwean organisations are continuing their brave work for democracy and human rights.
We can not turn our backs on them.
Kjell Fransson
Chairperson of the Africa Groups of Sweden
Bo Forsberg
Director, Diakonia
Agneta Brendt
Chairperson of Forum Syd