Zim civic groups to lobby for reforms at A.U. summit

Posted by on Wednesday, January 23, 2013 in Africa Union, Zimbabwe politics | 3 comments

Addis Ababa

By Tererai Karimakwenda
23 January, 2013

Delegations from Zimbabwean civic society travelled to Addis Ababa this week, hoping to lobby Heads of State on the sidelines of the African Union Summit that opened on Monday.

The Zimbabwean crisis is not officially on the A.U. agenda this time, as the focus will most likely be on serious conflicts in the Sudan, DRC, and now Mali. But recent developments, including progress in constitutional reform and arrests of human rights activists, are expected to be discussed in meetings on the sidelines.

Civic groups at the summit said they want to push for the implementation of other key reforms stipulated by the Global Political Agreement (GPA) and present an accurate picture of the intensifying situation on the ground. This includes ongoing violence, harassment of NGOs and the abuse of civil liberties.
The theme for this year’s summit, “Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance”, will focus on issues that are hindering economic development on the continent.

Ambassadors and Ministers are already conducting meetings, with Heads of State scheduled to meet on Sunday and Monday.

Delegations were sent by the Crisis Coalition, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and the NGO Human Rights Forum.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says he does not believed they will be any more dissenting voices, in either party, in the drafting of a new constitution following an agreement last week by the party leaders to bridge their differences on all outstanding issues.

  • Chimbwidos Warvets

    Has it ever occurred to Tererai Karimakwenda that the so-called Zimbabwe Civic Groups that comprise of the Crisis Coalition, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and the NGO Human Rights Forum are undermining the traditional values of Zimbabwe? Does Tererai Karimakwenda understand that these civic groups are setting the agenda for their employers who are well known and that they are not serving the interests of the Zimbabwean people but that of their employers or masters in foreign capitals?
    It is clear that the introduction of the civic groups in Zimbabwe is no different from the introduction of the Church, Christianity and the Holy Bible by the former colonial master to control the thinking of the indigenous people. This is how Zimbabwe was colonized and this is a new form of controlling the thinking of the black people in this country. Beware guys, that you are in for a rough time in Zimbabwe again.

  • Chimbwidos Warvets

    I will be very surprised any Head of State of the African Union will accept any audience with these so-called human rights groups of Zimbabwe. From the word go, these groups have never represented the interests of the Zimbabwean people but of those who finance their operations and functions in the country. Which African Head of State will have time to listen to such mercenaries? It will be a big mistake, but who knows? Let us wait and see.

  • Chimbwidos Warvets

    I will be very surprised if any Head of State of the African Union will accept audience with the so-called human rights groups of Zimbabwe. From the word go, these groups have never represented the interests of the Zimbabwean people but of those who finance their operations and functions in the country. Which African Head of State will have time to listen to such mercenaries? It will be a big mistake, but who knows? Let us wait and see.