TransAfrica Forum

Statement on Zimbabwe Elections

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Contact: Joia Jefferson Nuri

jnuri@transafricaforum.org

cell 240-603-7905

Statement by TransAfrica Forum on

Zimbabwe’s Elections, Saturday, March 29

Interviews available:

Washington: Nicole Lee, Executive Director, TransAfrica Forum

Johannesburg: Roxanne Lawson, Director of Africa Policy, TransAfrica Forum

Time for Change:  Solidarity with the Peoples of Zimbabwe 

 Throughout the Cold War, successive U.S. administrations have supported European colonialism on the continent of Africa.  In the case of Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, the sympathies of official Washington, as articulated by President Nixon’s Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, were with the white minority settlers. While official Washington stood with the settlers, activists in the U.S. raised funds for liberation camps, successfully lobbied for sanctions against Rhodesian industry, and adopted a variety of other measures in support of the liberation struggle.  Today, those who continue to believe in Zimbabwe’s right to self-determination must stand with the people of Zimbabwe.  Zimbabweans, as a result of both internal malfeasance and the international pursuit of narrow economic and political interests, have seen the successes achieved during their painful and protracted independence war reversed.     

TransAfrica Forum believes the task ahead is clear: support the peoples’ struggles, even if that means challenging formerly heroic and iconic figures.   To that end, TransAfrica Forum’s first-hand, face-to-face conversations with Zimbabwean organizations representing labor, women, youth, and rural communities have shown that the current government has failed on a number of fronts.  Contrary to the current policies of the Mugabe government, Zimbabweans are calling for:

• Development of a new constitution using people-centered approaches
• Full engagement in the political process, including autonomous and representative local government structures
• Transparent and accountable economic policies that foster transformation of the national economy, including a national audit of debt, repatriation of stolen wealth, equitable and sustainable land redistribution
• Investment in the country’s human capital in order to provide greater access to health services, education, and public welfare. 

The true test of solidarity with Zimbabwe should not be where one stands vis-à-vis Mugabe, rather where one stands in relation to Zimbabwe’s people and their critique of their own government.  TransAfrica Forum continues, as is our tradition, to stand in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe. 

TransAfrica Forum is the leading advocacy organization for Africa and the African Diaspora in U.S. foreign policy. TransAfrica Forum helped lead the world protest against apartheid in South Africa and colonial rule in southern Africa. Today, the organization works for human and economic justice for African people on the continent of Africa, in Latin America and in the Caribbean. www.transafricaforum.org