It all ended with a whimper, not a bang. So it must surely appear to even the most ardent supporters of the brave WOZA women who endured great physical discomfort and risked, if not life and limb certainly their individual liberty, by staging a marathon walk across the country in protest at the draconian NGO Bill which is due to be tabled in Parliament in the next few days. At the end of the 440 kilometer walk the few straggling remnants of the 50 odd who set out from Bulawayo 10 days before, made their way into Harare. Instead of a fanfare of welcome and congratulations as one might have expected in response to this self-sacrificing effort, there was a deafening silence from the good citizens of Harare. Few seemed even to notice the WOZA leader, Jenni Williams, as she strode into Harare alone, 48 of her companions having been arrested en route and then languishing in the police cells in Chegutu. A few drivers hooted their approval, but otherwise - nothing. And later when Jenni and 9 others who had joined her for the last few steps of the journey, assembled in Africa Unity Square for a prayer of thanksgiving, the event was hardly noticed by passers-by. The CIO noticed however (are they ever more alert than civic society ?) and as the women began to disperse they were promptly arrested and taken to Harare Central Police Station.
What happened, one might ask, to the many others who were expected to join the courageous walkers as they approached the capital ? What happened to the Harare residents who had as much notification of the approaching climax of the protest walk as was safe to give out for security reasons ? What happened to the crowds who might have been expected to give a rousing welcome to the weary walkers as they arrived in Africa Unity Square, opposite the Parliament Building - or at least to offer up a prayer with them ? After all the walkers, including those then held in police custody in Chegutu, had made this symbolic, sacrificial gesture, not for themselves but for the nation. They had endured so much and risked so much in order to raise awareness of the hideous implications of the thoroughly evil piece of legislation pending - a law which if enacted will set back the cause of the poorest and most vulnerable in Zimbabwe by a whole generation. So where was the support ? Where were the citizens of the capital city, whose own suffering under the present dictatorship has increased significantly in recent weeks ?
Amanda Atwood, a human rights' activist, expresses the disappointment and anger of many at the dismal outcome of this brave gesture for freedom. After writing of her anger at the Bill and the dictator responsible for it, she says:
"But most of all, I am angry with myself, with the 12 million other Zimbabweans, and particularly with those in NGO's, and in civil society, whom this walk was most directly benefiting, and yet were (with a few notable exceptions) nowhere to be seen on the walk, or even on the few final kilometers into Harare".
The 48 WOZA women who had spent four most uncomfortable nights in the police cells in Chegutu were eventually released without any charges being laid against them. The 10 arrested in Harare, including one with a little three month old child, were finally set free on Friday evening (1st October) after two miserable nights in the cells and following numerous urgent applications to the Courts brought by their lawyers. The Attorney General had already indicated that no charges could be brought against them - because no offences had been committed, even under Zimbabwe's harsh security laws. So almost certainly we have here yet further instances of unlawful arrest, unlawful imprisonment and blatant police harassment. But is anyone noticing ? Does anyone care ?
It has been said that people tend to get the government they deserve. Perhaps we can now see why the people of this country have ended up with such a heartless, cruel, oppressive and corrupt bunch ruling over them. And make no mistake, the suffering will continue until the people show they are prepared to resist this tyranny.
Congratulations to WOZA - Women of Zimbabwe Arise !
When will the people of Zimbabwe arise ?