WOZA Call Zimbabweans to Action Saturday 18 June 2005 – A Day To Restore our Dignity

This press release just received from WOZA (Women of Zimbabwe Arise):

WOMEN of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) has called on Zimbabweans to mobilise and prepare for a day of peaceful resistance and demand Social Justice on 18 June 2005 ahead of the 20 June World Refugee Day. WOZA wishes to acknowledge the special relevance
of the United Nations Theme for World Refugee Day 2005. The theme is “Courage”. Together with the UNCHR, we call on Zimbabweans who are refugees in their own country to put their courage to the test and join us on the street come Saturday 18 June.

We quote parts of the UNCHR Statement, “As ordinary people living peaceful lives, we rarely have to put our courage to the test. Refugees are ordinary people, too, except that through no fault of their own, they find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. As such, they are often required to dig deep into their own inner sources of strength in order, as another dictionary puts it, to find “the ability to overcome fear. It takes courage to be a refugee. Courage not to give up hope and to make the most of the hand that has been dealt. Courage to start a new life against daunting odds, eventually to become contributing and enriching members of society once more.”

Over 30 000 Zimbabweans have been arrested, some assaulted, had their goods and livelihoods stolen and many have had to suffer the further indignity of paying a $ 25 000 admission of guilt fine. Some 200 000 Zimbabweans have been added to the number of us who can no longer take for granted our dignity and rights.

We call on our sisters and brothers who are fighting to defend their livelihood to use peaceful means of mass action as a way to safeguard their dignity. Another test of your courage will be your peacefulness as only cowards resort to bullying and violence.

A reminder to Zimbabweans: Freedom is not for free, be prepared to sacrifice.

Zimbabwe, Activism, Human Rights, Poverty, Refugees

This entry was posted by Sokwanele2 on Monday, June 13th, 2005 at 11:53 pm. You can follow any comments on this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.