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Solidarity statement on the 12th Anniversary of the MDC
Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR)
September 12, 2011

ROHR Zimbabwe joins the broader civil society movement in congratulating the Movement for Democratic Change on the 12thanniversary to Celebrate 12 years of the people's struggle to attain real change. As human rights defenders we join hands to celebrate with the MDC on a journey that has transformed the history of our great nation, mother Zimbabwe from a one part state towards multi party democracy.

Even on a historic day like this, we are confronted by many questions whose answers we cannot explain to our new off springs born after the independence. Are we free? Where are the liberation gains? Have we attained human rights? Is there equality before the law? Are we free to choose leaders of our choice? It is a journey that is pregnant with milestones and yet it has not been an easy one. The ultimate battle is yet to be claimed. The man-made hardships with which the people of Zimbabwe have endured over the past three decades is a cause for acknowledgement. For us to be here today, we do not forget that innocent lives have been lost for the fight for human rights, democratic space, a people driven constitution, the Rule of Law, equitable distribution of wealth. Regardless of who is in power, the demand for a people driven constitution is a non-negotiable reality that should form the foundation of rebuilding our nation before heading into the next polls.

The Index of human rights violations has remained a central issue to our politics. Our society has been battered, bruised, torn apart by violence, poverty, gender inequality, economic decline, corruption with legacies of unaccounted state sponsored atrocities since pre-independence: The Gukurahundu massacres in Matebeleland, Operation Murambatsvina, political violence during the elections of 2000, 2005 and 2008. We urge the MDC to remain conscious of the need to forge ahead with healing the nation through Transitional Justice, National Healing and Institutional Reforms to ensure sustainable peace building. The precedence of lack of accountability since the Smith regime has rendered our nation vulnerable to re-occurrence of crimes against humanity committed with impunity as we continue to witness today. People are still being arbitrarily arrested, there is selective application of the law, people are discriminated on partisan affiliation, state media remains restricted and heavily controlled by the state against the people's wishes.

In celebrating this year's anniversary we applaud the MDC's contribution in enhancing the standards of living among Zimbabweans since the formation of the Coalition government. There is a long way to go in bolstering the United Nations seven elements of human security, namely Food Security, Economic Security, Health Security, Political Security, Personal Security, Community Security and Environmental Security but we will get there. In solidarity we also applaud the efforts of the people of Swaziland, Malawi, the DRC, Libya, Angola, Madagascar in their endeavors to embrace democracy not forgetting the disaster confronting the Horn of Africa.

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