PRESS STATEMENT

REGIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY UNITE TOWARDS POVERTY ERADICATION

2 February 2007

The current crisis manifesting in Zimbabwe is a result of bad policies by that country’s government. The massive displacement of Zimbabweans into the region has turned the problem into a regional one. That development is counterproductive in SADC’s progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of poverty eradication.

It is in this vein that the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition and its regional partners, DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights, Southern African Legal Assistance Network (SALAN) of Zambia and Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation of Malawi have mooted a partnership to influence a regional response to the crisis obtaining in Zimbabwe with a view of facilitating active regional engagement towards the resolution of the Zimbabwean crisis.

After a two day consultation meeting in Johannesburg held between the 1st and 2nd February 2007, leaders from the said organizations undertook to conduct an extensive research into policies of the Zimbabwean Government that have led to the external displacement of its citizens into the region. The research will also explore the responses of the regional governments to those policies. Dialogue between the displaced Zimbabweans and their hosting communities in line wit regional poverty will be profiled as evidence for engaging regional authorities such as Governments, parliamentarians, councilors and other community leaders.

This pilot program is aimed at enhancing dialogue between the voices of the displaced Zimbabweans and their hosts, and to influence regional Governments to assume responsible leadership in tackling regional issues as they relate to poverty elimination.

It is paramount for regional Governments to influence a positive policy shift that will abate the massive external displacement of Zimbabweans into the region if the SADC goals towards poverty eradication are to be truly realized.

Rev. N Mkaronda: Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (SA Desk)

Ms. Alice Mogwe: DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights

Mr. Undule Mwakasungula: Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation ( Malawi)

Ms. Juliet Kaira: Southern African Legal Assistance Network (SALAN)

Ends

Contact:

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (SA Desk), coordinator@crisiszimbabwe.org, Tel: 011 838 3732 / 084 955 1323