PRESS STATEMENT OF THE BOTSWANA CIVIL SOCIETY COALITION ON ZIMBABWE (BOCISCOZ)

Recent brutal attacks on Civil Society in Zimbabwe

We, BOCISCOZ, comprising The Botswana Council of Churches (BCC), The Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO), The Botswana Secondary Teachers Trade Union (BOSETU), DITSHWANELO - The Botswana Centre for Human Rights and The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Botswana Chapter wish to condemn, in the strongest terms, the brutal attack on unarmed civilians in Zimbabwe during a prayer service on Sunday 11 March 2007.

We are deeply concerned about the use of the Zimbabwean police in ways which are reminiscent of the methods used by the apartheid regime in South Africa.

BOCISCOZ does however commend the condemnation expressed by Botswana parliamentarians, of the continued collective silence by SADC, in keeping with the blind policy of ‘silent diplomacy’ on the issue of Zimbabwe.

We further call upon our Parliament to continue speaking out against the escalating violations of human rights in Zimbabwe.

We are not convinced that the use of repressive laws to justify the prevention of the gathering of civic associations is acceptable behaviour for a government which calls itself democratic.

As in the past, we continue to call for the rule of law, as opposed to ‘rule by law’. We also repeat our call upon fellow Batswana to create a movement to provide solidarity with the citizens of Zimbabwe. BOCISCOZ pledges to be part of a sustained civil society movement until there is positive change in Zimbabwe.

BOCISCOZ seeks to applaud civil society activists in Zimbabwe and the very courageous acts of those seeking peace, who were attacked by the police.

We call upon the international community to call for a full investigation by the Government of Zimbabwe of the fatal shooting of Gift Tandare during the recent attacks.

15 March 2007

Gaborone