During the Commonwealth meeting in Nigeria, it became clear that Zimbabwe’s suspension from this body of former British colonies was to be continued.

Before any official statements from the Commonwealth-delegates, President Mugabe announced Zimbabwe's official withdrawal from the Commonwealth.
The president was not present in Abuja.

Last year, Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth. Among the reasons of suspension wer the flawed presidential elections in March 2002 and the ongoing (political and humanitarian) crisis in the country.

In Abuja the (banned) newspaper Daily News from Zimbabwe published a special edition with articles about the regime's actions against its opponents.

In September the Zimbabwe government banned the newspaper. In recent years, the Daily News has been a victim of several (violent) attacks.


Daily News 5-9 December 2003
with the special Abuja Edition: "The voices Mugabe wants to silence": round-up of (scanned) newsclippings of the actions against opponents of the Mugabe regime during 2000 – 2003. (land evictions, attacks on oppponents and other human right violations etcetera).

See also:
Zimbabwe: Daily News banned (press release 15 September 2003)