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Amsterdam, 24 Sept. 1999

Delegation from Zimbabwe to visit Europe
 1-10 October 1999


The Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa has invited a high level delegation from civil society in Zimbabwe to visit several European government cities (London, Berlin, The Hague) and institutions of the European Union (Strasbourg, Brussels) from 1-11 October 1999. The aim of the tour is to inform political circles and policy makers in Europe about current political, economic and human rights developments in Zimbabwe and to find support for democratisation in the country in the light of the currently ongoing constitutional change process and the upcoming 2000 parliamentary elections.

Zimbabwe is going through a difficult period with a government which has lost a lot of its credibility amongst the population and which has acquired a tarnished image abroad. This is exemplified by a recent decision by the Dutch government to cut bilateral government-to-government development funding to Zimbabwe.

The installation of the Presidential Constitutional Commission of Enquiry in May 1999 led to a lot of controversy in Zimbabwe. Civil society, which had already embarked upon its own campaign for a National Constitutional Assembly at the end of 1997, criticised the Presidential initiative for its lack of independence from the ruling ZANU-PF party.

Zimbabwe is going through a difficult period with a government which has lost a lot of its credibility amongst the population and which has acquired a tarnished image abroad. This is exemplified by a recent decision by the Dutch government to cut bilateral government-to-government development funding to Zimbabwe.

The installation of the Presidential Constitutional Commission of Enquiry in May 1999 led to a lot of controversy in Zimbabwe. Civil society, which had already embarked upon its own campaign for a National Constitutional Assembly at the end of 1997, criticised the Presidential initiative for its lack of independence from the ruling ZANU-PF party.

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The civil society delegation from Zimbabwe comprises:

  1. Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the powerful Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, former chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) and interim leader of a new political party (Movement for Democratic Change) which will challenge the governing ZANU-PF party in the 2000 elections

  2. Mrs. Grace Kwinje: founder of a new independent union for journalists, former journalist of the Zimbabwean Mirror, gender specialist and active NCA member

  3. Mr. Arnold Payne: human rights activist from Matabeleland and chairman of the Advice Board of Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation (ZimRights).


Some of the topics to be discussed with politicians, government officials, media and the general public in Europe, are:

  1. Opportunities for political and economic change in Zimbabwe and especially how European governments and institutions can contribute to a positive democratic transformation of Zimbabwe.

  2. Zimbabwe's human rights situation, including the situation in one of the most backwarded and neglected provinces of Zimbabwe: Matabeleland.

  3. Zimbabwe's cumbersome process of constitutional change: two processes are occurring here, one led by civil society (NCA)and one by the government (Constitutional Review Commission).

  4. Preconditions for free and fair parliamentary elections in the year 2000, such as the establishment of an independent electoral commission, an improved system of voter registration and voter education, guarantees for a free press and the presence of international observers during the elections.

 

More information about the tour can be acquired from:

24 Sept 1999



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