ROHR Zimbabwe Combined Manchester & Liverpool Branches Meeting Saturday 12th September, 2015 Report
16th September, 2015
On Saturday 12th September, 2015 Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe human rights activists from Greater Manchester, Leeds, Crewe, Stock-on-Trent and Kent in the UK converged at 75 Summerville Road, Salford M6 7HG, Manchester for a meeting of the combined Manchester & Liverpool Branches which started at 2:00 pm and ended at 6.00 pm.
Attendees included Pythias Makonese (Chairperson and from Crewe), Lorraine Mudjgiwa (Coordinator North – UK Chapter and from Leeds, Artwell Pfende (Activist and from Bolton) Deborah Jandles (from Stock-on-Trent) and Chipo Kamhunga (from Gravesend, Kent). From Manchester were, Chipiwa Stella Makaranga (Activist), Irene Kamdefwele (Deputy Organizing Secretary – Manchester branch) and Chris Deda (Deputy Information & Publicity Secretary – Manchester Branch).
Apologies were received from Panyika Karimanzira (Board member and Information & Publicity Secretary – UK) Paradzai Mapfumo (Board member and National Coordinator – UK), Mary Chabvamuperu, Delina Mutyambizi (Treasurer in the National Executive) and Chenai Mudzamiri (Information & Publicity Secretary – Manchester branch).
The meeting discussed, among other things, the worsening human rights situation in Zimbabwe whose recent highlights were the disappearance of political and human rights activist, Itai Dzamara on 9th March, 2015 at the hands of suspected state agents and the persecution and dispersal of vendors from cities and towns which started in June 2015, accompanied by Police brutality and is ongoing.
Other issues discussed included possible ways of sustaining the fight for the restoration of human rights in Zimbabwe. A fresh suggestion, from Deborah Jandles, was the staging of sustained joint demonstrations / prayer meetings throughout various cities in the UK to put the spotlight on the situation in Zimbabwe and gain international support.
The meeting noted the ongoing infighting within the ruling party in Zimbabwe which tended to put political expedience ahead of the need to respect the rights of the citizens and which has further worsened an already dire economic situation which in turn is bringing more suffering to the average person in Zimbabwe.
The meeting also discussed The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in considerable detail as well as the Aims & Objectives of ROHR Zimbabwe. This was in line with the ongoing theme “Who is a human rights activist” and especially for the benefit of new members.
The meeting was interactive with everyone participating in the proceedings. At its conclusion, the meeting resolved, among other things, to agitate for the convening of a national meeting – UK, as soon as possible where certain detail could be shared with the rest of the members in the UK and where information would be exchanged among members.
The meeting ended at a around 5:50 pm.
To view pictures taken at the event, click here or follow link below.
By: Information & Publicity Department
