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Report of Stoke-On-Trent Branch meeting on 29 November 2008

Tuesday, 06 January 2009 23:53 administrator

Following a spirited campaign spearheaded by the Organising Secretary Joana Zhira ably supported by Pauline Mutema, Agnes Chivhimbo and Farirai Muchibwa a ROHR meeting attended by up to 24 people took place in Stoke-On-Trent as planned. This was a fitting tribute to the afore-mentioned response to the recruitment drive which involved distributing flyers and displaying placards at expedient locations and times. They braved cold weather, rain and curious glances as they robustly rose to the challenge issued throughout the year by ROHR President E. Tapa and his committee to spread awareness of the ongoing cholera deaths and related challenges facing Zimbabweans amid gross violations of their human rights by the ruling party in their country.

Emnah Zibgowa gave the opening speech in which he shared with the members present his knowledge of and experience with human rights and the attendant commitments and responsibilities of all members of ROHR. Members present were reminded of the HR (Human Rights) violations for which the ruling party is notorious of; violations of the rights to education, shelter, food and health as evidenced by the total collapse in Zimbabwe of the economy, justice and fair treatment. Also lamentable is the suppression of all forms of freedoms of expression through peaceful demonstrations or writing about subjects that appear to criticise the government. These were singled out as some of the violations of our human rights. The aims of ROHR include the courage to risk punishment by the regime when actively raising awareness in all people of the need to point out human rights violations as well as refraining from selfish behaviour in the course of such activism.

Mr Nyamande also spoke on the same vein building on the previous speaker’s speech. Freedom of speech and desisting from an individualistic mentality were emphasised. He insisted that even though we are small group we can stand our ground and fight back and make our oppressors realise we are saying ‘enough is enough’ to human rights abuses or violations.

Mr Moses Nyagodzi spoke at length about the economic and political problems besetting Zimbabwe. The brutalities perpetrated by the ruling party are well known through out the world. Although the opposition parties were found to have their fair share of human rights shortcomings, it was observed state-sponsored militia and security agents were the major perpetrators. In this regard, members were urged to throw their full weight behind ROHR as a Human Rights watchdog. It was argued that the Human Rights’ view to the power sharing DEAL was that it was a waste of time considering that Mugabe has a long drawn out history of insincerity considering how he cheated ZAPU. The policy position of ROHR is that the perpetrators of murder and other violent acts should be brought to justice and concern was raised that MDC-T seems prepared to make some concessions. ROHR’s position is that there can never be any compromise where Justice, Peace, Freedom and Democracy are at stake.

Many thanks to Farirai Muchibwa who did sterling fundraising work involving selling refreshments and related activities. Thanks also go to photographers Des Paraiwa and Aaron Masakure who skilfully captured images that appear in the ROHR website in conjunction with various ROHR gatherings and activities.

Compiled by Secretary: Amon Chauke

Last Updated on Wednesday, 07 January 2009 00:00

ROHR launches Reading Branch

Saturday, 27 December 2008 11:33 administrator

Firstly, I would like to thank ROHR Zimbabwe in UK for the brilliant idea of bringing the Zimbabwean community together to fight for justice, freedom and peace for our nation. The situation in Zimbabwe needs our help and finally the Reading Zimbabwean community has come together to help and put forward what Mr Ephraim Tapa has founded.

Sunday 7 December 2008 marked the beginning of another branch of the fast growing RESTORATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN ZIMBABWE here in Reading, England.

With us at the launch meeting was Mr Tapa, the leader of ROHR, Paradzai Mapfumo UK Coordinator and members from the Slough Branch who were very supportive in helping us structure our committee (thanks guys, together we will win!)

Mr Tapa spoke of the need to come together and help to bring peace and justice in Zimbabwe and also stop the suffering by fundraising and voicing our demands. He strongly challenged us to stand up and be counted in the human rights agenda. At the launch, Tracy Ndovi spoke of how she was denied human rights in her country of birth and vowed to commit herself full-time to the cause.

Reading branch would like to thank ROHR UK Coordinator Mr Mapfumo for informing us about the human rights project without which we would be sitting in our houses and doing nothing to help change in Zimbabwe.

We look forward to a national event here in the UK in pursuit of our aims and goals. I hear Slough and Hounslow branch are planning a march, and I say we will come and support you guys.

Reading Zimbabwean community is now part of ROHR Zimbabwe and a committee is now in place. We look forward to working with the other branches to bring human rights to the people of Zimbabwe.

We have seen food being taken away from us (farm invasions),shelter being destroyed in front of us due to poor government (Operation Murambatsvina), now the water supply has been cut and the cholera outbreak has left people of Zimbabwe dying. When the people of Zimbabwe went to vote on 29 March 2008 they wanted change.

We want CHANGE in ZIMBABWE but the power sharing deal takes us BACK to Mugabe for President again? NO!! TOGETHER WE CAN BRING PEACE, JUSTICE AND FREEDOM IN ZIMBABWE

Tomson Chauke
Publicity and Information

Last Updated on Sunday, 28 December 2008 17:01

ROHR launches Hatfield Branch

Saturday, 27 December 2008 11:28 administrator

On a mild 6^th December 2008 nearly forty people thronged the Memorial Hall in Hatfield to officially launch ROHR Zimbabwe in Hertfordshire.

The launch started with Ms Mary Muradzikwa introducing Mr Paradzayi Mapfumo, the National Co-ordinator. After giving a brief preamble about the organisation, he introduced Mr Ephraim Tapa, the founding President.

Mr Tapa asked for a member of the public to give us a prayer before we could get into the official brief. He then proceeded to give his testimony at the hands of the marauding ZANU PF militia. He then described several well documented cases of human rights abuses by the illegitimate Robert Mugabe regime.

He emphasised that the responsibility for demanding and enforcing government to respect and implement international conventions on human rights, of which Zimbabwe is a signatory, rested with a vibrant civic society movement. This is what necessitated the formation of ROHR as the vanguard civic society human rights organisation. ROHR is one of the few active national, regional and international Zimbabwean human rights organisations with a view to establish peace, justice and genuine freedom.

Mr Tapa’s presentation was followed by a vibrant question and answer session in which calls were made for the organisation to help enforce our human rights that have been and are still being violated by the Mugabe regime and ensure transparency and accountability within civic and public institutions and not end up with more of the same.

A suggestion from the floor to do something about the cholera outbreak raised £24.00 which was handed over to Mr P.Mapfumo.

A committee to run the Hatfield and Herts Branch was elected. The following were elected to these positions:

Chair                   Phillip Chakanetsa
V Chair               Jeremiah Chiyangwa
Secretary           Emilia Muradzikwa
Org Sec             Kudakwashe Wedulo
Treasurer          Netsayi Zata
V treasurer         Yvonne Rusere
Fundraiser          Melusi Moyo
Fundraiser         Diana Chigodo
Info & Publicity   Mike Mudyiwa
Activist                Mary Muradzikwa

The meeting ended with a photo session and lunch, thanks to the Muradzikwa sisters for sadza, guru, huku etc. Chigutiro! ROHR Zimbabwe is roaring in Hertfordshire.

Mike Mudyiwa
Information & Publicity Secretary

Last Updated on Sunday, 28 December 2008 17:01

ROHR-ZIMBABWE IS LAUNCHED IN WAKEFIELD!

Wednesday, 10 December 2008 14:48 Donnah Mugoni

ROHR-Zimbabwe is now in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, as from 15 November 2008!

The branch took its momentum from the tireless efforts of the UK Co-ordinator Mr Paradzai Mapfumo and Northern Region Chairperson, Donnah Mugoni in the noble struggle for the restoration of human rights in Zimbabwe.

The inaugural branch meeting started at 13.00 hours. Ms Mugoni introduced the guest speaker; Mr Mapfumo to all gathered who in turn explained the aims of ROHR Zimbabwe and its activities. He further stated that ROHR was founded as a brain child of its President Mr Ephraim Tapa, who, with a few others concerned about the human rights situation in Zimbabwe, came together to form the organisation.   Both Mr Mapfumo and Ms Mugoni echoed the same sentiments about the need to help Zimbabweans both inside Zimbabwe and in the Diaspora. To that end, ROHR Zimbabwe is lobbying the international community to recognise Zimbabweans in the Diaspora for purposes of work permits and scholarships with a view to capacitating them for the reconstruction of the post-crisis Zimbabwe. ROHR also campaigns for access to free legal aid to those without the means as we hold the view that ACCESS DENIED is JUSTICE DENIED. We feel that Zimbabweans have been traumatised from experiences such as political persecutions, rape, property grabbing, property destruction, family members being abducted and disappearing, community cleansing, and that they deserve a measure of relief.    The meeting was informed that ROHR Zimbabwe was currently working inside Zimbabwe providing humanitarian assistance such as clothing, medicines, safe housing of activists and legal assistance to the vulnerable and victims of political violence.

The Branch meeting was also addressed by Bradford secretary, Margaret Chihotah, who said that ROHR Zimbabwe is a non-partisan political human rights movement. Ms Beauty Sikhosana added that, many were willing to support the cause and cited the SDA church members in the USA who were going to places singing to raise funds for a hospital outside Bulawayo.

An interim committee for Wakefield branch was elected with the following members:

Chaiperson- Donnah Mugoni, Vice Chair- Patience Karuwa, Secrcetary- Beauty Sikosana, Organising Secretary- Victor Songore, Treasurer- Bongani Hove, Vice Treasurer- Esther Mukwaira, Fundraiser- Prudence Chikozhere, Vice Fundraiser- Sydney Moyo

By Donnah Mugoni

Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 December 2008 14:20

Bournemouth Launch Report

Friday, 05 December 2008 09:49 Phyllis Chibanguza

A new day, a new beginning! Yet another Chapter, as ROHR Bournemouth Branch is launched.

Despite the biting cold weather, people turned up in their numbers in support of their country, Zimbabwe. A prayer from Retina Mkanda, introductions from Mr Paradzai Mapfumo then a brief account about ROHR Zimbabwe from Phyllis Chibanguza marked the opening of the proceedings.

With us as key speaker was Mr Ephraim Tapa, the President and founder of ROHR Zimbabwe who recounted his gruesome experiences while in Zimbabwe, at the hands of ZANU PF and Government sponsored militia. Based on countless of human rights abuses and his own ordeal, Mr Tapa informed the gathering that ROHR Zimbabwe was formed in realisation of the need to help and stop the suffering in Zimbabwe. He explained that ROHR is about empowering the disempowered by conscientising the people to their rights and helping them to fight themselves free.

Mr Tapa added that the current cholera epidemic ravaging Zimbabwe smacked of a deliberate plan to decimate those in urban centres on account of their disaffection with ruling elite. He said Zimbabweans, like any other human beings deserved to be treated with dignity and respect and lamented about the lack of basic rights and freedoms in Zimbabwe. He challenged all Zimbabweans in the diaspora to come together and join hands with fellow Zimbabweans at home in the fight for genuine peace, justice and freedom. Lastly, Mr Tapa told the meeting that ROHR Zimbabwe, had a humanitarian, watchdog and activist role to play now as well as in the post-crisis Zimbabwe and that it would not accept the bringing back of Mugabe by the backdoor, the so-called power sharing deal – when the people clearly voted for change on 29 March 2008.

Following the president’s speech, there was a lively discussion with the audience who vowed never to return to Zimbabwe as long as Mugabe was in charge. They instead expressed a sense of gratitude for the ROHR Zimbabwe project and pledged their commitment to restoring human rights in Zimbabwe.

As ROHR Zimbabwe we say NO MORE of the SAME SUFFERING, enough is enough!

Many thanks to all that supported on this day and may God Bless you all.

Come on Bournemouth…we can do it!!!

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