Progressio Ireland - Zimababwe Campaign

Progressio has been undertaking advocacy work on Zimbabwe for decades, initially opposing the racist regime of Ian Smith during the 1960s and 70s and then following independence in 1980. Progressio advocates for policies and action that benefit the poor and marginalised and speaks out against the detrimental policies and actions of ZANU-PF—the ruling party for the past 27 years.

Zimbabwe has experienced many crises under the rule of President Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF. The country has gone from an African success story to one of the most impoverished countries in the world. Some major problems include:

Economic meltdown- Since 1999 the economy has shrunk by 80%
Disastrous land reform policies
Food insecurity- 4 million Zimbabweans are in need of food aid
HIV and AIDS epidemic- 15.3% adult prevalence rate
85% unemployment rate- millions have left the country to find work abroad
Life expectancy has dropped to 34 for women and 37 for men
Infant mortality is 76 per 1000 live births and under five child mortality is 123 per 1000
Government curbing of civil and political liberties

In 2006, diamonds were discovered in the Marange region in the east of the country and are among the richest in the world. Over the past four years, the army and police have run fields and in the process have committed mass human rights abuses including killings, torture, beatings, rape, and forced labour. The revenue from these diamond fields are believed to be going to officials in the ZANU-PF who will use this money to steal future elections.

In June 2010 human rights campaigner Farai Maguwu was arrested by the Zimbabwe government for sharing a report about illegal activities in the Marange fields with a Kimberley Process representative, Abbey Chikane. The Kimberley Process is a regulatory body formed after the diamond wars of the 1990s which aims to stem the flow of conflict diamonds. Chikane was sent to investigate Zimbabwe’s adherence to the KP’s requirements. Instead he turned Maguwu and his report into the government. Maguwu was not released in time to speak at a Kimberley Process meeting in Tel Aviv 21^st-23^rd June.

What is Progressio doing?
Progressio works with politicians, media, NGOs and civil servants in Ireland and the EU to maintain a consistent and united position in relation to human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.

We also work with Governments to put serious multilateral pressure on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) governments, especially the South Africans, to present a coherent strategic solution to the Zimbabwean crisis.

We work with church structures in Ireland and Zimbabwe to insist on a change agenda in negotiations which involves country wide democratic consultation and engagement.