ROHR comes of age

In August 2009, ROHR Zimbabwe will celebrate its second anniversary since its Formation in 2007.  

ROHR Zimbabwe has positioned itself as a human rights organization that places special emphasis on grassroots based activism, radicalism, creative mobilization and outreach methodology. The organization focuses on a broad spectrum of rights- civil, social, economic and political. The organization derives its uniqueness from its radical approach and strength from a physical presence in every province, leadership in the overseas – that assist in resource mobilization, grassroots oriented programs as well as inherent activism and promptness of action

Although ROHR Zimbabwe started operations a mere two years ago, it has made considerable strides within its short life span in challenging and speaking out against human rights violations. In 2007 and 2008, ROHR Zimbabwe appointed focal persons in each province, who have been acting as catalysts and link persons in identifying and taking action against violations. An office has since been established in Harare. Some provinces such as Masvingo, Midlands and Bulawayo have already put in place frameworks to document cases of human rights violations. Already, ROHR Zimbabwe has registered a strong presence in national and international independent media, as several of its press statements have been covered in these different media. In order to register discontent on the human rights situation in the country, ROHR Zimbabwe staged several demonstrations in various parts of the country. There was however spirited efforts by the government to thwart these demonstrations. 

ROHR Zimbabwe is a non party – political, grassroots and membership based organization passionate and committed to bringing about positive change in Zimbabwe through advocating for a Zimbabwe where rights and freedoms of every human being are respected and promoted. The organization is inspired by the founding mission of returning Zimbabwe to normalcy and higher standards of respect for human rights after years of violations of unimaginable proportions with the aim of achieving justice and peace in Zimbabwe. The organization was formed by a coalition of Zimbabwean in exile abroad and others who fell victim to the human rights violations that rocked Zimbabwe since Independence in 1980, whose forms and magnitudes became horrendous during election times, particularly after the emergence of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The founding members believe in the conceivability and practicality of the realization of human rights. 

ROHR Zimbabwe activities
The centrality of ROHR Zimbabwe programming is hinged upon the three basic mandates stemming from its mission statement. Our mission is to promote a culture of human rights in Zimbabwe through community mobilization, capacity building and active responses to human rights challenges. 

COMMUNITY MOBILISATION
   

The strategic objective for this theme is to mobilize, empower and inspire people in Zimbabwe to defend and claim their rights. Noting that Zimbabwe is currently reeling from the effects of gross violation of human rights, polarized environment, de-mobilized communities, discrimination and docility at community level, ROHR Zimbabwe would like to ensure that individuals, acting collectively, gain greater influence and control over their lives. The objective is to ensure that efforts are directed to re-mobilizing communities, giving them cutting edge information and knowledge that enable them to individually and collectively promote and protect their rights. 

As ROHR Zimbabwe we believe that empowered citizens, who are networked and speaking with one voice, have the potential to serve as powerful change agents who have an impact on policy making and the enforcement of existing policies. Community empowerment would facilitate paradigm shift by communities from passive community life to intensive action oriented responses to human rights challenges. 

In pursuit of this goal and consistent with our unique values of bravery, action, responsiveness and assertiveness, ROHR Zimbabwe mobilized communities from day one in protests against human rights. In 2007 demonstrations were held to put pressure on the ZANU PF regime to stop human rights abuses in its quest to maintain a stranglehold grip on power and create a one-party state. 


In 2008, ROHR Zimbabwe was in the headlines on its principled stance that people needed to be accorded a chance to choose a Government of their choice through a free and fair ballot held in peaceful environment and monitored and observed by international bodies. More than 8 demonstrations were held countrywide in Harare, Matebeleland, Masvingo, Manicaland, Midlands and Mashonaland central. Even though some of the protest marches were met with the full force of police brutality and violently cracked down, the strong desire to seek real change that subsisted in the people of Zimbabwe never died, and still exists in them now that an inclusive government is in place.  

CAPACITY BUILDING

   
From left to right: ROHR Zimbabwe workshop in Harare 26 June 2009; ROHR workshop in Gweru 15 May 2009

ROHR Zimbabwe is conscious of the good intentions the political parties in Zimbabwe had that led to the formation of the inclusive government although we are still worried that no tangible steps have been taken to address human rights violations as human rights defenders and political activists are constantly being harassed, detained and tortured.  

Due to the harsh environment that characterized the development landscape over the past few years, particularly attacks on human rights defenders, most activists have fled the country; have been disabled, killed, maimed, demobilized, and cowed into submission. In addition, structures and networks of activists have been infiltrated and weakened by the ruling ZANU PF, hence there is weak positive activism due to fear, targeted harassment and all manner of violations. 

Leadership development and capacity building workshops

So far this year, ROHR Zimbabwe carried out five workshops in Harare, Mutare, Bindura, Gweru and Bulawayo, in order to strengthen the provincial structures and to inspire, empower and motivate local activists to champion the cause of promoting and defending human rights in their communities. 

The main motivation behind these workshops is to develop a pool of radical activists, able to champion human rights issues and to keep the state parties in check. These activists should be resident at grassroots level to not only monitor the violations but also mobilize communities to timely act on issues that threaten the enjoyment of rights and fundamental freedoms. 

Under capacity building, other specific interventions by ROHR Zimbabwe include developing a human rights activists’ handbook, intensive training on human rights promotion and defense strategies and organizing activists at local level for more effective responses.


ACTIVE RESPONSES TO HUMAN RIGHTS CHALLENGES

ROHR Zimbabwe’s founding mandate is to actively engage citizens in timely and quick interventions that seek to mitigate on specific human rights degenerations in the country. This thematic area is not totally divorced from the objectives under community mobilization whose overall objective is to hold Government and its institutions accountable and responsive to peoples’ needs.  

Mindful of the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe in 2008 caused by the quasi-fiscal activities of the central bank Governor, ROHR Zimbabwe sponsored a lawsuit against Gideon Gono in September 2008. 

  

ROHR Zimbabwe shamed perpetrators of rights violations through naming and shaming such as in the case of Selina Mumbengegwi, the former finance Minister’s wife Samuel Mumbengegwi when she was implicated in the brutal murder of her farm worker and brutal assault of MDC supporters in her farm.

The naming and shaming strategy was planted into the seeds of the communities so much so that ownership of the action in the communities worked to deter a comfortable habitation for peddlers of violence in the 2008 inter-elections violence. In Masvingo, some political criminals fled their houses to other countries after they were named and shamed using the local communication channels aimed at disgracing such appalling behavior from fellow Zimbabweans.  

Acknowledgements

ROHR Zimbabwe wishes to acknowledge the following for their immeasurable contributions towards the activities and programmes carried out since 2007. It would be unfair if their contributions are not awarded the due respect they deserve:
• ROHR Zimbabwe leadership in the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe, especially the president Mr. Ephraim Tapa for his dedication towards the Zimbabwean plight. Mr. Tapa has been at the centre of mobilizing resources and funds for programmes and activities back in Zimbabwe.
• The United Kingdom structures for supporting ROHR Zimbabwe activities in Zimbabwe.
• Zimbabwe Vigil and the coordinator Rose Benton for their unwavering support and a strong partnership with ROHR Zimbabwe. 
• ROHR Zimbabwe secretariat and members, the struggle could not have been easy had it not been the support they rendered to the organization.

Way forward
 
ROHR Zimbabwe guided by the vision to see a society conscious of human rights, is still committed and will continue to fight for the full realization of rights in Zimbabwe. The coming of inclusive government gave an impression that reforms were underway but the situation has not changed much; rights violations are still going on. The human rights environment remains volatile and this demands that we continue to engage and put pressure on the government to ensure reforms that prioritise respect of human rights are put in place. We also intend to intensify civic education and community engagement to nurture a society that is human rights conscious, particular attention given to rural communities. A campaign for the incorporation of human rights curriculum in schools to educate the school children on human rights issues is also on the cards as we feel human rights violations were mainly due to a lack of proper knowledge on the subject of human rights (catch them young).

ROHR Zimbabwe is also keen to establish and reach out to people of Zimbabwe in their communities and set up structures from provincial to ward level, this has the potential of influencing policy reforms from bottom up the ladder to top and to facilitate the coordination of human rights activities or programs at grassroots level. 

 
From the information Department of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe
www.rohrzimbabwe.org