- Dear Family and Friends,
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- If you are a follower of events in Zimbabwe you will
know that the pressure is increasing at a dramatic rate. Almost every day
we hear or read of demonstrations, protests and marches. It takes a considerable
amount of courage to take part in these events which are met with a range
of repressive responses including arrests, beatings in custody, water cannons,
baton sticks, tear gas and riot police. There are perhaps none more familiar
with this than the WOZA women who regularly go out and protest on our streets.
These women know, almost without a doubt, that their protests will be stopped.
They know they will be arrested and they know they stand a good chance
of being beaten - and yet still they do it.
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- The women of WOZA draw attention to the every day things
in life that ordinary mothers, families and households are battling with
- the price of food, the cost of schooling, the desperate state of health
care, the lowest life expectancy in the world. These women really are the
bravest of the brave and this week Jenni Williams, the founder of WOZA
received the highest international recognition - for her bravery, her vision
and her leadership.
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- Jenni was one of 10 women from around the world chosen
to be given the Women of Courage award by US Secretary of State Condoleeza
Rice. Jenni has been arrested over two dozen times herself, she has been
physically abused, followed, taunted, separated from her family and yet
still she leads the way, determined that the people in power in Zimbabwe
hear the calls of the ordinary women. Being interviewed on the day of the
award presentation Jenni Williams said: "The award is a great honour,
but the real award will be a free and independent Zimbabwe." We salute
you Jenni Williams, and all the women of WOZA.
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- In the same week as WOZA gained international recognition,
inflation in Zimbabwe rose by a hundred and thirty six percent since in
a month and now stands - albeit momentarily - at 1729,9% . A few quick
sums on the calculator show that inflation is rising by four and half percent
every day. Also this week came the tragic news of 35 people killed when
a commuter omnibus hit a train in Harare.
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- This tragedy is littered with the evidence of a country
falling apart: a grossly overloaded bus; tall, uncut grass alongside the
railway line; no rail crossing warning lights, no rail crossing booms The
news coverage on ZBC Television was crude, callous and utterly insensitive
to the families and friends of the victims. Not everything has to be seen
to be believed. I close with a picture of March for people away from home:
cosmos in flower everywhere - purple, mauve, pink, white and every shade
in between, it is a magnificent sight.
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- Until next week, thanks for reading,
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- love cathy.
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- Copyright cathy buckle 10 March 2007 http://africantears.netfirms.com
My books: "African Tears" and "Beyond Tears" are available
from : orders@africabookcentre.com To subscribe/unsubscribe to this newsletter,
please write to: cbuckle@mango.zw
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