International Migrants Day – 18 December 2024

18 December 2024

“A day set aside to recognise the important contribution of migrants while highlighting the
challenges they face.” (UN, 2002)

International Migrants Day aims to raise awareness of the experiences of migrants, their significant contributions to communities worldwide, and the challenges they face. It celebrates the diversity within migrant communities and promotes the protection of their human rights.

The UN Migration Agency (IOM) defines a migrant as:

“Any person who is moving or has moved across an international border or within a State away from his/her habitual place of residence, regardless of:

1. The person’s legal status;

2. Whether the movement is voluntary or involuntary;

3. The causes of the movement; or

4. The length of stay.”

People migrate for various reasons, including conflict, political instability, economic challenges, climate change, or simply the hope of a better future for themselves and their families.

Yet, despite their many contributions, migrants are often among the most marginalized in society, facing exploitation, abuse, discrimination, and limited access to essential services.

Why Recognize International Migrants Day?

1. Addressing Root Causes

Conflict, political instability, economic insecurity, and the effects of climate change continue to force millions of people to leave their homes.

2. Protecting Vulnerable Populations

Migrant workers are frequently found in temporary, informal, or unprotected jobs, making them vulnerable to exploitation, layoffs, and poor working conditions.

3. Promoting Inclusion

Migrants enrich societies with cultural diversity and help sustain economies by filling skills gaps, fostering innovation, and addressing demographic challenges in aging populations.

4. Zimbabwean Diaspora

Zimbabwe’s diaspora is a striking example, comprising over 5 million people—roughly 30% of the country’s population.

• The largest proportion, approximately 1.5 million, resides in South Africa.

• The second-largest population, around 128,000, lives in the United Kingdom.

These individuals not only support their host countries but also send crucial remittances back home, providing a lifeline to their families and contributing to local development.

The Benefits of Safe and Strategic Migration

When migration is managed effectively, it becomes a powerful force for good. Safe and regular migration pathways:

• Offer greater opportunities for migrants;

• Protect their rights;

• Foster economic growth and innovation in host countries; and

• Drive development in migrants’ countries of origin.

Evidence overwhelmingly supports the idea that migration, when handled with care, benefits both migrants and the communities they engage with.

A Call to Action

Migrants are more than their challenges; they are catalysts for change, growth, and diversity. On International Migrants Day, let us commit to:

• Celebrating their contributions;

• Advocating for their rights; and

• Creating inclusive systems that ensure migration is safe, orderly, and beneficial for all.

Together, one step at a time, we can build a world where the promise of migration is fully realized.

*About the author*

Tendai Christian Mapfumo is a UK based Zimbabwean Human Rights Activist. He is in the South Branch of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe. He can be contacted by emailing christendai52@gmail.com

Crescendo of Hope: Defying Political Violence in Zimbabwe

2nd October 2024

Today, as the world commemorates the International Day of Non-Violence, we are reminded of the enduring legacy of peace and justice advocated by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi. Established by the United Nations in 2007, this day, observed on October 2, Gandhi's birthday, is a global call to reject all forms of violence and seek peaceful resolutions to conflict. Nonviolence is more than just the absence of violence; it is an active stance rooted in justice, compassion, and the courage to confront oppression without resorting to force. As we reflect on this important day, it is essential to examine how political violence has plagued countries like Zimbabwe, where the principles of nonviolence have been grossly undermined by those in power.

Violence can be defined as any force intended to cause destruction, disturbance, defamation, damage, or harm. While violence in all its forms whether political, gender-based, or domestic is universally condemned, certain types of violence have, unfortunately, become normalized in Zimbabwe today. Of particular concern is the rise of political violence and gender-based violence (GBV), which have become recurring features of Zimbabwean media and daily life.

In this context, it is crucial to understand the true meaning of political violence. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2002), political violence is the deliberate use of power and force to achieve political objectives. In Zimbabwe, this form of violence has been manipulated, misused, and weaponized, particularly by the ruling ZANU-PF party under the leadership of Emmerson Mnangagwa. The party has consistently deployed propaganda to paint pro-democracy activists and change champions (CCC) as perpetrators of violence, when in fact, it is ZANU-PF itself that has instigated and perpetuated much of the political violence in the country.

Names like Makomborero Haruzivishe, Job Sikhala, Takudzwa Ngadziore, and Allan Moyo are now synonymous with the brutal repression of dissent in Zimbabwe. These individuals, who have courageously stood up for justice and change, have faced severe persecution at the hands of Mnangagwa’s regime. Through the judiciary’s capture and systematic abuse of the legal system, activists are subjected to arbitrary arrests, torture, prolonged periods of remand, and biased trials. This miscarriage of justice has become normalized, raising an urgent question: Who is truly instigating political violence in Zimbabwe? Is it the change champions (CCC) seeking a democratic future, or is it ZANU-PF using violence as a tool to maintain its grip on power?

The ruling party, under Mnangagwa, has strategically abused the concept of political violence to delegitimize opposition and civil society voices. Any exercise of one’s constitutional right to free speech and peaceful assembly is twisted to appear as an act of political subversion or violence. By labeling protests and expressions of dissent as "incitement of violence," the regime seeks to justify its own violent crackdowns on innocent civilians and political opponents. It is ZANU-PF, not the activists, that has fostered a culture of fear and oppression, where violence—both physical and psychological—is used to silence any challenges to its authority.

Since Mnangagwa took over leadership following the ousting of Robert Mugabe, the pattern of political violence has continued unabated. The post-election violence of August 1, 2018, where six unarmed civilians were shot dead by the military, serves as a grim reminder of the state's willingness to use excessive force to stifle any form of protest or dissent. Despite calls for accountability and justice, those responsible for this atrocity have never been held to account. This blatant disregard for human life and the rule of law is emblematic of Mnangagwa’s regime, where violence is not only tolerated but actively used to suppress the will of the people.

The abuse of terms like "political violence" by ZANU-PF is part of a broader strategy to deflect from their own violent actions and paint their opponents as aggressors. By demonizing human rights defenders and political activists, the regime tries to shift the blame for the violence it orchestrates. But the truth is clear: ZANU-PF has long been the instigator of political violence in Zimbabwe, using intimidation, harassment, and physical force to maintain its stranglehold on power

I, therefore, call upon human rights activists, civil society organizations, and the international community to address this distortion of justice and violence. We must stand in solidarity against the ongoing violations of human rights and the manipulation of the law by Mnangagwa’s regime. Political violence is not merely a tool for silencing dissent—it is an attack on the very foundations of democracy and human dignity.

#NoToPoliticalViolence

#StopViolenceInZimbabwe

#EndGBV

#HumanRightsNow

About the author 

Beauty Msimanga is a political activist, a member of the Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC), and a member of Midlands Branch of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe.

International Day of Democracy -By Tendai Christian Mapfumo

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY BY TENDAI CHRISTIAN MAPFUMO

“No one is born a good citizen, and no nation is born a democracy. Both are processes that evolve over a lifetime. Young people must be included from birth.” – Kofi Annan

International Democracy Day is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to free speech, civil liberties, and the rule of law. It is a day to ensure accountable institutions and to protect and promote human rights. As we commemorate this day, we must reflect on the vital role democracy plays in shaping a brighter future for the people of Zimbabwe and the world at large. Democracy champions human rights, freedoms, and the rule of law, fostering a collective belief in justice and equality.

However, celebrating democracy in many African countries, particularly Zimbabwe, may seem like a fallacy. Democracy has often existed merely as a concept rather than a practice, especially in light of the events that have unfolded since our so-called independence.

Zimbabwe, constitutionally a republic, has been under the grip of an authoritarian government that has not been fairly elected since the 1980s, dominated by former president Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF regime. Under the rule of Mugabe and the current president, Emerson Mnangagwa, we have witnessed numerous human rights violations. Their regime has harassed, arrested, tortured, and abducted members of non-ZANU PF parties and civil society activists. There is a widespread disregard for the rule of law among security forces and the judiciary, along with severe restrictions on civil society.

ZANU PF has effectively controlled and manipulated the political process, undermining citizens' rights to change their government. Political activists face arbitrary arrests without justification, endure harsh prison conditions, and experience prolonged detention without trial.

Every year, credible reports emerge of politically motivated abductions and attempted abductions. There have been instances where government agents have committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, and police units have organized and participated in political violence, with perpetrators rarely facing punishment.

While the constitution and laws prohibit arbitrary arrest and detention, the government has enacted measures to weaken these protections. Despite legal prohibitions, security forces continue to carry out arbitrary arrests and detain individuals, particularly those perceived to oppose ZANU PF.

So, where is the democracy? Although the citizens of Zimbabwe yearn for genuine democratic governance, we still have a long way to go. Achieving this goal will require unity and a concerted effort to remove Mnangagwa and his ZANU PF regime.

#WeNeedARevolution

#IDofDemocracy

*About the author*

_Tendai Christian Mapfumo is a UK based Zimbabwean human rights activist. He is in the South Branch of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe. He can be contacted by emailing christendai52@gmail.com

Honouring the International Day of Democracy: Thoughts & Reflections by Memory Kishindo

Honoring the International Day of Democracy: Thoughts and Reflections by Memory Kishindo 

Democracy: What is it? A democracy is a nation that solicits feedback from its people on how it is administered.

Additionally, it's a chance to emphasize how crucial it is to preserve civil freedoms, free expression, the rule of law, accountable institutions, and individuals' human rights. Are we Zimbabweans pleased to celebrate the Day of Democracy? No, and why?

We are being murdered, tortured, kidnapped, falsely arrested, and coerced into disappearances whenever we attempt to speak out.

Since March 2015, when Itai Dzamara vanished, his family has been searching for answers. Human rights advocate Dzamara pushed the Zimbabwean government to respect human rights and address urgent economic problems. The head of Amnesty International in Zimbabwe, Lucia Masuka, urged the government of Emmerson Mnangagwa to take steps to track down and identify the activist who has gone missing. The government has done nothing, made no attempt, and kept quiet about Dzamara's disappearance for a long time. 

In Zimbabwe, a lack of the rule of law has resulted in widespread corruption, embezzlement of public monies, and a jobless rate over 90%. Youths have therefore turned to drug misuse as a way to cope with the hardships of unemployment. Over the past ten years, as the nation's economy continues to deteriorate, substance abuse has become increasingly prevalent. Democracy won't exist in Zimbabwe as long as Mnangagwa and the Zanu-PF party are in power, let alone be celebrated in a free and just nation. Unless the Zanu-PF junta party is forced from office and a new generation of leaders is chosen through free and fair democratic elections. 

As a human rights advocate, I declare that enough is enough. We are sick and weary of Zimbabwean individuals being killed, subjected to cruelty, and having their human rights violated. We have endured far too much suffering at the hands of a corrupt and cruel man. 

#IDofDemocracy2024

About the author

Memory Kishindo is a human rights activist based in the United Kingdom. She is a member of the Midlands Branch of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe.