

Action in solidarity with the Zimbabwe socialists, July 18, 2011.



By the National Coordinating Committee, International Socialist Organisation Zimbabwe

UPDATE July 19, 2011 -- The six comrades facing trial at the Harare Magistrates Court have been remanded until August 22, 2011.The six are Munyaradzi Gwisai, Tafadzwa Choto, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Hopewell Gumbo, Edison Chakuma and Welcome Zimuto. The trial had been originally pegged for the morning of July 18 but it only kicked of at 1500hrs.The prosecution has come up with a new charge, that is, "inciting public violence", which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.

We are not satisfied with this development. We remain committed to our resolve that there should have been no charges in the first place. The meeting of February 19 was legitimate and a democratic right. These fake and trumped-up charges are coming at a great cost. Already one of the original 45 treason trialists, David Mpatsi, has died following a rapid deterioration in his health arising from his incarceration and denial of medical treatment. We hold the regime responsible for this death and the fate of his three children he has left behind. He indeed has paid the death penalty.

Comrades this is a ruthless regime which will not stop at anything to maintain its illegitimate hold on power and serve the interests of the ruling class. Our comrades still face a serious charge of up to 10 years imprisonment in the regime’s horror prisons where many have died. Only international solidarity backed by militant mobilisation locally will stop this regime. We therefore call for your continued support.

We would like to thank the scores of activists who attended court today and those who sent solidarity messages. Aluta continua!

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July 7, 2011 -- The International Socialist Organisation Zimbabwe (ISOZ) wishes to update all progressive cadres, socialists, revolutionaries and democrats who have been in solidarity with us since the unjust February 19, 2011, arrest, detention and torture of ISO comrades, student leaders and human rights activists that the case of "State v Munyaradzi Gwisai and 6 Others "goes to court on July 18, 2011.The trial will take place at the Rotten Row magistrates Regional Court 18 in Harare, Zimbabwe at 08:30hrs.

[For more information on the case, click here for previous articles.]

Our National Coordinating Committee comrades Munyaradzi Gwisai, Tafadzwa Choto and Tatenda Mombeyarara will be standing trial together with trade unionist Edison Chakuma, debt rights activist and ex-ISO comrade Hopewell Gumbo and student leader Welcome Zimuto.

We fully understand that the evil alliance between the state and the entire capitalist establishment should be resisted by all means. We are together in the struggle. Furthermore, the capitalist regimes of the world realise that their time is up and they have decided to give their last kicks, be it in Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, UK, Tunisia, Egypt and Swaziland and even here in Zimbabwe, where our comrades are facing similar charges for defending democracy and freedom of expression.

Your solidarity messages condemning our arrests were important in increasing the political cost on ZANU-PF [Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front] for keeping us detained. You indeed fought for our freedom. They can beat us, kill us and detain us. But they will not survive the revulsion of the intrinsic contradictions of capitalism that we are exposing. Workers will always stand up and revolt. We won’t stand by while rampant corruption and crass materialism disable both government and private sector. We will shout at the top of our voices when we detect abuse of power and political intolerance. Egypt and Tunisia are lessons for the poor and an opener to another Russia 1917. However, the workers and the oppressed masses of the present world if united can easily make capitalism history as well as turn all past revolts into tea-drinking sessions. Jambanja Ndizvo!

As revolutionary socialists we remain committed to the resolve and commitment that there is only one solution to capitalism. That solution is a revolution.

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Please sent messages of solidarity to: iso.zim@gmail.com, solidarity@freethemnow.com, editor.socialistworker@gmail.com; visit the websites www.freethemnow.com, www.isozim.blogspot.com; visit our facebook page, Socialist Zimbabwe.

You can also put pressure on the ruthless, counter-progressive state machinery of Zimbabwe by calling/faxing the following numbers to demand all charges against the Zimbabwean socialist be dropped:

Ministry of Justice +263 4 734920/24

Attorney General +263 4 774586/7;772987/8;772992

Ministry of Home Affairs +263 4 703641/3; email: moha@gvt.co.zw

0ffice of the President & cabinet +263 4 707091/7