Forwarded Message Follows:
FYI - Curtis Price
From: andrew kliman <Andrew_Kliman@msn.com>
Zimbabwe Labour Party
P.O. Box BE 814 Belvedere
Harare, Zimbabwe
October 9, 1996
Dear friend,
The struggle in Zimbabwe continues! Organizations such as mine, the Zimbabwe Labour Party (ZLP) are rising to challenge the situation in our country whereby sixteen years after the first free elections in a liberated Zimbabwe, political power has slipped from the hands of the common people.
I am in the U.S to talk about what is being done to correct this reversal of liberation, and to find out how we can build solidarity between ourselves and like-minded organizations and individuals in your country. Our primary goal is to raise funds to start a newspaper.
Rampant corruption and a widened gap between the rich and poor has been the result of a lack of real democracy in Zimbabwe. If these problems are not addressed, a violent and bloody change is regrettably inevitable. Our economy is in shambles mainly because of greed, corruption and nepotism on the part of the elite of the ruling party, the ZANU (PF).
State-run companies are bleeding the nation to death as they are run on partisan lines and unbelievably huge losses have been incurred. This means that the IMF/World Bank-sponsored Structural Adjustment Programme is doomed to failure as there is no political competition for contracts. That has not stopped the SAP from bringing untold suffering resulting in an increase in street kids, prostitution and crime.
Opposition is stifled as the ruling ZANU (PF) controls state radio, television and daily newspapers. The Political Parties Finance Act gives $40 million in campaign finances only to the ruling party. The ruling party uses state resources during election times. Opposition supporters are victimised by setting their houses and property on fire. The minority whites, gays/lesbians and Ndebele people are often used as scapegoats for the economic ills of the country.
The Zimbabwe Labour Party is committed to correcting these anomalies and we kindly ask for financial donations. I am here in the U.S. on a lecture and fundraising tour and I am available to meet with you and your membership. Please contact me at: News and Letters, 59 E. Van Buren St., Room 707, Chicago, IL 60605; TEL (312) 663 0839, FAX (312) 663 9069; Email nandl@igc.apc.org.
Yours faithfully,
Langton Machoko
President, Zimbabwe Labour Party