Munhumutapa Building, Samora Machel, Harare, Zimbabwe

Fax: +263 4 703 858

To His Excellency, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe,

We have learnt with grave concern that more than 20,000 poor people have been evicted from their homes and shops in different urban locations in Zimbabwe in recent weeks.

Mass evictions like these have happened before in some countries, but experience has shown that eviction alone has never led to any lasting, effective solution – for the people or for the country as a whole. On the contrary, eviction has only brought on more suffering and more desperation for the poor.

People in urban poor communities are already obliged to take care of themselves without much support from government or society. But in doing so, they create survival systems and crucial support structures which meet their basic needs and enable them to carry on their lives. By taking away their land and destroying their houses and market stalls by violent means, the government is only further impoverishing these vulnerable citizens.

The whole world remembers Zimbabwe as the country which fought to be free from colonial power. Those of us in the international community who championed Zimbabwe’s struggle for freedom 27 years ago feel deeply sad to hear about these mass evictions and to learn that such freedom hasn’t yet reached the country’s poor citizens. How can a country be free if its poor still lack the freedom to carry on their lives peacefully in their settlements? And how can a country be free if its poor only experience more and more suffering, more and more poverty, without sufficient care being taken to address their misery?

In fact, it is not difficult to solve the problems of urban slums. In the international community, there are now so many experiences, knowledge and resources available to help solve the problems of urban poverty in a more constructive and peaceful manner. Those of us living in Asia would like to propose that Zimbabwe’s government consider solving the problem of slums in a different way. It is possible to turn this eviction into a more positive rehabilitation process, in which the poor evictees rebuild their new housing, communities and livelihood.

In Zimbabwe, one way the government could solve the problem is by finding some alternative land for relocation, in consultation with the people. Once the people agree to move, it is possible to obtain technical and financial assistance from international development organizations to help construct new houses and rebuild these communities at the new site.

We have learnt that there is already a strong community process in Zimbabwe with considerable experience in community housing and development called the Gungano Community Development Fund, which is ready to assist the government in finding solutions to the problem. We have also learnt that in recent years, the urban poor of Zimbabwe have developed many self-help initiatives to resolve their own problems of housing, sanitation, income and land. They have linked together into federations, operated successful self-help community savings groups and have worked closely with local authorities on a wide variety of development projects. This is all a sign showing that development has already begun - by the poor people themselves.

The scale of destruction has brought these evictions in Zimbabwe to the world’s attention now, and the international community is ready to help resolve the situation by providing whatever technical support is needed – to both the government and to the affected communities.

We at the Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR) are also ready to assist the government of Zimbabwe and the communities. Our organization and our extensive network of community organizations and professionals around the world are ready to provide support for a people-driven solution to the mass evictions taking place in Zimabawe now. We look forward to a positive outcome as a result of your intervention and a solution which brings to an end this tragic incident.

Yours sincerely,

Ms. Somsook Boonyabancha

Secretary General, Asian Coalition for Housing Rights

Bangkok, Thailand

CC to :

Mr. Khembo Mohadi, Minister of Home Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, 11th Floor Mukwati Building, Private Bag 7703, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe, Fax: + 263 4 726 716

Mr. Patrick Chinamasa, Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, 5th Floor Corner House, Private Bag 7751, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe, Fax: + 263 4 790901 / 772999

The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development, The Honorable Dr. Ignatious Chombo, MP, 9^th Floor, Makombe New Complex, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe. Fax 263-4-729481

Mr. Andrew Chigovera, Attorney-General, Office of the Attorney-General, PO Box 7714, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe, Fax: + 263 4 790 901

Mr. Augustine Chihuri, Police Commissioner, Police Headquarters, P.O. Box 8807, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe Fax: + 263 4 726 084/ 235 212/ 728 768