By Sizalobuhle Khumalo
The four day 10th meeting of the Secretaries General of Former Liberation Movements (FLMs) in Southern Africa ended yesterday here in Victoria Falls amidst growing strong calls for the immediate upliftment of the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
In attendance were ZANU PF Secretary for Administration, Dr Obert Mpofu, ANC Secretary General, Cde Elias Magashule , CCM Secretary for Organisation, Cde Pereira Silima, FRELIMO Secretary for Training Cadres, Comrade Francisco Macanheia, MPLA Secretary General Cde Paulo Pombolo and SWAPO’s Secretary for Women’s Council, Cde Eunice Lipinge.
BDP Secretary Cde, Mpho Balopi, and Zambia’s Patriotic Front, Deputy Secretary General, Cde Chilufya Josephine Mumbi Phiri were also in attendance for the first time as observers.
Noteworthy, is that BDF was unanimously admitted as a full member of the FLMs with Zambia’s PF being asked to officially submit an application to the movement.
In its official communiqué released at the end of the meeting FLMs came out strong in their agreement on the collective calls for the upliftment of the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
In part the communiqué read: “…FLMs should continue with the collective call for the immediate and unconditional removal of illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western countries and to devise counter measures against similar potential threats on member-states.
“Member-states to take all necessary steps and measures including, but not limited to legislative and administrative frameworks to underpin the fight against sanctions in their various forms and manifestations.”
Additionally, “all Women’s Leagues of Former Liberation Movements present resolved to support resolutely SADC Resolution to declare 25 October Anti-Sanctions Day against Zimbabwe and all women to be organized to march in solidarity with Zimbabwe.”
The meeting also re-affirmed reaffirmed its support and solidarity with the people of the Saharawi Republic, Palestine and Cuba in their struggle for self-determination, and “implored that concrete action be taken by regional and continental leaders to end the continued foreign occupation.”
The FLMs also called upon its Governments to reengage progressive nations across the globe as was the case during the liberation struggle.
The communiqué also noted satisfactory progress covered so far towards the construction of the Mwalimu Kambarage Julius Nyerere School of Leadership which is set to the FLM Apex School of Ideology.
The FLMs also resolved that cooperation anchored on an outright fight against neo-imperialism through economic development and centered diplomacy in Southern Africa should be deepened in a bid to perpetuate the decolonization agenda and at the same time guarantee the longevity of the FLMs.
Furthermore the meeting also came strong in its calls for the enactment of strong legislative measures to “effectively combat drug dealing, human trafficking, women and child abuse, and gender based violence.”
“… further implored FLMs and their respective governments to fight corruption at all levels and in all forms so as to retain popularity and relevance of FLMs.”
There were also calls for “FLMs … collective effort and attention towards assisting the sister-Republic of South-Africa in subduing the Afrophobic-related attacks on foreign nationals.”
In order to ensure continued entrenchment of revolutionary principles and ideals in their countries’ governance systems, FLMs were urged to assert their supremacy over government and to strengthen their cadreship development policy, “including structured and compulsory ideological training programmes for nurturing a broad human capital base for deployment to critical and strategic positions in FLMs and their respective Government.”
A resolution to amend to amend the name of the esteemed movement from Former Liberation Movements to Liberation Movements was also made.
