When the history books are written about the last ten years of our lives in Zimbabwe,
there must be a giant chapter devoted to the WOZA WOMEN.
Thousands of WOZA (Women of Zimbabwe Arise) have dedicated the last ten years of their
lives to this beleaguered country, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, they have
made the salvation of Zimbabwe their lives' work.
Beaten, tortured, harassed, deep in undercover Matabeleland, they work tirelessly for the
deliverance of our land.
They live in simple, frugal homes, squashed in like flies between boxes of flyers, between
giant photo copiers, between banners and red roses.
They move silently from safe house to safe house, uncomplaining, sometimes hungry,
often in great danger, always nervous of the authorities, and of being raided and detained,
yet again.
Countless days have been spent in filth and squalor at Police stations and prisons across
the country.
In May this year the "Chikirubi 14" were incarcerated at Zimbabwe's most feared jail, for
over five weeks. Chikirubi is on the outskirts of Harare, a maximum security jail where
they were forced to rub shoulders with murderers, rapists and killers.
Why Chikirubi ? Why jail at all ? These brave Women have only ever undertaken rallies of
peace and protection for their children .... They sit down on the hot tarmac to show they
are no threat to peace. They sing and chant quiet slogans of love and peace. They hand out
roses, signs of love and harmony. They hand out pamphlets explaining just how their
families are starving and suffering.
The "Chikirubi 14" were in jail in the middle of Zimbabwe's fiercely cold winter and when
they were eventually released they all had hideous chest infections and severe diarrhea.
They were thin in the flesh but still plump with passion for freeing their Zimbabwe from
the oppression under which it has found itself for many years now.
Just recently MOZA was formed - Men of Zimbabwe Arise ... and the ranks of the
determined are swelling day by day. As hunger crushes the spirit of most Zimbabweans,
the mission of WOZA and MOZA is to continue to initiate a non-violent campaign.
"Our aim is to mobilise Zimbabweans to demand social justice from their leaders. The time
has come to put the past behind us and start building a better tomorrow. We will hold
existing leaders accountable and mobilise people to the movement to demand leaders
who will deliver all aspects of social justice and a genuinely people-driven constitution. "
Watching a WOZA march come together, is an extraordinarily moving experience.
On a given day, at a given time, at a given signal, hundreds of men and women silently
flood the streets of Bulawayo, Harare, Gweru, Masvingo or even Zambia, wherever there is
a chance of their cause being seen and heard.
On the surface, the city seems to be very normal, maybe a preponderance of ladies
wearing a touch of red ?
The air is tense and expectant, anxious faces scour the streets for any unusually high
police presence.... ..
Suddenly the familiar shrill striking whistle blows, "Woza" , a stentorian voice calls, "Arise
Brave Women of Zimbabwe"
"CHI" a great cry arises as women miraculously materialise from shops, alleys, streets, cars
and corners.
It is the most spine chilling sound, ethereal, incredible, unbelievable. ... a sound I will hear
always hold dear to my heart, where I also hold the clear images of our brave, proud
women who will never give up, who are prepared to endure another possible sound
thumping .... again.... and again .... and again.
God Bless and keep you safe - Our Own Brave Women of Zimbabwe.
Beloved Dad of Helen, Ronnie, Billy and families. Passed away, in Johannesburg, after a
short illness on Saturday 18th October 2008. Will be sorely missed by all.
Contact details Kevin Volk
E-mail Address:
kpvolk @vodamail. co.za
Could you please mention that Nikolaos Katsambas (Nick the Greek) formerly of Bulawayo
and Acting Locomotive Inspector with the National Railways of Zimbabwe passed away Oct
11 2008.
From: gkatsamb@yahoo. com
Charsley, Dot
Deepest sympathy to Curley, Leanne, Lynn and Murray. The pain is over. You were such a
super friend to us.
Love From
Craig, Helen and Ryan McBean
Charsley
Dot: Our deepest sympathy to Curly, Leanne, Lynn and Murray on the sad loss of such a
wonderful lady.
Rest Peacefully now.
Love Mrs. McBean, Shiona and Kyle
Condolence
TOM JONES: Dear Sally and Craig and Family, So sorry to here the sad news of Tom's
passing. With love from, Roger and Barbara (Turner) Carole and family (Hatten) Kokie and
Jan (Kuipers) all in England and Ju and Pete (Hagelthorn) Portugal
MARK KRIEL
Mark Kriel dearly loved son of Mike and Felicity Kriel , dearest brother of Chris,
much loved nephew of Rick and Maggie, cousin of Robyn and Joanne died tragically in
Johannesburg on Tuesday 21 October 2008.
FURTHER ON RADIATION
Scientists have hit out at companies selling unproven products that they say exploit
unfounded health fears among consumers about radiation from mobile phones, Wi-Fi and
other devices. The products claim to block or dissipate electromagnetic fields from
everyday electronic goods, but the researchers say there is no solid evidence that such
fields are dangerous.
"Receiving misleading information causes unnecessary anxiety among people who
genuinely believe, for example, that their (real) symptoms are due to EMF exposure," said
Dr Stephen Keevil, consultant physicist in MRI at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation
Trust.
"By not paying attention to the scientific evidence a lot of unnecessary panic and anxiety is
being generated," said Prof Elaine Fox, a psychologist at the University of Essex, who has
carried out studies into the effects of mobile phone radiation. "As with many of these
issues, the level of fear and anxiety is easy to generate and then is easily maintained by the
widespread mistrust of authority and political bodies."
To dispel misconceptions about the effects of radiation, the charity Sense About Science
has released a report called Making Sense of Radiation. The scientists that compiled it have
criticized many products available on the internet. One is a fabric radiation shield aimed at
pregnant mothers sold by a New Zealand-based company called MummyWraps.
"You want the best for your child, but how can you protect your precious bundle of joy
against the potentially harmful electrosmog that swirls invisibly around us," reads the
company's website. It offers an undergarment made of "conductive fabric technology" for
$79.95 (£46).
"We are not exploiting people's fears but simply suggesting that given the accepted
uncertainty about the safety (or otherwise) of electromagnetic radiation that perhaps it is
prudent to err on the side of caution," said Neil Bullock of MummyWraps. "Many women
have great trouble in conceiving and so will surely wish to give her baby every possible
chance."
Another company highlighted in the report is EMFields in Ely, Cambridgeshire, which sells
shielding products such as head and bed nets. "We can back up the claim that the
products reduce exposure to EMFs. To claim that it 'protects' is based on whether the
consumer is being affected by EMFs in the first place," said Sarah Paine at EMFields. "For
mobile phones there is an abundance of evidence demonstrating that there is a possibility
of risk." She denied the company exploited consumer fears.
Fox says some campaign groups representing "electrosensitive" people have tried to block
research by telling sufferers not to volunteer for experiments. "Unfortunately some of the
action groups have been really quite anti-science, " said Fox, whose study last year of 169
people found no evidence of short-term symptoms from mobile phone masts. "I think
they didn't really like the results when they came out. I think they were expecting very
different results and unfortunately some of the action groups are now actively telling
people who believe they are sensitive not to get involved."
Fox said she now regularly receives abusive emails and phone calls as well as obscene
photographs from some campaigners.
James Randerson
guardian.co. uk, Monday October 06 2008 17:46 BST
Article history
From "Next year will be better" by Hylda Richards.
ONLY OCTOBER
When your energy flags
And your nerves are in rags
And you don't like the people around you.
And life has no worth
And you wish at your birth
Your parents had mercifully drowned you.
When you feel raw and rash
And possessing the cash
Would very soon cease to be sober
Why then be quite sure
That you suffer no more
Than an average dose of "October"
When you find you must bark
At a casual remark
And your hatred is deep and intensive
For all criticisms
And small mannerisms
Of people seem very offensive.
When all you attempt
Is never exempt
From a hundred and one complications.
You're too hot to live
With a brain like a sieve
They're only October sensations.
When you don't like your food
And you'd like to be rude
To those who prepare and provide it.
And whatever their choice
You lift up your voice
And tell them you "cannot abide it"
(You might take some salts
for dietary faults,
say Epsom or Enos or Glauber)
But once we get rain
You'll be alright again
So Cheer up, it's only October!
Hylda Richards 1930/40's
Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude
determines how well you do it
Grace is getting something that you don't deserve; and mercy is not getting something
that you do deserve.
Pascale Ghose
In Chinese the word "crisis" contains two symbols, danger & opportunity. .. How do you
choose to deal with "crisis"? --Jim Maclaren
"...a wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another,
which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and
improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is
the sum of good government." -
Yhomas Jeffersen
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