THIS IS LIFE

By Susan Mwape The Southern Africa People’s Solidarity Network (SAPSN) of Zimbabwe convened a Peoples summit in Maseru, Lesotho. The summit running under the theme “reclaiming SADC for People’s Development” attracted over 400 people Lesotho and SADC member countries. The people’s summit was convened to coincide with the SADC Heads of States summit. This is a clear indication that the SADC leadership community has not lived up to the aspirations of the sub- region. In line with the theme of the people’s summit, Lesotho had three SADC meetings running concurrently. Participants of the people’s summit felt they were in the right place to deliberate issues that had to do with SADC and among the major questions raised was that of knowing whose benefit SADC was of. A representative of the Development of Peace Education (DPE) based Lesotho which helped organize the people’s summit in his opening remarks said SADC was being reclaimed because they want to change SADC to represent the people n

By Susan Mwape Over 400 people from Southern African are attending the SADC People’s Summit running under the theme “Reclaiming SADC for the People’s Development”, have vowed not to leave Maseru until they have reclaimed SADC. The people’s summit started on 16th August 2006, is scheduled to end on 17th August 2006 in Maseru Lesotho. Assessing the prevailing condition in the region participants at the summit have vowed not to leave Maseru until they have reclaimed their SADC. They realized that SADC has constantly been used, abused and misused for the benefit of the elite. Participants of the people’s summit feel SADC must be reclaimed because it is not serving the interests of the people such as farmers, vulnerable children, youths who have been pushed to the periphery of socio-economic life because unemployment is still high and yet there is still need for decent jobs in the SADC. The participants at the summit realize that they are the true SADC and therefore have demanded that SADC