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Zimbabwe: Theory X theatre Project
YOUR COMMENTS |
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Many of you helped us raise funds for our Zimbabwean projects and so it
is with great sadness that I must share the news below, please read this
through and see if there is a way you can support our plans,
financially, organizationally and spiritually we need to pull on every
resource we have.
For the last two weeks we have had the worst possible news coming out of
Zimbabwe. Less than two weeks before our planned trip to continue with
our projects – work that was needed more now than ever – we had to stand
back and watch every plan we had made fall apart. The most distressing
fact is knowing what we know is happening there and yet we are not only
helpless to change it; we are in disbelief that it is not being
broadcast in our news. Bits of it yes, but nothing that would reveal the
true horrific scale of what is going on. For the first time we all have
had to sit back, but that is a luxury our people in Zimbabwe cannot
enjoy and now we are left fearing for them on every possible level with
arrests, beatings and deaths now commonplace.
Cancelling our trip was a decision forced upon us and in light of the
last week's events arriving there on Election Day being white and
British would put people there at more risk for being involved with us.
I cannot begin to tell you how terrible things are but the fear and
dismay but I will share with you part of an email from our main person
in Zimbabwe because I want people to understand what is happening and
what people are going through:
Jen I wish we could talk … why don't people want to admit what is
going on here? On Friday a big General was murdered... no one knows if
he was bumped off for stepping out of line, but Mugabe and his cronies
have declared that it was the 'other party' who did it. So there is
panic and beatings and de-legging... where they take you now and they
cut your legs off. You know Jen, I don't know. I have never been in
anything like this. I feel completely deflated. We planned so well and I
remember a time when everything seemed to fall right into place. now it
is so dark. I know I am tired, I haven't slept in a while. everyone
planning to lie as low as possible. I am so sorry. - I feel so tired.
worn out. I cant keep up with it. I usually know what to do and trust my
instincts and they are always right, I get my energy from that, and now
I feel completely out of control, ... slightly insane. I don't know what
to do. Why cant they understand?
The last few days I have spent trying to process the news we have been
receiving from our people in Zimbabwe and trying to deal with things as
practically as possible. Our first step was to move the Ethiopians One
Love project group to October, we were able to move flights etc without
too much loss as the airline had already refused to fly into Zimbabwe on
the dates we originally were looking at. The next step was to move my
flight and arrangements. Ironically the airline refused on the basis
that the foreign office have not declared Zimbabwe a dangerous zone,
despite the fact that our booking were all for arrival on the day of the
elections. So we face losing money so many worked so hard to raise but
our determination stays strong. We will be going to Zimbabwe in October,
that is our first step but in the meantime I have another plan…which may
be impossible to pull off in 4 weeks but I have to try and that is where
I need help….
The plan is to bring the Ethiopians to the UK for just over a week
and set up dates for them to do their show, a workshop and for me to be
able to give a talk about Zimbabwe and our project and our plans for One
Love throughout Africa. The plan is to use the money we would have to
bring them into Zimbabwe and make it back through the shows and
workshops – to use One Love as a platform for people to be aware of what
is happening in Zimbabwe and to help. To do this we can cover transport
but not lodgings and food so each place we do a show we would need to
have that provided. Some locations I have already spoken to and they are
keen to do this but I want to try and get these performances and talks
in as many places as possible in the short window of time open to us.
One Love Awassa will perform the show we were using for Zimbabwe – they
are a group aged from 7-26 – and they will do workshops with kids and
adults teaching them about their methods of acrobatic and physical
theatre.
If you are an organisation, school, university or individuals who would
be interested in hosting a day of this in support of our cause in
Zimbabwe please contact me as soon as possible. If you can offer
lodgings/food in any location we will end up please contact me. The
dates we plan to do this we still need to confirm but probably will be
in September.
Please help us ensure that the world hears what is happening in Zimbabwe
and that our people there have support at this time when they need it
most of all. We are all trying to remain hopeful and optimistic in these
difficult times.
Thank you for your support
Jennifer
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