This summer, a friend of mine had the chance to spend a week with leaders from a growing social movement in South Africa called the Shack Dwellers Movement. She got to know Mazwi, a young person whom she says has incredible vision and clarity about how the world's poor should be organizing for human rights, and Reverend Mavuso, a man she described as having a big sense of humor and a deep commitment to ending poverty.
These two are leaders in Abahlali baseMjondolo (or Shack Dweller Movement), which now includes 10,000 people and 30 settlements. The movement began in 2005 in response to mass numbers of forced evictions and housing demolitions of informal settlements outside of the city of Durban, South Africa.
"Since Saturday, there has been a ferocious attack on Mazwi, Rev. Mavuso, and all the other members of the Shack Dwellers Movement," reported my friend. "Armed thugs are killing people, injuring people and destroying homes--- all with the sanction of the local police and the South African government."
She stressed the importance that the South African government know that international eyes watching.
She asks that you to sign this petition addressed to South African President Jacob Zuma: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/9/an-open-letter-to-jacob-zuma
For more info, see the Media Mobilizing Project's website:
http://mediamobilizing.org/
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