OneWorld.net (U.S.)

Zimbabwe's powerful religious elites have stepped in where African leaders failed to act this week, reprimanding the country's leadership for its oppressive tactics and warning that only "a new people-driven Constitution" can avert a mass uprising.

© The Kubatana Trust of ZimbabweIn an unusually strongly-worded letter to their congregations, Zimbabwe's powerful Catholic bishops have said that black Zimbabweans today are fighting for the same rights they fought for during the liberation struggle against white colonialists, only this time the country's black rulers are their oppressors.

The letter characterizes the current turmoil in Zimbabwe as arising from a crisis of governance and leadership, and recommends the formation of a new Constitution to guide "a democratic leadership chosen in free and fair elections."

Read the whole story at AllAfrica.com.

Meanwhile, many observers had hoped that a two-day summit of Southern African leaders would mark a turning point in Zimbabwe's fortunes. But a promise only of "promoting dialogue" and a failure to rebuke Robert Mugabe -- or even mention the human rights abuses perpetrated by his officials -- left many analysts disappointed and predicting more of the same: words but no deeds.

The UN's IRIN news service explains it all Friday.

© GlobalGivingOrdinary Zimbabweans have seen the public protest-government crackdown-international condemnation cycle repeat itself time and again in recent years though, and little has changed for them. Will this year be different?

Human rights activist Mary Ndlovu thinks it will. The past year's near-total economic collapse, coupled with an erosion of official loyalty among the country's police, army, intelligence forces, and judiciary, has created a "recipe for change in the near future," she says.

But, she cautions, Robert Mugabe's exit may be just the first step on a very long and difficult journey for Zimbabwe's long-oppressed people.

The week's Pambazuka Newsletter leads off with her commentary.