HRC lambastes Mbeki (14-12-06)

ft-com:office:smarttags” />JOHANNESBURG – South Africa has one of the best constitutions in the world, but the African National Congress (ANC) government has drastically failed the implementation and accountability policy as it shields Zimbabwe from appalling human rights abuses.

The South African Human Rights Commission Chairperson, Jody Kollapen, has lambasted the Mbeki government of hypocrisy and accused it of double standards.

Kollapen was addressing several dozens of Zimbabwe and other African refugees at Methodist House in Braamfontein, Johannesburg South Africa on Thursday last week during the 16 Days of Activism Agains Children and Women abuses.

He said the SA Human Rights Commission had lost hope in the government of President Thabo Mbeki over the Zimbabwe crisis, arguing that his organization was now contemplating lobbying the African Union (AU) member states to denounce Zimbabwe on strongest terms.

“It does not require any military action or coup against Zimbabwe, but it only needs a statement from our government to denounce what is happening there. The commission notes with concern the role of the ANC government in blocking any moves against Zimbabwe’s bad human rights record, torture and violence against women,” said Kollapen.

He also took a swipe on the SA Police for alleged non-professionalism and xenophobia when dealing with several civic society organizations, claiming that some SAPS officers rape helpless Zimbabwean refugees.

Speaking at the same function, the Executive Director for the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) Ahmed Motala, said the rampant human rights abuses and torture in Zimbabwe would be likened to the genocide in Rwanda that claimed over 700 000 people.

“The Organization of African Unity and the United Nations just folded their hands as the masses died in genocide,” he said. – CAJ News