BULAWAYO:- AMNESTY International, a human rights body, has urged the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to push for a stop to violence and kidnap attempts of human rights and opposition activists in Zimbabwe to avoid the country witnessing a repeat of last years violence.Amnesty International said a wave of reported violence and kidnap attempts of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) members is fuelling in tension in Zimbabwe a situation that might see the country sliding back into post-election violence that marred last years polls.
‘Some elements in the unity government continue to persecute perceived political opponents through unlawful arrests and malicious prosecutions. This is fuelling tension in the unity government and increasing fear amongst the people.
SADC needs to recognise this recent deterioration in the human rights situation and tackle it immediately – before it degenerates further, Amnesty International Africa Programme Director Erwin van der Borght said in a statement on Thursday.
A partial pullout from a unity government with President Robert Mugabes Zanu-PF by the MDC has triggered fears of last years violence following kidnap attempts of that partys activists and arrest of human rights activists.
The arrest and kidnap attempts follow a similar pattern to last years incidents of political intimidation where Mugabes opponents, either key middle and lower-ranking opposition officials or human rights activists, were caused to disappear.
Amnesty is calling on Southern African Development Community (SADC) foreign ministers, visiting Zimbabwe on Thursday to assess the eight month-old unity government, not to ignore the worsening human rights situation, added Erwin van der Borght.
A SADC ministerial team is in Zimbabwe to try and unlock a political gridlock between President Mugabe and Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai over the implementation of last years power sharing deal.
The MDC led by the countrys premier, Morgan Tsvangirai partially quit a unity government with Mugabe the previous week over the latters refusal to implement key terms of a power sharing deal signed last year.
But Zimbabwes long time ruler denies charges of refusing to abide by the terms of a power sharing deal he signed with the MDC. Mugabe blames the MDC for stalling the implementation of the power sharing deal by its failure to call for the lifting of targeted sanctions against him and his close allies.
Post published in: Politics