The Africa Heritage Human Rights Forum (AHHRF) condemns in its strongest terms the treatment of Zimbabwean tertiary students, both in their home country and South Africa during the past few days.The arrest, torture, and detention of three student leaders in Harare for speaking out their mind on the causes of Zimbabwes problems, which are directly affecting their lives and the recent withdrawal of scholarships for over 10 students at the University of Fort Hare, on allegations that they are MDC supporters, confirms the widely-held view that President Robert Mugabe is not committed to the government of national unity.
It is disheartening to note that more than six months after the GNU was formed, draconian pieces of legislation like the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), which have for close to a decade been used by Mugabes government to suppress freedom of expression are still in place and being used against democratic forces in the country.
We implore the national unity government to work swiftly to repeal these draconian laws, whose prolonged existence will continue to undermine whatever progress the GNU will continue to make, and lessen Zimbabwean to second-class citizens in their own country as long as they do not support ZANU (PF).
We have been promised reforms to the countrys legal statutes and professionalism in the countrys state security agencies, but what we have seen so far are just more and more cases of human rights violations which will continue to scare away investors from our country.
Tertiary students, some of whom are already adults, are, just like many other Zimbabweans, suffering directly from the state of affairs in their country and must be allowed to speak freely on issues affecting them. Instead of this inhuman treatment, the unity government should be focusing its effort on its co-business of returning Zimbabwe to its former status as the bread basket of Southern Africa , and this can only be done by returning the country to the rule of law rather than rule by law.
Instead of continuously trying to stereotype people, the GNU should be listening to voices of descent and addressing the grievances of the Zimbabweans in a bid to better their lives.
On another note, the recent withdrawal of scholarships from 10 Fort Hare students on allegations that they are MDC supporters only smacks of Mugabes continued intolerance of his partners in the GNU.
It also shows that the Presidential Scholarship Fund, despite being funded by the taxpayers money, has been politicized to cater for only ZANU (PF) supporters, yet MDC supporters are not exempt from paying tax.
We therefore, call on the two MDCs to smell the coffee and realize that Mugabe will never change and accept them as his partners in this GNU.
While Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is working hard to try and convince the international community to warm up to the GNU and give financial support to Zimbabwe, Mugabes actions are counter-productive and will only scare away the aid that the country so desperately needs.
We therefore, call on the two MDCs to put pressure on ZANU (PF) to honour the letter and spirit of the GNU, while also urging the SADC and the AU to reign in Mugabe, whom they supported despite having lost the elections last year.
Mugabe should not continue to hold Zimbabweans at ransom because he lost the peoples mandate in last years elections.
Post published in: Politics