JOHANNESBURG A South African pressure group this week lambasted the regional leaders for their decision to review the role and function of the SADC tribunal, which has twice found the Zimbabwean government guilty of human rights abuses in its ongoing land seizures.SADC leaders resolved during last weeks summit in Namibia that they would, over the next few months, review the tribunals function, but AfriForum, fighting President Robert Mugabes actions alongside the affected farmers, described the SADC decision as the most blatant act imaginable of disregard for the law.
The decision to now review the role and functions of the SADC tribunal comes after the leadership summit of the SADC twice neglected to investigate the tribunals findings against Zimbabwe and to consider punitive measures, Willie Spies, AfriForums Legal Representative, said Friday afternoon.
The tribunals registrar indicated Thursday in a letter to the legal representatives of the Zimbabwean farmers Louis Fick, Michael Campbell and Richard Etheredge that the taxation date for an order to pay costs previously awarded by the tribunal would be postponed indefinitely. The taxation would have taken place on August 23, 2010.
It is a real cause for concern that Southern African states are now sending a signal that court rulings will only be obeyed if it suits the political leaders, said Spies, adding that the recent events on the political front actually reflected sinister inconsistencies by the SADC leaders.
Post published in: Uncategorized