JOHANNESBURG – A human rights expert has challenged the regional SADC bloc to transform its words into action on the political deadlock in Zimbabwe.
This follows President Robert Mugabe’s continuing suppression of human rights in the country and the recent upsurge on violence against civil rights groups, political opponents and ordinary Zimbabweans by state security agents.
A meeting of the SADC’s Organ Troika on Politics Defence and Security Cooperation, held in Livingstone, Zambia on March 31 2011, demanded an immediate end of violence, intimidation, hate speech, harassment, and any other form of action that contradicts the letter and spirit of GPA and that all stakeholders to the GPA should implement all the provisions of the GPA and create a conducive environment for peace, security, and free political activity.
The inclusive Government was also ordered to complete all the steps necessary for the holding of the election including the finalisation of the constitutional amendment and the referendum, while the SADC was required to assist Zimbabwe to formulate guidelines that will assist in holding an election that will be peaceful, free and fair, in accordance with SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections and the Troika of the Organ was supposed to appoint a team of officials to join the Facilitation Team and work with the Joint Monitoring, evaluation and implementation of GPA.
Despite all the recommendations, Mugabe, who scoffed at the regional bloc and has continued the violence and hate speech.
Tiseke Kasambala, senior researcher for international human rights watchdog – Human Rights Watch (HRW), said President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party, largely blamed for the unending political logjam dogging Zimbabwe, would not change their attitude if the regional bloc only restricted itself to word of mouth.
“SADC should translate words into action and make sure that the expanded facilitation team goes on the ground to see and document what is happening there,” said Kasambala in Johannesburg Thursday, ahead of a yesterday’s meeting by SADC heads of state.
“A lot of political violence in Zimbabwe is happening in the rural areas and that is where the facilitation team should go to see for themselves and report back on. As civil rights society, we challenge the SADC to act on this violence so that the elective process that is going to happen in Zimbabwe is free and fair and does not see a perpetuation of violence against civilians.”
She also challenged SADC leaders to not only endorse the communiqué that came out of the Livingstone summit, but also to put in place punitive measures should Mugabe and Zanu PF continue with their obstinacy regarding continuing political violence, harassment of the MDC and human rights abuses.
“We need clear explanations of what consequences will be faced by Zanu PF for its obstinacy and disregard of the GPA and what will happen should that party continue to inhibit the full implementation of the GPA and election roadmap and should not be just words, but something that can be transformed into action should Zanu PF continue what it is doing,” added Kasambala, who is well-versed on Zimbabwean human rights issues and has always spoken loudly against Mugabe’s actions.
“We need to know what will happen if Mugabe goes ahead and calls for elections in Zimbabwe before a clear road map is put in place and agreed upon. If the SADC does not have enough resources, it should involve other bodies like the African Union, the European Union and even the United Nations in this.”
Post published in: News