Such an envoy would help oversee the democratisation process in the country especially as SADC has not yielded much progress via the Joint Monitoring and Implementing Committee as previously thought soon after the Sandton summit.
The attached Microsoft Excel document is an Appendix to this opinion paper and does not in any way try to represent the views of any political party or organisation in Zimbabwe or elsewhere except by coincidence. The paper does not seek to promote hatred at all but dialogue and of-course action by the Harare regime in redressing the crisis in the country.
Among various issues, the paper recommends the arrest and prosecution of Jabulani Sibanda, a self-styled war veteran who had reportedly called for the stoning to death of a prominent Zimbabwean politician because the politician spoke out in defence of gay rights. Furthermore, Sibanda is allegedly terrorising people in Masvingo and other parts of the country and threatening them for their political views.
The paper is intended to contribute to an intellectual and certainly practical debate on nation building by focusing on specific issues considered by the writer to be outstanding and critical in creating an ideal environment ahead of Mr Ban Ki-moon’s visit.
In other words, if true, the Secretary General’s proposed visit should be a golden opportunity for getting the Harare regime implement reforms some of which it has been sitting on since 2009. By no means are the suggested tasks, persons responsible, durations and milestones an intention to undermine the authority of the persons or office holders mentioned in this “Case Study” or those holding public office in Zimbabwe or other countries.
The fact that one can identify so many issues that need urgent attention shows that probably it is pre-mature for a fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe by the Secretary General of the United Nations before reforms and genuine commitments on human rights, the rule of law and democracy are made.
At least my grand-children will not blame me for not doing anything about the Zimbabwe crisis. Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, Former Diplomat, London, zimanalysis2009@gmail.com
Post published in: Opinions & Analysis
Coretta Scott King
Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood. This sets the stage for further repression and violence that spread all too easily to victimize the next minority group. I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people and I should stick to the issue of racial justice. But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”