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Crisis Coalition applauds Parliament on POSA amendments
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
December 13, 2010
On Friday the
10th of December 2010, the world celebrated more than 2000 people;
most of them women braced the chilly weather and gathered at Africa
Unity Square to commemorate this day. Participants called for human
rights respect, protection and promotion by the state.
The event took
place a day after the Lower House of Parliament
passed the Public
Order and Security Act Amendment Bill without any political
heckling. Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition in collaboration with ZimRights
took the opportunity to congratulate the Lower House of Parliament
for allowing this bill to sail through at the same time urging Senate
to emulate the Lower House by making sure these amendments sail
through without unnecessary debate.
The more than
200 people marched from Corner Fourth Street and Five Avenue to
Africa Unity Square opposite Parliament of Zimbabwe carrying placards
with different messages which included, 'Respect my rights'
and 'Please Senate allow POSA
to GO'. Marchers were clad in t-shirts printed 'born
free! Enslaved by POSA' AND WRIST BANDS WRITTEN 'Dignity
and Justice to all of us'
The event hosted by ZimRights was graced by the
Prime Minister the Right Honourable Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, Deputy
Prime Minister, Professor Arthur Mutambara and other Government
Ministers. Representatives of ZANU PF were however absent despite
having received an invitation letter from the organisers. The Prime
Minister and his deputy unanimously called for the respect of people's
rights including the right to education, freedom of association,
speech and assembly among others. Professor Mutambara noted that
there are minimum conditions, which are necessary before elections
take place. He pointed out that politicians need to respect people's
fundamental rights and freedoms especially the right to vote and
freedom of choice.
The Prime Minister was later hande3d a petition
by ZimRights and a framed congratulatory letter to the Speaker of
the Lower House of Parliament Honourable Lovemore Moyo by Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition, which he accepted on behalf of the Speaker.
The letter was congratulating the Speaker on the sailing through
of the POSA amendments Bill in the Lower House of Parliament. It
also applauded the unity of purpose by the political parties and
noted that parliamentarians were now exhibiting levels of maturity
by ignoring their egos and putting people first.
The letter however pointed out that the Coalition
remained unsatisfied with piecemeal solutions to repressive legislation
and would continue to call for the repeal of POSA and other repressive
laws such as AIPPA, BSA, ICA and many others that continue to flourish
in the legislative books of Zimbabwe. The letter also urged the
Speaker to continue offering great leadership in his office so as
to ensure that a gamut of legislative and electoral reforms becomes
a reality.
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in Zimbabwe fact
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