| |
Back to Index
UNHCR visit needs to inject new momentum for reforms
Zimbabwe
Advocacy Office (ZAO)
May 21, 2012
Today the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay has,
for the first time ever for such an office holder, been allowed
to visit the country since its independence in 1980. The Zimbabwe
Advocacy Office (ZAO) very much welcomes this visit at a time when
the country is in the final stages of its constitutional reform
process and gearing for fresh elections. We call upon the Government
of Zimbabwe to take up this opportunity to ensure peaceful, legitimate
and free elections.
The Zimbabwe Advocacy Office (ZAO) today commended the Zimbabwean
authorities for extending an invitation to Ms. Pillay but called
on the Government of Zimbabwe to inject a new sense of urgency in
the implementation of agreed institutional and legislative reforms
that should pave the way for free, peaceful and fair elections.
Since 2000, politically-motivated violence which peaked in 2008,
has blighted Zimbabwe's elections leading to terrible loss
of lives and internal displacement. The country is now in the process
of drafting its first homegrown constitution and faces a return
to the polls which must be held by March 2013 according to Zimbabwean
law.
"Ms. Pillay's visit to Zimbabwe gives hope that Zimbabwe is
ready to normalise its human rights record. However the continued
illegal detention of Human Rights Defenders and political activists
is a remaining stain on Zimbabwe's human rights record and a stark
reminder that this place is still unsafe for activists," said
Marlon Zakeyo, ZAO's Director.
"These detentions, unwarrented arrests and politically tainted
rulings continue to raise fears in anyone defending human rights
in Zimbabwe. Civil Society Organisations and Human Rights Defenders
must be allowed to carry out their legitimate work freely, particularly
in the view of an expected constitutional referendum and elections
this year and next."
High Commissioner Pillay will find, among current
detainees, 29 Members of the Movement for Democratic Change,
led by Morgan Tsvangirai who entered into a Power sharing deal with
Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF in 2008. While earlier this year six activists
were condemned
to community service and a fine for organizing a video screening
on events in North Africa last year after being tortured while in
police custody.
"Ms. Pillay
has spoken out on those issues before and the Government of Zimbabwe
has accepted recommendations for wide-ranging human rights reforms
at the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva earlier this year. Mr.
Zakeyo added. 'Mr. Chinamasa himself has stated his hopes
for a fruitful and productive visit by Ms. Pillay'. We share
his hopes and therefore call on the Minister to take a first symbolic
step by ensuring the liberation of those illegally detained. This
gesture will go a long way in showing a true commitment to an enabling
human rights environment.
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|
