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Promoting human rights in Zimbabwe
Commonwealth News and Information Service (CNIS)
March 30, 2004

The Commonwealth is concerned at the continued abuse of fundamental human rights and the principles of good governance and rule of law in Zimbabwe. The Commonwealth Secretariat's Director of Political Affairs, Matthew Neuhaus, said: "We at the Commonwealth Secretariat remain concerned at the situation in Zimbabwe. We will continue seeking to assist in promoting national reconciliation and progress, even though, for now, Zimbabwe is not a member state."

Mr Neuhaus was speaking at a human rights presentation on 'Zimbabwe and the Commonwealth' held at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies in London, UK, on 31 March 2004. Organised by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), participants discussed ways in which Commonwealth governments could assist Zimbabwean citizens and continue to maintain a healthy relationship despite the official termination of the country's membership of the Commonwealth in December 2003. The experience gained from suspension and the return of South Africa, Nigeria and Fiji Islands formed part of the discussions.

On Zimbabwe's withdrawal, Mr Neuhaus said: "We encourage Commonwealth countries' engagement with Zimbabwe with a view to promoting progress there, and in due course, its return to the Commonwealth. While Zimbabwe has to be treated as a non-member state in Commonwealth organisations, as a consequence of its withdrawal from the Commonwealth, civil society has an important role in that approach of engagement."

Also speaking at the presentation was journalist Ricardo Morris from Fiji, who said it was sad to note that countries suspended by the Commonwealth were often abandoned by donor countries and organisations at their hour of greatest need. He said: "These countries needed all the help they could get following the suspension, but none was forthcoming. Of course, donor countries and organisations, as usual in these situations, had to stick by democratic and internationally accepted principles."

Richard Bourne, head of the Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit, argued that it was necessary to think longer-term to support civil society in Zimbabwe, and to remember what had been done to help black South Africans in the 1980s. He said: "When apartheid South Africa was outside the Commonwealth, training programmes and financial support were made available; the Zimbabwe crisis may not be resolved quickly."

Prior to Zimbabwe's withdrawal, the CHRI had expressed concern with the continuous crisis of governance and human rights in Zimbabwe, including political violence, widespread hunger and unemployment and the collapse of social services. It called on Commonwealth leaders to press for the restoration and strengthening of the democratic rights of the people of Zimbabwe, while ensuring that civil society is protected and assured of the support of the Commonwealth.

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