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Civic groups say no let-up on Zim rights abuses
ZimOnline
November 17, 2006

http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=484

BANJUL – Zimbabwean civic groups attending the 40th ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) in The Gambia on Thursday rejected assertions by a government delegation that President Robert Mugabe was addressing human rights concerns in the southern African country.

The civic groups spoke out after the government delegation told the opening session on Wednesday that Harare was addressing human rights concerns following proposals earlier this year to set up a Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.

The government delegation also maintained during its presentation that reports of human rights violations in the country were grossly exaggerated and were solely meant to embarrass the Harare authorities.

But yesterday, Zimbabwean civic that are attending the session in the Gambian capital of Banjul hit back at the assertions insisting there has not been any improvement on the ground in the human rights situation in the country.

The groups, among them the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), the Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe (MMPZ) and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum said Harare had stubbornly maintained a raft of repressive laws against hapless citizens.

"In both the 39th (held last year) and this session, the Zimbabwean government announced the setting up of a Human Rights Commission," said Wilbert Mandinde, the legal officer of MISA-Zimbabwe in his presentation to the commissioners.

"However, the continued suppression of people's freedoms by the same government is clear indication of lack of goodwill by the government.

"Moreso, we believe that a Human Rights Commission cannot be set and (made to) operate in an environment replete with repressive legislation such as the one in Zimbabwe," added Mandinde.

Earlier this year, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said the government was planning to set up the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to deal with issues of human rights abuses in the country.

But civic groups and pro-democracy groups have been highly critical of the plans saying the Harare authorities were the least qualified to monitor human rights issues after they were implicated in serious human rights violations over the past six years.

Speaking at the same gathering in Banjul, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said while it agreed in principle with the setting up of such a Commission, "the respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms has not been cultivated in Zimbabwe."

The Forum cited, among other examples, the brutal assault of Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) leaders last September by the police and state security agents for attempting to demonstrate in Harare over worsening economic hardships in the country.

The Forum said Harare had continuously ignored calls by civic groups to repeal obnoxious legislation such as the tough Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

"We have drawn the attention of the Zimbabwe government to the fact that the human rights operating environment in Zimbabwe cannot sustain an independent, impartial and effective Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.

"The fact that court orders are still being disobeyed, the rule of law is disregarded, the absence of commitment to a permanent constitutional reform process and the perpetuation of unfavourable pieces of legislation all speak against setting up of a National Human Rights Commission," said the Forum in its presentation.

The Banjul summit ends on 29 November.

Western governments and human rights groups have often accused Harare of flouting the rights of its political opponents.

But Mugabe, in power since the country’s independence from Britain 26 years ago, denies the charges insisting the charges are trumped up to tarnish his government’s image. - ZimOnline

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