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On International Day of Peace, end rhetoric and hollow statements
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
September 21, 2012

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) joins Zimbabweans and the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of Peace on 21 September 2012.

This significant day on the human rights calendar affords us an opportunity to reflect and recommit to the sincere undertaking by the United Nations and the global peoples to promote and safeguard peace throughout the world.

The International Day of Peace, whose theme is "Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future" is devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.

The world has witnessed decades of numerous human rights challenges resulting from a diverse range of factors including colonisation, racism, oppression, war, poverty, disease, corruption and autocratic governance. It is against this background that instruments that enforce values such as peace, freedom, justice, equality, development and human dignity around the world need to be implemented and respected.

As a nascent democracy, Zimbabwe initially made some strides towards upholding peace and fostering a culture of respect for human rights, particularly in relation to social rights such as education and health. However it is tragic and regrettable that State and non-State actors continue to work indefatigably to deny their citizens peace and fundamental rights which were at the core of the struggle for liberation.

Despite recently marking the 4th anniversary of the signing of the Inter-party Political Agreement (IPA) by the three political parties to the Inclusive Government (IG), Zimbabwe still carries the dictatorial hallmarks of erosion of personal liberties, repression, torture, surveillance, an oppressive legal framework and abuse of the criminal justice system to harass, intimidate and persecute Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and ordinary citizens caught in the crossfire.

Whilst attempts are being made to move the country forward in terms of legislative and institutional reform necessary to free the operating environment agreed under the IPA, State security agents and other non-State actors aligned to repressive elements of the old order continue to intentionally disrupt community-led peace building initiatives.

Arbitrary arrests, baseless prosecutions and persecution, abuse of insult laws continue to occur. At an alarming rate, the country is witnessing impunity by State actors, especially the police, who engage in the antiquated practice of outsourcing torture through handing over suspects arrested on political reasons to Chipangano, a shadowy ZANU PF terror group.

Unwarranted harassment of lawyers, who would be carrying out their professional duties still continues while women HRDs, particularly members of the Women of Zimbabwe Arise, continue to be targets of arrests and persecution by the police for simply electing to exercise their democratic right to freedom of assembly and expression.

In recent months, the police have abused their positions of authority and engaged in unlawful activities of harassing and arresting women in social clubs and women walking in the streets after hours. Such despicable and pre-historic approaches to law enforcement done under the guise of law enforcement are disgraceful and unbecoming and should not be condoned by any well-meaning law enforcement agency.

Of concern to ZLHR too, are the sustained attacks, harassment and persecution of members of the Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe based on sexual orientation that, in itself, is a monumental tragedy and also a violation of international human rights law.

The process of national healing remains elusive and the Organ on National Healing and Reconciliation has been neither victim-centred, nor victim-owned. It has failed to have any impact or effect and will not be able to deliver as long as there are two centres of power - one that wishes to bury the past's excesses, and another that wishes to bring them into the open and address them in a meaningful manner.

Although political party leaders have on several occasions denounced violence, it is sad to note that these have only remained hollow and mere rhetorical statements.

All these transgressions are the hallmarks of the coalition government's tragic failure to fulfill the commitments laden in the letter and spirit of the IPA, an agreement which was steeped in a shared commitment to re-orient our attitudes towards respect for the Constitution, national laws, the rule of law as well as to build a society free of violence, fear, intimidation and hatred.

ZLHR reminds the coalition government and both State and non-State actors that violence, harassment and persecution rob people of the opportunity to develop, safeguard the environment, create jobs, fight poverty and advance social equity and ultimately peace and development.

For ZLHR, the trickery of endless political dialogue by some uncommitted hardhearted political players to stall the urgent imperative for a peaceful and acceptable election in which the free will of the people is expressed and respected can no longer be tolerated.

Instead, the IPA must now immediately be used as a tool to facilitate an environment and institutions that will ensure a genuine, peaceful free and fair election in line with the SADC Principles and Guidelines for Democratic Elections and the AU Declaration on Principles Governing Democratic Elections and allow for the credible return to electoral legitimacy which places effective popular participation at the centre of our choice of leaders. All political parties involved in the IPA must heed this, and take urgent action to move towards such necessary conditions if they are truly people centred and committed to a peaceful Zimbabwe.

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