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MMPZ statement on the 43rd session of the African Commission for Human and Peoples' Rights
Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ)
May 08, 2008

Madam Chairperson, Honourable Commissioners,

Thank you for the opportunity to update the Commission on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is currently witnessing flagrant post-election human rights violations including torture, extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests and detentions. A wave of physical violence and death reminiscent of the 2000 and 2002 election-related violence characterizes present day Zimbabwe.

Madam Chairperson, before Zimbabwe even recovers from the massive internal displacements of the 2005 forced evictions, a new wave of internal displacements prevails today. Victims of the current displacements are people accused of having "committed the crime of voting for the opposition".

A general state of impunity prevails and there is absolute disregard for the rule of law and democratic processes. This has been fuelled by statements by Zimbabwe's service chiefs declaring that they would not salute anyone except the incumbent, and statements by President Mugabe broadcast on national television and radio and published by all the public newspapers that "voting for the MDC would be wasting votes" because "the MDC would not be allowed to rule". If this culture of hatred and impunity is not put to an end, Zimbabwe's run-off election, due anytime from now, will not be any less violent.

The seizure of documents destined for the Commission from a representative of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, an organisation enjoying official observer status with this honourable Commission, at Harare International Airport demonstrates how virtually all sectors of the current Zimbabwean government are actively involved in undermining the fundamental rights of human rights defenders.

Madam chairperson, Africa need not be reminded of the role-played by the media in Rwanda in 1994. MMPZ notes with grave concern that the "official" media is increasingly abused to stoke up hatred against legitimate political opponents of the government and their perceived allies, which has accompanied the ongoing crackdown on opposition supporters and human rights defenders. MMPZ continues to monitor stories in the official media that convey threats, incitement, racial bigotry and insults against the opposition MDC and human rights defenders. MMPZ calls on the African Commission to urge the Zimbabwean authorities to desist from using state media as instruments to disseminate and amplify hate messages.

We call upon African leaders to condemn as unacceptable in a civilized society, all such actions which encourage lawlessness and intolerance. Their failure to do so makes them accomplices in the continuing human rights violations.

In view of the impending run-off, MMPZ requests the Commission to:

• implore Zimbabwean authorities to immediately take visible and concrete steps within publicly given time parameters to ensure compliance with the recommendations of the Commission's June 2002 Fact Finding Mission and the December 2005 resolution on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe;
• urge Zimbabwean authorities to stop the further serious systematic and sustained persecution of human rights defenders, political opposition supporters, journalists, media workers and free expression activists; and
• ensure an immediate cessation of all politically motivated violence and internal displacements so that all Zimbabweans can participate in any further elections in an environment that allows them to freely express their democratic will.

Thank you.

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