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NGOs condemn human rights violations as Zim gvnt delivers subdued report at ACHPR
MISA-Zimbabwe
May 09, 2008

The government of Zimbabwe was at the receiving end on 8 May 2008 as Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) from Africa and beyond roundly condemned the ongoing human rights atrocities in Zimbabwe during the ongoing 43rd Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) in session at Ezulwini Valley in Swaziland.

NGOs such as MISA-Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Human Rights Institute of Southern Africa (HURISA), Human Rights Watch and the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), among others, all came out with guns blazing.

The arrest, harassment and detention of at least seven media personnel in the period during and after the recently held harmonised elections were brought to the attention of the Commission.

MISA-Zimbabwe expressed its shock and disappointment with the amendments to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) and the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) which were signed into law in January 2008.

"MISA is greatly concerned that despite assurances to the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights that AIPPA, among other contentious legislations would be amended to conform with the Declaration on the Principles of Freedom of Expression in Africa, the government still proceeded to retain statutory media regulation through the amendments," said MISA-Zimbabwe Legal Officer Wilbert Mandinde

MISA called on the ACHPR to call upon these states to implement laws which will make it possible for the effective realisation and enjoyment of Article 9 of the African Charter.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, ZLHR and FIDH all expressed serious concern with the increase in cases of intimidation, torture, killings and internal displacements of innocent citizens since 29 March 2008 when the elections were held.

"There is incontrovertible evidence that the escalating human rights violations which have been documented since 29 March 2008 are being perpetrated by the security forces, the police, the intelligence service, so-called war veterans and youth militia," said ZLHR Executive Director Irene Petras.

However the Zimbabwean government which missed its initial slot to present its state of human rights report, later delivered a subdued report.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Permanent Secretary David Mangota who is leading the government delegation was at pains to explain amendments to POSA, AIPPA and the BSA which MISA-Zimbabwe had already dismissed as artificial.

Mangota ascribed what he called post-election "skirmishes" to the return of former white farmers who had returned to repossesses their former farms when they heard that the MDC was winning the elections.

Exercising the government's right to respond the NGOs submissions, Mangota dismissed all the statements and blamed the British and American governments for the county's woes.

He vehemently denied allegations of post-election violence saying a few skirmishes which had taken place were caused by the return of the former white farmers and police had moved in to restore order. Mangota described all the photographs of recent victims of political violence which have been widely circulated at the Commission as coming from the 2000 election violence. He said they were not current.

Meanwhile, Swaziland Prime Minister, Themba Dlamini has expressed concern over the current impasse in Zimbabwe. Responding to a question on Swaziland's views and policy on the situation currently obtaining in Zimbabwe during a breakfast meeting which he holds once every month with the Editors' Forum of Swaziland, Dlamini said Swaziland, as a member of the SADC Troika had an obligation to protect Zimbabweans and was therefore doing everything possible to contain the situation.

Dlamini said World Press Freedom Day which was celebrated on 3 May 2008 offers the communities to reflect on the critical role of the media, the heroes of the media and those who died for the right to press freedom.

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