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Zimbabwe human rights situation still cause for serious concern
Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF)
November 08, 2008

Introduction

Madam Chair

I regret to say that since the signing of the power-sharing deal between the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and ZANU (PF) on the 15th of September 2008, there has been no visible improvement on the human rights situation in my country. It is also a cause of concern that the agreement between the major political players in the country does not involve ordinary people nor civil society actors, thus depriving the people of Zimbabwe a say in the issues affecting their own lives. Moreover, we hope that the accommodation between these political parties will not set a trend for the region, whereby if an incumbent party looses elections, it will resort to violence to maintain its grip on political power. A report released by the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) this month indicates that since the June Presidential run-off election, violations have escalated by 39%. Below I enumerate some of these violations.

Civil and political rights

The June Election run-off and the right to vote

The period leading to the 29th of June election run-off was characterized by massive intimidation and violence perpetrated by mainly security agents and ZANU (PF) loyalists. We call upon the African NGO Forum to continue work with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to ensure that the resolutions and declarations of the Commission on free and fair elections in Africa are implemented and that electoral standards and principles on the continent are adhered to.

Freedom of assembly and association

Madam Chair, the continued violations of the rights to freedom of association and assembly in Zimbabwe should be condemned. In its latest report, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network observes that:

Despite the signing of the agreement and the initiation of the talks a violent clamp-down of human rights defenders continues to take place. On October 27, 2008 150 activists from the Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) and the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) who were holding a peaceful demonstration in Harare were tear-gassed by the police and 42 women from the coalition were arrested for calling for a resolution to the political impasse between ZANU-PF.

The described arrests closely followed the arrest of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) who spent close to two weeks in prison following their arrest at a peaceful protest. Jenni Williams and Mago Mahlangu were detained in conditions amounting to inhuman treatment. This included being detained for days with a mentally ill patient who was naked. The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum condemns the continued use of repressive legislation like the Public Order and Security Act to limit basic freedoms such as that of expression. ZEF also calls upon the Zimbabwean government to respect the rights of women human rights defenders and in particular students who have often been assaulted for holding peaceful demonstrations.

Right to life and freedom from torture

Since the 27th of March elections, close to 200 people have been killed by supporters of the ruling ZANU (PF). Some like Tonderia Ndira and Better Chokururama were abducted by gun-wielding agents and evidence suggests that they were tortured before tortured. Their private parts and tongues had been hacked off, and their eyes gouged out. Instances of forced disappearances are also very rampant in Zimbabwe today. Madame Chair, these heinous crimes should not go unpunished. The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum calls for the setting up of a Truth and Justice Commission to bring perpetrators of these crimes against humanity to book. This is in order to prevent recurrence and impunity.

Socio-economic rights

The humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe is very grave. Inflation which was 32% in 1998 rose is now officially pegged at 231 million percent, the highest in the world. Unemployment stands at 85% and as ZESN says, Zimbabwe has the lowest GDP real growth rate behind Palestine. The country is currently experiencing shortages of basic commodities that make life difficult for ordinary Zimbabweans, especially children who are succumbing to kwashiokor. The United Nations anticipates that shortages of the staple food maize will result in about 5 million people needing food aid by January next year. There have been reports of people vying for wild fruits with animals. AID groups report that the government is still making it impossible to operate without restrictions, thus endangering the lives of mainly women and children and effectively depriving them of the right to food.

The right to health is one of the latest rights to suffer violations as 70% of the qualified staff have left for neighbouring countries. The 2 major hospitals in the capital, Parirenyatwa and Harare have been effectively closed to patients owing to the fact that basic drugs and food to feed the patients are not available. This comes at amid reports by Zimbabwe Doctors for Human Rights that the cholera outbreak that has hit the country has claimed more than hundred lives in the last three weeks, with over 200 admitted at the only infectious disease hospital in Harare and many more at risk. About 4 000 adults die of HIV-AIDS related diseases every week, and of the about 300 000 needing Anti-Retro-Viral treatment, only about 40 000 are able to get treatment.

The right to education has also suffered terribly during this crisis in Zimbabwe. UNICEF has reported that many schools have not opened since the beginning of year as a result of the fact that teachers cannot afford bus fare to attend. The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe has also noted that even in some schools that are open, many children are fainting because of hunger. It is reported that six teachers were murdered and thousands assaulted by Zanu PF militia in the violence that marred the second-round presidential election on June 27. There is no water in many of these schools, which makes many of them desease-prone. Some teachers are not coming to schools because they have been threatened by ruling party supporters for their perceived allegiance to the MDC. To make matters worse, state Universities failed to open because of lack of food and uninhabitable accommodation.

Conclusion

Madame Chair, I cannot go into all the violations taking place in Zimbabwe today, such as violations of media freedom. That notwithstanding, MISA Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have produced reports that show evidence of such abuses in detail. I finish off by recommending the following: that the African NGO Forum calls on ACHPR to request the Zimbabwe government to halt these violations; that the ACHPR be asked to pass a resolution condemning unconstitutional changes of government and so-called governments of national unity; and that the Commission should recommend the setting up of a Truth and Justice Commission in Zimbabwe to deal with crimes against humanity that have been committed. (NB: The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum has brought a case before the SADC Tribunal to challenge the constitutionality of the re-election of President Robert Mugabe, as well as arguing that he should not be recognized as the legitimate head of state of Zimbabwe.

*For more information contact Gabriel Shumba at gabmrech@yahoo.com )

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