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MDC applauds gazetting of the Human Rights Act
Movement for Democratic Change
October 16, 2012

The MDC is very hopeful that the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) commissioners will immediately start their operations following the long-waited gazetting of the Commission last Friday.

The MDC has been in full support of the establishment of the ZHRC, as it will go a long way in protecting the people of Zimbabwe against any form of abuse of power by the State or some violent political parties such as Zanu PF.

As a party, the MDC applauds the fact that the Commission's mandate is designed to be forward looking as it will deal specifically with human rights abuses.

We are also encouraged, like other human rights defenders that past human rights abuses have not been swept under the carpet, but will be investigated and the perpetrators punished in the proposed Peace, Justice and Reconciliation Commission that has been established in terms of the new Constitution. The draft Constitution will be tabled at the Second All Stakeholders' Conference next week.

Atrocities such as the Gukurahundi, Operation Murambatsvina and the 2008 political violence will be investigated under Peace, Justice and Reconciliation Commission.

We note with concern that the road to gazetting the ZHRC Bill into law has been bumpy and rough after Zanu PF youths last year stormed the Parliament building and intentionally disrupted a public hearing organised to solicit the people's views on the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Bill. MPs and members of the public were assaulted but no arrests were made despite the incident taking place in front of the police.

Similar disruptions took place in Chinhoyi, Mutare and Masvingo.

This was a clear indication that certain dark forces in Zanu PF and securocrats were against the new Act, as it would expose their high level crimes against humanity.

It is against this sad background that the MDC urges the ZHRC to begin operations urgently and tackle the issue of human rights abuses that are taking place across the country.

As a party, we note with concern the deployment of the army in Manicaland, Masvingo and parts of Midlands where the soldiers are harassing villagers and forcing them to attend Zanu PF rallies.

The new Commission should urgently look into these and other human rights abuses that happened in recent years and take the appropriate action at a time when Zimbabwe is preparing for the referendum and the elections slated for 2013.

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