Joint Statement on Political developments and Human Rights situation in Zimbabwe
10th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
March 2009 / General Debate Item 4
By Conectas Human Rights, co-signed by Forum Asia and Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, and working in partnership with Zimbabwean Civil Society Organisations attending the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Thank you Mr President.
Dear Excellencies,
Conectas would like to address the political developments and its impact in human rights situation in Zimbabwe, with the support of Zimbabwe Human Rights Association, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Women’s Coalition, the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance, Forum Asia and Cairo Institute for HR Studies.
The recently Constituted Inclusive Government of Zimbabwe was a positive development and signalled then as now, the only peaceful way of urging Zimbabwe out of the deep political and economic crisis that it finds itself in. However, it should for all intents and purposes be considered a transitional arrangement and not a wholesome solution as it fails to uphold the will of the people as shown in the General Elections of March 29 2008.
Dear Excellencies,
Zimbabwean face today gross and systematic human rights violations that include,
o Continued absence of the Rule of Law,
o Unaccounted Known victims of enforced disappearances,
o Increased mortality rate caused by starvation – more than 6.5 million Zimbabwean survive on food aid, HIV/AIDS and cholera
The following democratic reforms are urgently necessary for the Success of a Transition to Democracy in Zimbabwe,
1. The creation of an environment that allows for the respect of all peoples’ rights,
2. The putting in place of a new people driven democratic constitution via a referendum,
3. The holding of democratic elections that abide by regional and international standards.
We urge the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to discuss the human rights situation in Zimbabwe. We also urge the government of Zimbabwe to accept the several requests made by special rapporteurs to visit the country, in order to ensure that the political arrangements serve as processes of consolidating democracy and human rights, rather than a break for the authoritarian intents.
Finally, your Excellencies, as civil society in Zimbabwe, we will continue to monitor the Inclusive Government of Zimbabwe through a set of bench marks based on our principles and commitments that the politicians have made to the nation with the world as witness, via the Global Political Agreement /GPA.
Thank you, Mr. President.
For more information
Conectas Human Rights – conectas@conectas.org / www.conectas.org
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association – www.zim-rights.org
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