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'Evil little bishop' saddened by the current repression in Zimbabwe
21 Jan 2019 at 07:49hrs | Views
Nobel Peace laureate and well known South African cleric - Desmond Tutu said he was saddened by the current repression in Zimbabwe - which he said the international community thought had ended with the fall of ousted former leader Robert Mugabe in 2017.
"We, the Tutu Fellows, are alarmed by the growing unrest in Zimbabwe and, most worryingly, by the… government's reaction to it. The unrest by ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe is in response to a hike in the fuel price… which is now the most expensive in the region.
"We have seen the targeting of individuals perceived to be promoting these protests. Some individuals have been arrested, physically injured and even killed.
"The Internet and social media shutdown has had the inevitable effect of stifling freedom of expression and the dissemination of information within and across the country's borders," said the cleric through the Tutu Leadership Fellows of the African Leadership Institute, a diverse group of civic, political and business leaders from 40 African countries, who are concerned with the governance and development of the continent.
"We call upon the…government to release all civic leaders and activists who have been arrested and detained over the protests. The duty to de-escalate the tensions rests in the hands of the government.
"We urge restraint by the…government in the handling of the situation and the treatment of …citizens. We also call upon the African Union to closely monitor the developments in Zimbabwe and make decisive interventions to ensure the respect for human rights and the rule of law within the mandate of its Charter.
"The Tutu Fellows stand in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe as they look forward to creating a better Zimbabwe for them and their children," Tutu Fellows said further.
"We, the Tutu Fellows, are alarmed by the growing unrest in Zimbabwe and, most worryingly, by the… government's reaction to it. The unrest by ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe is in response to a hike in the fuel price… which is now the most expensive in the region.
"We have seen the targeting of individuals perceived to be promoting these protests. Some individuals have been arrested, physically injured and even killed.
"We call upon the…government to release all civic leaders and activists who have been arrested and detained over the protests. The duty to de-escalate the tensions rests in the hands of the government.
"We urge restraint by the…government in the handling of the situation and the treatment of …citizens. We also call upon the African Union to closely monitor the developments in Zimbabwe and make decisive interventions to ensure the respect for human rights and the rule of law within the mandate of its Charter.
"The Tutu Fellows stand in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe as they look forward to creating a better Zimbabwe for them and their children," Tutu Fellows said further.
Source - dailynews