Zim parties defer over the period when human rights abuses should be investigated

Differences between Zanu-PF and the MDC formations over the period when human rights abuses should be investigated led to abandonment of public hearings on the proposed Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Bill.

Sources close to the matter yesterday said Zanu-PF negotiators to the Global Political Agreement want to start the probe from 2009 when the inclusive Government was born.

But MDC formations now want the investigation to begin from Independence and include the Gukurahundi crisis.

Zanu-PF opposes the proposal and argues that if that was the case, the investigations into human rights abuses should start from the colonial era, a move the MDC formations dispute.

"The MDC formations were saying they wanted human rights abuses to be investigated from 1980 so that they can implicate Zanu-PF on the Gukurahundi issue.

"Zanu-PF said if that's the case, the abuses can as well be investigated from the pre-colonial era, but MDC formations refused saying it was not necessary. Now the parties don't trust each other on motives during these hearings," said a source.

Violence erupted at Parliament on Saturday where MPs and journalists were allegedly assaulted by people who wanted to attend the hearing. The Bill was gazetted last month and is also provided for in the election roadmap agreed on by the negotiators.

According to the roadmap, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Bill should be enacted within 45 days from June 7. The Bill seeks to make provisions for the powers and operations of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.

If adopted, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Bill would empower the commission to investigate people in their individual capacities, State and corporate institutions.