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Zimbabwe in top 90 human rights violators
04 Feb 2015 at 06:41hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE is one of the top-90 countries in the world with human rights concerns, an international rights monitoring group said in its annual report.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said there were a number of unsettling issues in Zimbabwe.
"A number of issues related to human rights violations within Zimbabwe were noted and these included human rights, economical, health and political affairs," HRW director Kenneth Roth said in a statement.
HRW noted that most violations in Zimbabwe centred around the Tokwe-Mukosi flood disaster where about 20 000 people were affected and to date do not have decent accommodation.
Tokwe-Mukosi flood disaster
Tokwe-Mukosi flood disaster
"Many activists believe that the displacement could have been done in a manner that minimised suffering as those displaced lost much moveable property, for which they had not been compensated," Roth said.
In the report, the human rights activists were worried about the people in Harare having little access to potable water and sanitation.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission established an independent body under the new Constitution, but is not fully operational to help the citizens due to lack of adequate financial and human resources and this has not helped the country's human rights situation.
On the economic aspect, the report said there had been an increase in public sector corruption as a result of the deteriorating economy and this had severely impacted the enjoyment of social and economic rights.
"By not addressing corruption and other misuse of resources, basic rights would have been violated," Roth said.
Zimbabwe has been under the international radar since the land reform programme of 2000, where the government was accused of wilfully violating human rights. HRW said the annual report reflected extensive investigative work.
"It can seem as if the world is unravelling, the report reflects on the work of advocacy, which monitors policy development and strives to persuade governments and international institutions to curb inequalities and promote human rights," Roth said.
Other African countries with human rights concerns include South Africa, Angola, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia and Burundi.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said there were a number of unsettling issues in Zimbabwe.
"A number of issues related to human rights violations within Zimbabwe were noted and these included human rights, economical, health and political affairs," HRW director Kenneth Roth said in a statement.
HRW noted that most violations in Zimbabwe centred around the Tokwe-Mukosi flood disaster where about 20 000 people were affected and to date do not have decent accommodation.
Tokwe-Mukosi flood disaster
Tokwe-Mukosi flood disaster
"Many activists believe that the displacement could have been done in a manner that minimised suffering as those displaced lost much moveable property, for which they had not been compensated," Roth said.
In the report, the human rights activists were worried about the people in Harare having little access to potable water and sanitation.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission established an independent body under the new Constitution, but is not fully operational to help the citizens due to lack of adequate financial and human resources and this has not helped the country's human rights situation.
On the economic aspect, the report said there had been an increase in public sector corruption as a result of the deteriorating economy and this had severely impacted the enjoyment of social and economic rights.
"By not addressing corruption and other misuse of resources, basic rights would have been violated," Roth said.
Zimbabwe has been under the international radar since the land reform programme of 2000, where the government was accused of wilfully violating human rights. HRW said the annual report reflected extensive investigative work.
"It can seem as if the world is unravelling, the report reflects on the work of advocacy, which monitors policy development and strives to persuade governments and international institutions to curb inequalities and promote human rights," Roth said.
Other African countries with human rights concerns include South Africa, Angola, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia and Burundi.
Source - Southern Eye
