News / National
Right to know central to human rights promotion
29 Sep 2015 at 07:00hrs | Views
ZimRights joins the country in commemorating the Right to Know Day with a call upon government to exercise transparency, accountability and openness, where information to do with human rights and its operations is concerned.
In a statement the ZimRights said the Rights to Know means that citizens are entitled to access government information, which often has a bearing on their civil, political, cultural and socioeconomic rights.
"A culture of secrecy, impunity, unaccountability and lack of transparency is perpetuated through the violation of the Right to Know," said the organisation.
"Secrecy is the fertile ground for the violation of citizens' fundamental human rights through concealment of acts of commission, or omission by the government, or its agencies. In particular, government has instituted commissions to investigate past human rights abuses, especially in times of political conflicts, but reports of such commissions have never been made public."
ZimRights said the concealment has been in spite of the fact that the information may have been relevant to the protection and restoration of citizens' human dignity.
"The Bill of Rights, Chapter 4, Section 62 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe makes it clear that citizens have the right to access information held by the state, in so far as the information is required for the exercise or protection of a right.
The Right to Know has usually been ignored under the pretexts of protection of national interest and security," said ZimRights.
"Laws such as the Official Secrets Act, the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Interception of Communications Act and the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) have wide restrictions that can be used to conceal information in violation of the Right to Know." The organisation said these laws need to be amended so that they expressly protect the Right to Know.
"The Right to Know, is central to the realisation of other human rights because it is only in a transparent and open society that justice, democracy, and good governance can be upheld," said ZimRights.
"It is in this light that ZimRights calls upon the government to end the trends of secrecy, where the human rights of citizens have been violated, where government operations are concerned, and generally uphold the freedom of information."
The organisation said the failure to have disclosure, where human rights violations are concerned means that it is difficult to have closure, healing, reconciliation, and prevent recurrence.
"Under international agreements, the Right to Know is recognised in the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," said ZimRights.
"ZimRights will continue to advocate for the respect of the communities' Right to Know as the anchor for the protection of other human rights in the country."
In a statement the ZimRights said the Rights to Know means that citizens are entitled to access government information, which often has a bearing on their civil, political, cultural and socioeconomic rights.
"A culture of secrecy, impunity, unaccountability and lack of transparency is perpetuated through the violation of the Right to Know," said the organisation.
"Secrecy is the fertile ground for the violation of citizens' fundamental human rights through concealment of acts of commission, or omission by the government, or its agencies. In particular, government has instituted commissions to investigate past human rights abuses, especially in times of political conflicts, but reports of such commissions have never been made public."
ZimRights said the concealment has been in spite of the fact that the information may have been relevant to the protection and restoration of citizens' human dignity.
"The Bill of Rights, Chapter 4, Section 62 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe makes it clear that citizens have the right to access information held by the state, in so far as the information is required for the exercise or protection of a right.
The Right to Know has usually been ignored under the pretexts of protection of national interest and security," said ZimRights.
"Laws such as the Official Secrets Act, the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Interception of Communications Act and the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) have wide restrictions that can be used to conceal information in violation of the Right to Know." The organisation said these laws need to be amended so that they expressly protect the Right to Know.
"The Right to Know, is central to the realisation of other human rights because it is only in a transparent and open society that justice, democracy, and good governance can be upheld," said ZimRights.
"It is in this light that ZimRights calls upon the government to end the trends of secrecy, where the human rights of citizens have been violated, where government operations are concerned, and generally uphold the freedom of information."
The organisation said the failure to have disclosure, where human rights violations are concerned means that it is difficult to have closure, healing, reconciliation, and prevent recurrence.
"Under international agreements, the Right to Know is recognised in the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," said ZimRights.
"ZimRights will continue to advocate for the respect of the communities' Right to Know as the anchor for the protection of other human rights in the country."
Source - Byo24News
