Opinion / Columnist
SADC must sanction Mnangagwa
22 Aug 2019 at 16:13hrs | Views
SADC must sanction Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa for gross human rights abuses and for proscribing the rights and freedoms of assembly and speech that are permissible under the country's Constitution.
In a statement in the aftermath of the 39th SADC summit in Tanzania last week, the MDC expressed concern that the region had decided to set aside a day to hold solidarity activities with Zimbabwe following the sanctions imposed on the country for gross human rights abuses.
The MDC said before worrying themselves with external global players, SADC must stand in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe by sanctioning Mnangagwa's government for brutalizing citizens across the country who dared to express their Constitutional rights to express themselves.
Despite gross human rights abuses in Harare last week, SADC proceeded to confirm Mr. Mnangagwa as the chair of the regional body's Organ on Politics, Defence and Security.
"It is disconcerting that SADC could congratulate Mr. Mnangagwa as the new head of the regional body's organ on Defence and security at a time when Zimbabweans are suffering insecurity and defenselessness from the regime in power in Harare," the party said in a statement this week.
"In fact, SADC must sanction Mnangagwa and his regime for human rights abuses and for proscribing democratic rights that are enshrined in the country's Constitution."
The party said before its 38th summit in August 2018, SADC was confronted by military and police atrocities committed in Harare on 1 August 2018, in which six Zimbabweans were killed in cold blood and 35 others were critically injured by the Army and the Police. This was confirmed by the Kaglema Motlanthe Commission, an international body whose appointment SADC supported.
"It is incredulous that the 2019 SADC summit was dead silent about the findings of the Motlanthe Commission and the failure and the unwillingness, by Mnangagwa's administration to hold to account the army and police officers who killed six and injured 35 Zimbabweans on 1 August 2018," the MDC said.
It was even worse, the MDC said, that between 14 to 28 January 2019, at least 17 Zimbabweans were killed, hundreds tortured, some raped, by elements in the army, police, CIO and Zanu-PF militia with thousands were displaced internally and externally in an unprecedented orgy of State violence that affected all major cities across Zimbabwe.
The MDC urged SADC to urgently take note of the worsening situation in Zimbabwe as a threat to peace and security in the region and to recognize its responsibility to protect.
The party urged SADC to take the following specific actions:
1. Urgently be seized of the matter of Zimbabwe in order to address the multifaceted crisis and prevent further deterioration of the situation.
2. Urgently find a lasting solution to the Zimbabwean crisis anchored on facilitated and credible national dialogue.
In a statement in the aftermath of the 39th SADC summit in Tanzania last week, the MDC expressed concern that the region had decided to set aside a day to hold solidarity activities with Zimbabwe following the sanctions imposed on the country for gross human rights abuses.
The MDC said before worrying themselves with external global players, SADC must stand in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe by sanctioning Mnangagwa's government for brutalizing citizens across the country who dared to express their Constitutional rights to express themselves.
Despite gross human rights abuses in Harare last week, SADC proceeded to confirm Mr. Mnangagwa as the chair of the regional body's Organ on Politics, Defence and Security.
"It is disconcerting that SADC could congratulate Mr. Mnangagwa as the new head of the regional body's organ on Defence and security at a time when Zimbabweans are suffering insecurity and defenselessness from the regime in power in Harare," the party said in a statement this week.
"In fact, SADC must sanction Mnangagwa and his regime for human rights abuses and for proscribing democratic rights that are enshrined in the country's Constitution."
The party said before its 38th summit in August 2018, SADC was confronted by military and police atrocities committed in Harare on 1 August 2018, in which six Zimbabweans were killed in cold blood and 35 others were critically injured by the Army and the Police. This was confirmed by the Kaglema Motlanthe Commission, an international body whose appointment SADC supported.
"It is incredulous that the 2019 SADC summit was dead silent about the findings of the Motlanthe Commission and the failure and the unwillingness, by Mnangagwa's administration to hold to account the army and police officers who killed six and injured 35 Zimbabweans on 1 August 2018," the MDC said.
It was even worse, the MDC said, that between 14 to 28 January 2019, at least 17 Zimbabweans were killed, hundreds tortured, some raped, by elements in the army, police, CIO and Zanu-PF militia with thousands were displaced internally and externally in an unprecedented orgy of State violence that affected all major cities across Zimbabwe.
The MDC urged SADC to urgently take note of the worsening situation in Zimbabwe as a threat to peace and security in the region and to recognize its responsibility to protect.
The party urged SADC to take the following specific actions:
1. Urgently be seized of the matter of Zimbabwe in order to address the multifaceted crisis and prevent further deterioration of the situation.
2. Urgently find a lasting solution to the Zimbabwean crisis anchored on facilitated and credible national dialogue.
Source - MDC
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