News / National
Evicted Villagers suffer human rights violations
31 Mar 2017 at 04:17hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe Peace Project has expressed concerns about the dire human rights situation at Manzou farm were families have been evicted and the Rivers farm where they have been relocated.
ZPP said families that have been evicted from Manzou Farm to pave way for the First Lady Grace Mugabe takeover of the farm are living in extreme hardships and in need of urgent humanitarian aid.
"Out of the families evicted from the area only 5 families have been given land by the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement leaving the rest of the villagers stranded at The Rivers Farm in ward 25 Mazowe Central. School children who were displaced along with their families have not been going to school and are living in open space and some in tobacco barns. Their property is not safe in the open shade it is stored," said ZPP.
"The villagers do not have access to toilets and are using a makeshift grass structure as a toilet. Most of them said they have been going hungry for days as they were forced to abandon their livestock, vegetable gardens and fields at Manzou Farm. The Constitution of Zimbabwe affords children of primary school going age the right to basic education. This right has been violated as the children who have been relocated to an area 40km away are not able to go school. In addition, the Constitution notes that every child has the right to shelter and this right has been infringed through the evictions."
ZPP said all citizens have a right to food and those displaced from their homes and source of food must be assisted with food by the government.
"The Social Welfare Department has not visited the makeshift camp to assess the situation and assist the displaced villagers. It is the primary obligation of the Zimbabwean government to protect, respect and fulfill the rights of the displaced people," said ZPP.
"The Zimbabwe Peace Project urges the government to quickly find alternative land for the evicted villagers and also urge humanitarian organisations to assist the villagers with tents, food and other things. The ZPP also urges the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to assist the villagers."
ZPP is a Non Governmental Organization that was founded in 2000 by a group of faith based and human rights NGOs working and interested in human rights and peace-building initiatives. ZPP has become a vehicle for civic interventions in times of political crises. In particular, ZPP seeks to monitor and document incidents of human rights violations and breaches of peace.
ZPP said families that have been evicted from Manzou Farm to pave way for the First Lady Grace Mugabe takeover of the farm are living in extreme hardships and in need of urgent humanitarian aid.
"Out of the families evicted from the area only 5 families have been given land by the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement leaving the rest of the villagers stranded at The Rivers Farm in ward 25 Mazowe Central. School children who were displaced along with their families have not been going to school and are living in open space and some in tobacco barns. Their property is not safe in the open shade it is stored," said ZPP.
"The villagers do not have access to toilets and are using a makeshift grass structure as a toilet. Most of them said they have been going hungry for days as they were forced to abandon their livestock, vegetable gardens and fields at Manzou Farm. The Constitution of Zimbabwe affords children of primary school going age the right to basic education. This right has been violated as the children who have been relocated to an area 40km away are not able to go school. In addition, the Constitution notes that every child has the right to shelter and this right has been infringed through the evictions."
ZPP said all citizens have a right to food and those displaced from their homes and source of food must be assisted with food by the government.
"The Social Welfare Department has not visited the makeshift camp to assess the situation and assist the displaced villagers. It is the primary obligation of the Zimbabwean government to protect, respect and fulfill the rights of the displaced people," said ZPP.
"The Zimbabwe Peace Project urges the government to quickly find alternative land for the evicted villagers and also urge humanitarian organisations to assist the villagers with tents, food and other things. The ZPP also urges the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to assist the villagers."
ZPP is a Non Governmental Organization that was founded in 2000 by a group of faith based and human rights NGOs working and interested in human rights and peace-building initiatives. ZPP has become a vehicle for civic interventions in times of political crises. In particular, ZPP seeks to monitor and document incidents of human rights violations and breaches of peace.
Source - Byo24News
