News / National
Zambia's Lungu petitioned over Zimbabwe rights violations
19 Aug 2018 at 02:22hrs | Views
Zambia Social Forum, a movement of civil society organisations, last week petition President Edgar Lungu highlighting the deteriorating human rights situation in Zimbabwe following the disputed July 30 harmonised elections.
The civil society organisations, through a statement issued by their national coordinator Gershom Kabaso, say they are concerned with the deployment of the military in the towns such as Harare and Bulawayo.
"The Zambia Social Forum, a social movement working with civil society organisations, community groupings and individuals, condemns in the strongest terms the reported human rights violations on our sisters and brothers in Zimbabwe in the aftermath of the July 30 harmonised elections.
"As a movement we are deeply concerned with the use of brute force on unarmed citizens by the military which even lead to the death of some people in Harare. We would like to call upon the leadership in Zimbabwe to respect the citizen's rights and de-militaries the major cities. The military should be confined to the Barracks so that citizens can freely enjoy their freedoms.
"We call upon President Edgar Lungu as the incoming Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation to take a keen interest in the rights violation of citizens in Zimbabwe. We are equally concerned that the Government of President Emerson Mnangagwa is now targeting opposition figures.
"The stability of Zimbabwe is not only important for the citizens of that country but for the region as a whole. It is in the best interest of Zambia to support peace initiatives in Zimbabwe as the socio-economic effects will also negatively impact all its neighbors.
"As a social forum we will petition President Lungu and the other Heads of State in the SADC region to ensure that people's rights are respected in Zimbabwe. Never again should SADC and indeed Africa tolerate any form of dictatorship that abuses citizen's human rights," the statements reads.
Zambia has come under severe criticism for defying a court order and deporting MDC Alliance principal and newly-elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Harare East, Tendai Biti, back to Zimbabwe.
The civil society organisations, through a statement issued by their national coordinator Gershom Kabaso, say they are concerned with the deployment of the military in the towns such as Harare and Bulawayo.
"The Zambia Social Forum, a social movement working with civil society organisations, community groupings and individuals, condemns in the strongest terms the reported human rights violations on our sisters and brothers in Zimbabwe in the aftermath of the July 30 harmonised elections.
"As a movement we are deeply concerned with the use of brute force on unarmed citizens by the military which even lead to the death of some people in Harare. We would like to call upon the leadership in Zimbabwe to respect the citizen's rights and de-militaries the major cities. The military should be confined to the Barracks so that citizens can freely enjoy their freedoms.
"The stability of Zimbabwe is not only important for the citizens of that country but for the region as a whole. It is in the best interest of Zambia to support peace initiatives in Zimbabwe as the socio-economic effects will also negatively impact all its neighbors.
"As a social forum we will petition President Lungu and the other Heads of State in the SADC region to ensure that people's rights are respected in Zimbabwe. Never again should SADC and indeed Africa tolerate any form of dictatorship that abuses citizen's human rights," the statements reads.
Zambia has come under severe criticism for defying a court order and deporting MDC Alliance principal and newly-elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Harare East, Tendai Biti, back to Zimbabwe.
Source - tellzim
