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Mwonzora calls on international community to urgently intervene in ZImbabwe
04 Feb 2019 at 08:02hrs | Views
MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora over the weekend said the persecution of party members by State security agents was ongoing and asked the international community to swiftly intervene.
Mwonzora said a number of his party's leadership were still in detention and facing trumped-up charges while many others were on the police wanted list.
The brutal crackdown on protesters claimed 12 lives, according to human rights organisations, while hundreds of people were left nursing various injuries, including bullet wounds.
Several women were allegedly raped by some security personnel during the crackdown.
Mwonzora said the onslaught was targeted at decimating their party.
Several MPs, among them Mkoba legislator and party organising secretary Amos Chibaya, remain in custody over allegations of trying to subvert a constitutionally-elected government.
"Our leaders are in detention over trumped-up charges of treason while we have evidence that a number of our officials are on a wanted list," he said.
"We are still receiving reports of people being assaulted by State security agents and nobody is doing anything about it. We have written to the Zimbabwe Human Right Commission and copied the same letter to President [Emmerson] Mnangagwa, but we have not yet had the benefit of reply.
"The onslaught aimed at decimating the party is still on-going."
Mwonzora called on the international community to urgently intervene. He described the Zanu-PF regime as dangerous.
"The international community has to intervene, starting with Sadc. The Zimbabwean State has gone rogue and it has relapsed to be an extremely oppressive and dangerous regime."
Many party activists and officials are in hiding following the State-sponsored crackdown.
The party accused the security forces of wantonly targeting their members.
National Transitional Justice Working Group Zimbabwe on Sunday raised a red flag, saying international intervention was required in Zimbabwe.
"The National Transitional Justice Working Group Zimbabwe is shocked at the horrific developments of the past weeks. We hereby raise the red flag that, unless urgent measures are taken, we may be on the brink, if not already of massive crimes against humanity as the military and the police continue with the violations against the civilian population, opposition activists, and civic society leaders since the January 15, 2019 fuel protests," the statement read.
"There is need for action. The world must condemn and stop the atrocities taking place in Zimbabwe. We argue that a critical threshold has been reached. The current events strongly suggest that crimes against humanity have been committed; the violations are widespread, systematic and in pursuance of a political objective, and demand both investigation and accountability."
Mwonzora said a number of his party's leadership were still in detention and facing trumped-up charges while many others were on the police wanted list.
The brutal crackdown on protesters claimed 12 lives, according to human rights organisations, while hundreds of people were left nursing various injuries, including bullet wounds.
Several women were allegedly raped by some security personnel during the crackdown.
Mwonzora said the onslaught was targeted at decimating their party.
Several MPs, among them Mkoba legislator and party organising secretary Amos Chibaya, remain in custody over allegations of trying to subvert a constitutionally-elected government.
"Our leaders are in detention over trumped-up charges of treason while we have evidence that a number of our officials are on a wanted list," he said.
"We are still receiving reports of people being assaulted by State security agents and nobody is doing anything about it. We have written to the Zimbabwe Human Right Commission and copied the same letter to President [Emmerson] Mnangagwa, but we have not yet had the benefit of reply.
Mwonzora called on the international community to urgently intervene. He described the Zanu-PF regime as dangerous.
"The international community has to intervene, starting with Sadc. The Zimbabwean State has gone rogue and it has relapsed to be an extremely oppressive and dangerous regime."
Many party activists and officials are in hiding following the State-sponsored crackdown.
The party accused the security forces of wantonly targeting their members.
National Transitional Justice Working Group Zimbabwe on Sunday raised a red flag, saying international intervention was required in Zimbabwe.
"The National Transitional Justice Working Group Zimbabwe is shocked at the horrific developments of the past weeks. We hereby raise the red flag that, unless urgent measures are taken, we may be on the brink, if not already of massive crimes against humanity as the military and the police continue with the violations against the civilian population, opposition activists, and civic society leaders since the January 15, 2019 fuel protests," the statement read.
"There is need for action. The world must condemn and stop the atrocities taking place in Zimbabwe. We argue that a critical threshold has been reached. The current events strongly suggest that crimes against humanity have been committed; the violations are widespread, systematic and in pursuance of a political objective, and demand both investigation and accountability."
Source - newsday
