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'Zimbabweans should be free to demonstrate at SADC Summit'
12 Aug 2024 at 15:37hrs | Views
People should be free to demonstrate at the SADC Summit due to start in Harare next week because normally these are the international platforms which citizens take advantage of to raise their grievances, The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC) has said.
They bishops said in a statement released today that they are aware that repression has been heightened to stop people from demonstrating to SADC leaders.
The seven bishops who signed the statement said people must instead be allowed to demonstrate not only because it is their constitutional right but because its normal in every democratic society for people with grievances to take advantage of big meetings to air their views.
They said they were shocked by the silencing of dissent by Government through abductions, violence and torture and urged for dialogue as the way to go. They called on Mnangagwa to stop human rights violations.
"Generally, people with grievances tend to take advantage of big meetings to air their views. We have seen people positioning themselves to do this in the past and are doing so now. This phenomenon is not unique to Zimbabwe," reads the statement.
The bishops described the human rights situation in Zimbabwe as ugly.
President Mnangagwa who analysts say is afraid of demonstrations spurred by the rigging of the 2023 elections, economic hardships and corruption has deployed thousands of soldiers, Police and the Central Intelligence into the streets.
Quoting the Bible, Luke 12:48, the Bishops reminded President Mnangagwa that much is expected of him as a leader.
"We would like to remind our politicians of the words of our Lord that To whom much is given much will be expected……".
Over a hundred people have been abducted, tortured and detained without trial in the last few weeks.
"The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference (ZCBC) notes with deep concern the prevailing situation in the country. We all are conscious of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Heads of States meeting that is to take place beginning on the 17th of August 2024. It is in preparation for this important meeting that we are seeing the resurgence of some ugly vices," said the statement.
The bishops who signed the statement Rev Ndlovu, Rev Paul Horan, Rev Raphael Ncube, Rev Alex Thomas, Rev Rudolf Nyandoro, Rev Raymond Mupandasekwa and Rev Eusibius Nyathi.
They bishops said in a statement released today that they are aware that repression has been heightened to stop people from demonstrating to SADC leaders.
The seven bishops who signed the statement said people must instead be allowed to demonstrate not only because it is their constitutional right but because its normal in every democratic society for people with grievances to take advantage of big meetings to air their views.
They said they were shocked by the silencing of dissent by Government through abductions, violence and torture and urged for dialogue as the way to go. They called on Mnangagwa to stop human rights violations.
"Generally, people with grievances tend to take advantage of big meetings to air their views. We have seen people positioning themselves to do this in the past and are doing so now. This phenomenon is not unique to Zimbabwe," reads the statement.
The bishops described the human rights situation in Zimbabwe as ugly.
President Mnangagwa who analysts say is afraid of demonstrations spurred by the rigging of the 2023 elections, economic hardships and corruption has deployed thousands of soldiers, Police and the Central Intelligence into the streets.
Quoting the Bible, Luke 12:48, the Bishops reminded President Mnangagwa that much is expected of him as a leader.
"We would like to remind our politicians of the words of our Lord that To whom much is given much will be expected……".
Over a hundred people have been abducted, tortured and detained without trial in the last few weeks.
"The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference (ZCBC) notes with deep concern the prevailing situation in the country. We all are conscious of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Heads of States meeting that is to take place beginning on the 17th of August 2024. It is in preparation for this important meeting that we are seeing the resurgence of some ugly vices," said the statement.
The bishops who signed the statement Rev Ndlovu, Rev Paul Horan, Rev Raphael Ncube, Rev Alex Thomas, Rev Rudolf Nyandoro, Rev Raymond Mupandasekwa and Rev Eusibius Nyathi.
Source - The Mirror
