Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe

‘’… the wilful disregard of the people’s democratic right to choose leaders of their choice has no place in the emerging Africa.’’

ROHR Zimbabwe welcomes on behalf of the nation the resolutions of the recent Summit of the Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, which met recently in the Republic of Zambia.  We extend our gratitude firstly to His Excellence, the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma for a sterling job in compiling the frank report which formed the basis of the deliberations on Zimbabwe. We also extend our gratitude to the attending Heads of State and Government, His Excellence President of Namibia Hifikepunye Pohamba, His Excellence President of Mozambique Armando Emilio Guebuza and the Chairperson of the Organ His Excellence President of the Republic of Zambia Rupiah Bwezani Banda.

Our realization that the plight of the people of Zimbabwe has not, as in previous instances, gone unnoticed – but for once has been told in a transparent manner by the most relevant and best placed institution in charge of African politics, has stimulated rekindled hope and excitement that the region stands in solidarity with us. In the midst of pitfalls and security risks we encounter in our work as Civil Society and Human Rights Defenders we appla     ud the renewed commitment and prioritization of policing the stalled implementation of the troubled Global Political Agreement (GPA) by the Organ Troika as signaled by the uncompromising stance to recall past SADC decisions. We share the   disappointment and impatience expressed by the Organ Troika on the insufficient progress and delay in the implementation of the GPA.

We are further relieved that the Organ Troika has echoed and reiterated our call for the need to put an immediate end to political violence, intimidation, hate speech, harassment and any other form of action that contradicts the latter and the spirit of the GPA. Undermining of individual security, the rule of law and political activity remains the biggest threats to sustainable peace and existence of the coalition government.

Most importantly we recognize the purposeful decision by the Organ Troika to back its new stance on Zimbabwe by formulating an immediate course of action for the ultimate goal of facilitating the holding of a peaceful, free and fair election in accordance with the SADC principles and guidelines governing democratic elections. In promoting independent and objective monitoring, evaluation and effective implementation of the GPA, as ROHR Zimbabwe we hail the commitment by the Organ Troika to forward a team to join the current responsible body of JOMIC, comprised of the three political parties, MDC formations and ZANU PF.

ROHR Zimbabwe draws encouragement from the overall approach to all the deliberations that were put before the Troika, not only on the Zimbabwean crisis but also on other countries like Madagascar, Ivory Coast and Libya. The outcome of the deliberations signals a uniformed pattern leaning on the protection and promotion of the democratic principles of democracy, an unrevocable demanded from all the leaders in Africa without exception.

The uncompromising order on Mr Laurent Gbagbo to hand over power to the legitimately internationally recognized winner of the Ivorian Presidential elections, Mr Allassane Quattara with immediate effect is a clear message to the entire league of African incumbent leaders that the willful disregard of the people’s democratic right to choose leaders of their choice has no place in the emerging Africa.

We encourage SADC in its entirety as an institution to heed the demands of the 21th century leadership style which places the respect of human rights, people’s fundamental freedoms, and holding of peaceful, free and fair elections as the basis to govern.
 
ROHR Information Department
For Peace, Justice and Freedom