Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe

“We need to constantly check if we are still heading north as our compass had always instructed, if we check our compass and it indicates that we are now heading south, we would have betrayed the blood and souls split during the war. The blood of the sons and daughters would have spilt in vain.’’ Dr Edison Zvobgo

The liberation struggle purchased through sacrificial blood the transition from an undemocratic system of governance to self rule. It was the culmination for the redefinition of the status quo, the setting up of new standards to affirm the universally set standards that human beings are made equal and therefore should be equal before the law regardless of political affiliation, tribe, and man’s intuition. Blood of gallant sons and daughters was spilt to redefine the status quo as the foundation for all generations to come, for them to cherish and guard jealously the hard won freedom upon which a liberated Zimbabwe was born.

Undeniably, the liberation struggle enabled the repossession of our country from the settler British occupants and transferred authority and power into the hands of Zimbabweans to be able to assume the right to choose their own representative leaders without persecution. The repossession meant that we became a sovereign nation responsible and accountable to everything within our borders, all kinds of wealth of resources and the different vibrant peace loving tribes who make up Zimbabwe.

Now three decades after attaining independence from colonial rule from the British, the answer to why the liberation struggle was fought remains shrouded in mystery and not shared by everyone as a national vision. There are those who claim monopoly and credit to the sacrifices that were made, some see it as a victory for autonomy to further personnel interest ahead of national ones,  others see victory as justification for the creation of an elite class with overriding monopoly of how the national treasure should be distributed while others see it as a national  symbol of  selfless sacrifice that purchased the freedom  of the people from oppression, discrimination, inequality, denial of fundamental human rights, social rights, economic rights, political rights and religious rights.

Regrettable.  The journey from the post independence era to where we are today is less reflective of the essence of why the liberation struggle for freedom was waged. The last decade has witnessed horrific events equating to a walk in the wilderness. It is as if our leaders have learned nothing and forgotten nothing. Consequently shaming deeds have been carried out systematically by a few malign, avaricious and self centered leaders to reverse the very gains of the struggle to make law unto themselves, to create new social strata of elite classes based on political patronage at the expense of the nation.

Man made calamities driven by insatiable desire to cling to power culminated into misrule, greed, corruption, culture of impunity, rigging of elections, violation of property rights, silencing of voices of reason, denial of the right to vote through inhuman degrading means. All these practices slowly crept into our nation without much attention, the seeds grew to become trees and in the face of growing agitation the trees established roots which run deep into the ground. It’s now a full blown rooted flourishing system that feeds on anything goes for its survival even destroying the environment and the eco-system.

The ripping effects of this evil system presided by an elite class of people more equal than others is now causing untold suffering causing a lot of pain to endure. Lives have been lost and a lot of blood spilt in the process. A highlight of the few chronicled events which represent this suffering include the Gukurahundi Massacre in which more than 20 000 people were butchered for political expediency, the operation Murambatsvina which saw more than 750 000 inhabitants losing their livelihoods and shelter, the election violence beginning from 2000 to 2008  saw innocent lives lost to violence, torture and intimidation for political expediency, the violent land grab resulted in chaos, widespread looting and triggered rampant inconceivable violation of human rights among white farmers, farm workers and innocent man, women and children.

 Human and political activist are being harassed, battered, abducted and tortured for exercising their rights, labor union members  are being brutalized for expressing their disgruntlement through demonstrations,  journalist  continue to be victimized for criticizing the powers that be.

 The 30th infamous celebration of our independence comes at a time when the country is being run by a coalition government that was brokered by negotiations to forge peace between warring political parties MDC and ZANU Pf, not a byproduct of the people’s voices as demonstrated by the March 29 vote. The encumbered coalition government is a marriage of convenience of two irreconcilable factions.

What is more perplexing about where we are as nation is that, the intransigent forces of democracy and good governance are still prophesying total ignorance, hardening themselves against the winds of change  blowing towards a better Zimbabwe. They want to squander every opportunity to invest into the future for the next generations to leave in harmony. The historic writing of a people’s constitution has been sabotaged left, right and centre yet it embodies what prompted the liberation fighters to take up arms- so that one day we could write our own constitution and not be bound by the undemocratic Lancaster house alien constitution.

There are those that are on the wrong side of history, standing in the way of progress hindering the decade long struggle for democracy, a culture of human rights and upholding people’s freedoms. Mired in the rhetoric of war clichés, militancy and old fashioned partisan propaganda oppressive forces want to reverse the hands of time having failed dismally to align to the new struggles of the 21st century world: the advancement of the universally cross cutting principle of the  inalienability of human rights across continents.

Failure of leadership renewal has precipitated the failure of a change to a new mindset to keep abreast with the advancement of developments that are shaping the world body politic. We are in a new world with the old way of thinking and in the end the old cap of mind is a stumbling block to the new Zimbabwe. It’s an unfortunate case of new wine in old bottles.

ROHR Zimbabwe and Victim Action Committee’s position on Zimbabwe turning 30

First and foremost ROHR Zimbabwe and VAC joins the rest of the nation to honor the gallant selfless heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the Zimbabweans from oppressive rule of the colonialist and helped shape the foundation upon which the cradle of a democratic liberal society was founded. We acknowledge the commitment and laborious prolonged protracted process which brought about the independence of our beloved country to affirm the rights of all.

We also continue to honor those new heroes and heroines who continue to fall in the fight for democracy and human rights to further the noble work that was chartered by our torch bearers who began the struggle for people’s rights and freedom from as far back as 1963. Understanding that the liberation struggle was a fight for human rights, we hold that our independence is a lost cause of mixed feelings if three decades down the line people are being persecuted and oppressed for political expediency and personal interest. The plight of suffering Zimbabweans as a result of manmade catastrophes is a major cause of concern.

We condemn in strongest terms all those who standing in the path of building a democratic society that is built on ideals of equality, the rule of law, respect for human rights, good governance, transparency, accountability, equality, non discrimination, fairness, respect for humanity.

We affirm that the only acceptable credible methodology for Zimbabwe to be restored to its respectable position is through the holding of a free and fair election, in which people exercise their fundamental right of choosing a leader who is accountable to them for the simple reason that they chose him/her.  The elections should be held in a free environment supervised by international observers devoid of intimidation, coercion and persecution to protect the voice of the people.

As ROHR Zimbabwe and VAC we affirm our energies towards returning Zimbabwe to the apex of the vanguard of upholding human rights in the continent. As in the words of Zimbabwe’s first Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, ‘’Zimbabwe does not belong to us, but rather it has been loaned to us by the next generation. It is our duty that we make it a better place for the next generation.’’

For Peace, Justice and Freedom

Politically motivated discrimination rife in Muzarabani constituency

At the height of the worst indescribable discrimination driven by political malice, greed, corruption and outright inhuman cruelty, more than 25 community members from Muzarabani have been promptly barred from attending various church groups because they are supporters of the MDC. The order to bar the suspended villagers comes after threats of harm which were relayed to pastors and church leaders of church groups which include Faith Apostoilc Church, Hambakuku, Mugodhi and Zion.

The controversial decision was passed at a meeting that was convened by the self confessed ardent supporter of ZANU Pf Chief Kasekete on the 2^nd March this year at Hoya business centre.

ROHR Zimbabwe undertook a sight visit to access the situation in Charunda village and we can reliably confirm from an informed position, that a Pentacostal Holiness Church in Charunda village was razed down to ashes, burnt logs and lumps of bricks in an act of arson by a staunch ZANU Pf supporter, Paradzai Chabayanzara who is believed to have set the church on fire because it was being attended by members of the MDC to the dislike of ZANU Pf sections in the same village.

One of the suspended villagers barred from attending church, MDC youth organizing secretary for Muzarabani South Misheck Sango said that it was also resolved that bibles should not be read in any of the churches. He bemoaned the decision to suspend them from attending church as most of their community members were church goers and peace loving.

Some of the acts of discrimination which were reported to ROHR Zimbabwe as being instigated by Chief Kasekete against supporters of the MDC include barring participation in social activities like soccer tournaments and influencing of donors to choose beneficiaries on partisan lines. Speaking to ROHR Zimbabwe, Sango said they were forced to forego a lifetime opportunity to be beneficiaries from a program of construction of Blair toilets that was carried out by World Vision in 2009.

The losing councilor for MDC Charunda village said there are more than twenty families who are not registered in any herdsmen’s records books because they are being discriminated against as punishment for being MDC supporters.

ROHR Zimbabwe views these acts of discrimination as deliberate malicious moves targeted at disempowering innocent people from their social rights in the community at the whim of overzealous partisan sections of the society acting on narrow partisan authority. We hold that discrimination constitutes serious violation of fundamental human rights and that human rights are not privileges or gifts bestowed on people at the pleasure of any local leaders, politicians or whoever is commanding a higher authority in public affairs.

We therefore challenge chief Kasekete in his personal capacity to desist from corrupt activities that violate the rights of his villagers through discrimination and execute his servient duties as an independent officer to uphold the equality for all regardless of political affiliation. We want to remind chief Kasekete that non discrimination is a cross cutting principle under international human rights law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights  (1948) under chapter 1 clearly states that, ‘’ all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

For Peace, Justice and Freedom

Check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/sets/72157623759903273/ for photos of the burnt church, demolished house and property.