The opposition MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa has written to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) telling them that the Zimbabwean government governance and human rights crisis deserves the regional grouping’s attention.
The statement is issued when the just ended 40th SADC Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government was full of praises to President Mnangagwa for chairing The Organ for Politics, Defence and Security (Organ) in a remarkable way.
Some say SADC has a blind spot for member states, particularly, parties that fought in the liberation struggle, therefore, the regional grouping will not do anything to address the Zimbabwean crisis.
We present MDC Alliance’s statement issued by the party’s Secretary for International Relations Gladys Hlatshwayo in full below.
MDC-ALLIANCE
17 August 2020
ZIMBABWE’S POLITICAL CRISIS DESERVES SADC ATTENTION
We note that the Communique of the just ended 40th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government has omitted the deteriorating governance and legitimacy crisis in Zimbabwe. Whereas the Communique has taken note of the security situations in some countries including Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo, we urge regional leaders to equally pay attention to the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe. Under the cover of COVID-19, the Government of Zimbabwe has intensified its crackdown on human rights defenders including journalists, lawyers, labor unions, civic society, the church and the opposition for exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
In response to citizen discontent owing to grand state corruption and plummeting socio-economic standar.. the political elite has abused state institutions to carry out systematic abductions, torture, extra-judicial killings and unlawful arrests. In the short period before and after the July 31 2020 peaceful citizen protests, we have recorded at least 146 cases of human rights violations against our members including 38 abductions. The situation, coupled with the lack of cohesion in government now pose a serious threat to peace and security in Zimbabwe and the SADC region in general.
We reiterate that genuine inclusive national dialogue to agree on a comprehensive reform age. and platform through an agreed neutral facilitator supported by SADC. The African Union and the international community at large remains the only plausible route to extricate Zimbabwe out of its current state.
We urge SADC to urgently intervene in Zimbabwe in line with the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security in order to maintain regional peace and security.
