PRESS STATEMENT BY THE BOTSWANA CIVIL SOCIETY SOLIDARITY COALITION ON ZIMBABWE (BOCISCOZ)

BOCISCOZ on the continuing breakdown of the Global Political Agreement and the treatment of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture

We, the Botswana Civil Society Solidarity Coalition on Zimbabwe (BOCISCOZ) are deeply concerned about the continuing erosion of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) in Zimbabwe, the deportation of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman of Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Mr Manfred Nowak, the apparent reluctance shown by President Mugabe to accept The Southern African Development Community (SADC) involvement in settling the current impasse and the deteriorating human rights situation in Zimbabwe.

There is increasing evidence of the breakdown of the governance structure devised under the GPA.  Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and leader of the Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC-T), announced that “whilst being (in) government, we shall forthwith disengage from ZANU PF and in particular from Cabinet and the Council of Ministers until such time as confidence and respect is restored amongst us".  The MDC has since curtailed attendance of Cabinet meetings. President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF announced that they will “replace” MDC Ministers.

The lack of cooperation within the unity Government of Zimbabwe is reflected in the humiliating treatment meted out to Mr Nowak who travelled to Zimbabwe to conduct a fact-finding mission in Zimbabwe from 28 October to 4 November 2009, at the invitation of the Minister of Justice of Zimbabwe, Mr Chinamasa.  According to the Press Release of the Special Rapporteur, dated 29 October 2009, while Mr Nowak was “in transit in Johannesburg on 27 October, he was informed that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mumbengegwi, had decided on 26 October to postpone the mission”.   The “Special Rapporteur also received a letter dated 27 October, that the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, wished to meet him in his office in Harare on 29 October at 10:00 a.m.  He also received information that he would be picked up at Harare Airport by an official of the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”. Upon travelling to Harare, the Special Rapporteur was met by the Head of Immigration at the airport, Mr Nabika.  “Although the Special Rapporteur and his assistants had valid visas, Mr Nowak was told that his entry was not cleared by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and that, in the absence of such clearance, he would have to fly back to Johannesburg the next morning.  The Special Rapporteur spent the night at the airport and was sent back on the first flight to Johannesburg on 29th October”.

The visit of President Kabila, the current Chairperson of SADC on 3 November 2009 occurred shortly after President Mugabe publicly stated that ‘the stand-off prompted by the partial boycott of the Government by MDC must be addressed as a domestic’ matter (The Zimbabwe Times 4 November 2009).  This despite the fact that SADC as one of the guarantors of the Government of National Unity (GNU) has a responsibility to oversee its successful implementation.

Of further concern are the increasing reports of violence perpetrated against members of the MDC-T and ordinary Zimbabweans.  These include arbitrary arrests of members of civil society and political activists, abductions and land invasions.  The constitutional review process does not appear to be making headway and there is failure to conduct a comprehensive and impartial land audit as agreed to within the GPA.  A press release of The Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU) of Zimbabwe dated 28 October 2009 stated that over the past 12 months, CFU observed “a steady continuation, and in some cases escalation of state-sponsored violence and unlawful disturbances on commercial farms”.  Such incidences are also occurring on the farms which are protected under the adjudication of the SADC Tribunal.

SADC and the African Union (AU) are the guarantors of the GPA.  The Communique issued at the conclusion of the SADC Summit in September 2009 gave the mandate of monitoring progress in Zimbabwe to the SADC Organ on Politics Defence and Security. A SADC delegation visited Zimbabwe during last week and a meeting of the leaders of Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia, who comprise the troika of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security is scheduled for Thursday 5th November 2009 in Maputo. 

The protracted absence of a stable government in Zimbabwe hinders development, peace and security in the SADC region.  In an interview on the Hot Seat (SW Radio Africa on 3 November 2009 reported in The Zimbabwean, 4 November 2009) on 30 October 2009, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Botswana, Minister Skelemani noted that ”What is happening in Zimbabwe is unfortunate”.  He further reiterated the position of the Botswana Government that “we desire for Zimbabwe what we desire for ourselves - good governance”. 

BOCISCOZ urges SADC to urgently convene an Extraordinary Summit to review the GPA and devise a workable strategy to restore good governance and democracy within Zimbabwe. This must be committed to by the members of SADC. BOCISCOZ further urges SADC to exhort the Government of Zimbabwe to cooperate with UN and regional human rights mechanisms such as the SADC Tribunal. BOCISCOZ appreciates the position taken by the Government of Botswana concerning the recent developments in Zimbabwe and also urges the Government of Botswana to continue to take action to promote good governance in the region. 

04 November 2009
Gaborone

For more information, please contact DITSHWANELO- The Botswana Centre for Human Rights at Tel: 267 390 6998, Fax: 267 390 7778, Website www.ditshwanelo.info.bw, Email: admin.ditshwanelo@info.bw/ditshwanelo-myfuturetoday@info.org.bw.