by Violet Gonda

4th July 2005
Human Rights groups are concerned that a senior African Union official sent to Zimbabwe to investigate the demolitions has been told he must first get government clearance. The African Union Commission, designated Commissioner Bahame Tom Nyanduga to carry out a fact-finding mission in Zimbabwe between June 30 and July 4.
Mr. Nyanduga is a member of the African Commission on Human Rights and Special Rapporteur responsible for Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Internally Displaced People in Africa.
Human rights groups said they are worried by the regime's negative attitude towards the African Union especially since Zimbabwe is a member state. Human rights lawyer, Arnold Tsunga said that in terms of the African Union Charter and regional instruments, member countries have some minimal obligations in terms of the promotion of human rights in respective countries. He said, "the move is ill-advised and shows a level of contempt for the African states by the government."
Unnamed government sources told the state mouthpiece, The Sunday Mail, that the move by the AU to dispatch a high-ranking official, without notifying the government through the normal channels, was un-procedural and out of step with protocol.
The paper said Harare only became aware of the visit when Nyanduga was already on his way. The Sunday Mail quoted Nyanduga as saying, "The commission contacted the government on June 29 and they are aware of my visit." He said he would meet government ministers, civic groups and visit areas affected by the crackdown.
Tsunga said the government may have a case against the AU by saying the method of sending the commissioner did not seem to comply with protocol but said this is a technical argument which has no merit in terms of substance of the purpose of visit. He said, "The purpose is to allow for the AU to get it's own expert on human rights to make an assessment of what the government is doing in terms of the policy of forced evictions and its implications on human rights."
Human Rights groups have urged Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as chairman of the AU, to put the crisis in Zimbabwe on the agenda of its summit which started Monday.The AU had previously said it would not interfere in what it described as a member country's internal affairs.