IPI says AU slow in criticising Zimbabwe's rights record

By Violet Gonda
05 April 2006

Ithas been four long years since the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR) sent a fact finding mission to Zimbabwe and noted gross human rights abuses and the existence of legislation undermining freedom of expression. But there is still no reaction from its mother body, the African Union (AU).

Theinaction from the AU has prompted The International Press Institute (IPI), to issue a strongly worded statement expressing its disappointment at the slow progress being made by the continental body in criticising Zimbabwe's record on human rights, particularly freedom of the press.

IPI is the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in over 110 countries. The letter was sent to the chairman of the AU and the United Nations (UN) secretary-general.

IPI editor David Dadge said the AU may have the right to want to have careful deliberation about this but pointed out that; “The length of time since this fact finding mission makes it very disappointing. It would seem to me that there is more of an interest in putting the concerns about upsetting an African leader above human rights concerns, and IPI very much wanted to point this out.”

The group said despite several attempts by the ACHPR to encourage the AU to condemn Zimbabwe's appalling human rights and press freedom record these attempts have failed. It reports that the reasons range from improbable excuses made by the Zimbabwean government to the AU's desire to focus on procedural matters and alleged reporting irregularities, rather than human rights abuses.