Zimbabwe abuses to be scrutinised at Africa Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Ghana

By Tererai Karimakwenda
16 May, 2008

As violence, strikes and arrests continue in Zimbabwe, the 41st Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) opened in Ghana on Wednesday. The Zimbabwe government is due to present its State Party Report, which responds to allegations and recommendations made by the 2002 ACHPR fact finding mission. A copy of the report is on our website and in it the authorities deny all the allegations of human rights abuses and blame external forces for the deterioration of the economy. They do not take responsibility for anything, including the demolitions of Murambatsvina and the brutal attacks on the opposition.

Fortunately there are local and international civic organisations in Ghana presenting Shadow Reports that counter these denials point by point and present evidence. Irene Petras, director of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, is in Ghana and she confirmed that on Monday the African NGO Forum adopted a resolution on Zimbabwe which cited numerous ongoing violations. These will be scrutinised by commissioners at the session.

Petras also said there has been a lot of solidarity and understanding of the challenges currently facing Zimbabweans. She explained that many journalists and organisations have approached them seeking a true picture of the situation on the ground. At the opening ceremony Wednesday, Zimbabwean Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa made a presentation on behalf of AU member states. Petras said he urged member states to ratify the protocol on the rights of women in Africa and the protocol establishing the African Court. She hoped Chinamasa would lead by example and make sure Zimbabwe ratifies both protocols.

The tragedy of Zimbabwe is that there can never be much progress when we have a government that is in such denial. Other African countries and international organisations waste a lot of time considering these arguments, and in the end no punitive measures are taken. This is why it has taken 5 years for Harare to respond to the ACHPR mission’s recommendations.

It is also tragic that other African leaders and officials keep defending Robert Mugabe as their African brother. In Ghana on Tuesday their Foreign Minister Nana Akufo-Addo is reported to have insisted that Mugabe be invited to the 2nd European Union-Africa summit due in Lisbon in December. He was quoted saying: " We can't have a situation where people pick and choose which Africans they deal with when they deal with Africa on a continental basis." Mugabe and his closest allies are banned from travelling to Europe under targeted sanctions imposed by the EU since 2002.

The summit has been postponed over this issue since April 2003, and the E.U. has been lobbying to block Mugabe’s attendance. But attitudes like the Ghanaian minister’s along with his South African counterpart, block progress by organisations that might otherwise put pressure on Mugabe to abide by the rule of law.