International Human rights groups call for African leadership to address humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe

By Violet Gonda

16 November 2005

A coalition of human rights and civic organizations across Africa has stepped up pressure on the Mugabe regime by issuing a Joint Appeal on Zimbabwe. Letters were sent to Heads of State en masse calling for them and the African Union (AU) to address the human rights and humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe.

Ghanaian Mawuse Anyidoho from the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions said, “Even though in June we did something similar there still hasn’t been an improvement in the situation and we want the African leaders to really sit up this time and look at the situation in Zimbabwe critically.”

She said emphasis was put on the President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo in his capacity as Chairman of the African Union. The appeal, which highlights the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in the country and the failure of African States and the AU to address the situation in any meaningful way, was also sent to Robert Mugabe.

The group says when the United Nations Secretary-General calls the situation a 'catastrophic injustice', the African Union cannot continue to remain silent. Mawuse Anyidoho said the human rights groups hope that a united stand from African leaders will have more of an impact if it is African led rather than Western driven.

Wednesday’s letter writing action is also supported by human rights and non-governmental organizations in Asia, Latin America and Europe. Many of the groups work on the right to housing and shelter, and were appalled by the Zimbabwean government's programme of mass evictions and demolition of homes. These organisations also sent the Joint Appeal to their own Heads of State and to Mugabe himself.

The coalition called for AU action to ensure Zimbabweans can receive humanitarian aid denied them by their government. The AU should also address the human rights situation in Zimbabwe at the Summit of its Assembly of Heads of State and Government in January 2006.

Anyidoho also said that the international community is aware that illegal evictions are continuing and the groups will meet soon at the African Commission On Human and People’s Rights in Banjul, Gambia, to discuss the ongoing evictions in Zimbabwe.

The Joint Appeal coalition includes Zimbabwean organizations led by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. International groups supporting the action include the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute and international coalitions including the Housing and Land Rights Network -- Habitat International Coalition, CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation and the Latin American coalition Connectas.