SADC chair asked to address human rights

“We are seeing a worrying picture of shrinking space for human rights in many countries across the SADC region.”

Johannesburg - Botswana’s President Ian Khama should use his tenure as chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to look into human rights violations in the region, Amnesty International said on Monday.

Khama took over from outgoing chairman, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe, during the annual SADC summit held in Gaborone.

“The most pressing issues President Khama should address as he takes over from President Mugabe, include the ongoing suppression of dissent in Angola and the killing and torture of police and soldiers accused of leading a mutiny in Lesotho,” said the organisation’s director for Southern Africa, Deprose Muchena.

“We are seeing a worrying picture of shrinking space for human rights in many countries across the SADC region. We’re also seeing the targeting and persecution of defenders of human rights.”

Muchena added that peaceful protesters had been brutally beaten by police in the region and that the whereabouts of Zimbabwean journalist, Itai Dzamara remained unknown.

Dzamara mysteriously disappeared earlier this year in March following a campaign that called for change in Zimbabwe.

“He is a known critic of President Robert Mugabe, his whereabouts remains unknown after he disappeared on 9 March 2015. Khama should encourage them [SADC leaders] to show respect for human rights within their borders and appeal to other leaders to ensure that member states that fail to respect human rights are fully held to account,” said Muchena.

He said leaders of SADC should reinstate the suspended SADC tribunal, which provided individuals and legal representatives of victims of human rights violations access to seek remedies and justice.

He added that the SADC heads of state suspended the tribunal in August 2014 “without any consultation or justification”.

ANA