Amnesty International Zimbabwe (AI) has lashed out at the government for failing to provide alternative accommodation to victims of the 2005 Operation Murambatsvina slum demolition exercise which left nearly one million people homeless.
Report by Blondie Ndebele
Speaking at the World Habitat Day celebrations at Small City Hall in Bulawayo on Monday, AI researcher Simeon Mawanza said government should not hide behind the country’s economic problems as a“scapegoat” for failing to provide proper housing.
“Governments are not expected to make excuses in terms of protecting the rights of their citizens,” Mawanza said.
“Instead they should be seen engaging in international partnerships because they have signed international statutes which they are supposed to uphold to preserve the rights of the people.”
He said government’s Operation Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle had failed to meet the need for housing, health and education facilities in the aftermath of Operation Murambatsvina.
Mawanza said their investigations had established that the government was allocating people unserviced stands and to date the stands had remained dormant.
He said most of Operation Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle settlements did not have schools, roads and clinics.
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“Everyone has the right to access these basic rights and where the government is unable, it has to seek assistance from other international partners,” he said.
AI director Cousin Zilala said people were driven deeper into poverty through forced evictions during Operation Murambatsvina, and appealed to government to provide and uphold basic human rights by giving people proper shelter and health facilities, among others.
“We are working with the people from Ngozi Mine and Trenance in Bulawayo and some Harare squatter camps. We are appealing to the government to guarantee security of tenure for these people so that they gain confidence and build a future for their families,” Zilala said.
A victim of Operation Murambatsvina who preferred anonymity said: “We use Cowdray Park Clinic (in Bulawayo), our kids are not going to school and we have established a school under a tree. We have asked those who are a bit educated to teach our primary school kids.” The commemoration was held under the theme: Housing is a Human Right.
