United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Harry Thomas Jnr has challenged the Zanu PF government to reveal the whereabouts of missing activist Itai Dzamara, who was abducted by suspected State security agents 14 months ago.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Speaking at a media breakfast meeting in Harare yesterday, Thomas Jnr described Dzamara as a symbol of non-violent protest, saying if the government wanted to prosecute him it was better for law enforcement agents to release him and lay charges.
Several protests have been held to pressurise the government into finding Dzamara, but police have made spirited efforts to stop most of the demonstrations. This week, police disrupted two prayer meetings organised for the missing activist at the Africa Unity Square, where he used to hold his anti-President Robert Mugabe protests.
“They tell us that they are looking for Dzamara. I think Dzamara needs to be found, [he] needs to be released if the government or somebody wants to charge him,” Thomas Jnr said.
“My understanding is that he was doing non-violent protest, I very much hope he is alive. His brother participated in a march on March 1 and he has become a symbol for all of us especially for his Zimbabwean colleagues for non-violent protest.”
Thomas Jnr said the government must not hide behind the sanctions when it was failing to turn around the economy. He also said Zimbabwe should uphold the rule of law as a catalyst to bring much-needed foreign direct investment and also embark on economic reform.
