ZIMBABWE’s poor human rights record and police heavy-handedness in crushing anti-government demonstrations took centre stage during a parliamentary debate by British legislators last Friday.
BY PAIDAMOYO MUZULU
The British MPs expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in the Southern Africa nation.
Minister of State (Department for International Development) and conservative MP, Baroness Anelay, told fellow legislators that her government was engaging the Zimbabwean authorities to respect their own Constitution in handling demonstrations particularly the Bill of Human Rights.
“In recent weeks, we have noted with increasing concern the heavy-handed response of the authorities to peaceful and lawful demonstrators, and violence against opposition parties and social activists. We regularly call upon the Zimbabwean government to end human rights abuses and restore internationally accepted standards,” she said.
“On November 18, our ambassador and European Union head of mission in Harare issued a statement expressing concern at the increase in incidents, in violation of the fundamental human rights and freedoms enshrined in Chapter 4 of the Constitution.”
Anelay was responding to a question from Lord Hunt of Kings Heath.
Lord Hunt had asked: “To ask Her Majesty’s government what assessment they have made of the treatment of citizens by the government of Zimbabwe.”
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The Zimbabwean authorities in July deployed heavily armed police officers to quash protests against government corruption and the introduction of bond notes.
The demonstrations turned violent in Beitbridge and Epworth.
The State, in September, published a decree that banned demonstrations in the central business district of the capital, Harare.
Many prominent social and political activists have been detained, but later released on bail by the courts on charges of public violence or participating in unsanctioned demonstrations.
