The threat on the work of civil society organisations has remained high
following government’s pronouncement that they were to deregister some
civil society organizations.
Public Services and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima
announced that the government had published names of civil society
organizations to be de-registered.
While the list has not been made public, there is a wide possibility that
government will use this as an opportunity to clamp down on civil society
that are working to hold government to account.
Government and ruling party officials have always accused civil society
organisations of all sorts of things, including that they are working against
the State.
In November, Zanu PF Acting Spokesperson, Patrick Chinamasa said ZanuPF was to use its parliamentary majority to tighten screws on ‘civic society
organisations and the opposition.’
This is because civil society organisations, especially those that work
towards furthering human rights and holding government to account,
have effectively exposed some of government’s excesses.
Although not directly linked, following Mavima’s utterances, Zanu PF
youths besieged Heal Zimbabwe Trust offices in Harare accusing the
organisation of ‘enslaving young people.’
Government has also announced that it is drafting the Zimbabwe Patriotic
Bill, which amongst other things, aims to criminalise what is termed a
“campaign against” national interests and the peddling of “falsehoods”
which undermine Zimbabwe’s national interests.
If enacted, the law gives government the permission to snoop into private
communications between citizens and officials of foreign governments.
According to government and the ruling party, the law is meant to “deal”
with citizens who propagate ‘negative’ information to foreign
governments.
Ironically, patriotism, which is love for one’s origins, can still be expressed
by being critical to any individual or institutions that undermine the
development of one’s community.
According to the Constitution, democracy, peace and respect for human
rights and the rule of law are amongst Zimbabwe’s national interests.
It is therefore within the rights of any Zimbabwean to criticize their own
government, especially when that government undermines the national
interest, and this is enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which
guarantees freedom of expression
ZPP believes that it is every citizen’s patriotic obligation to speak out
against human rights abuses and to raise public awareness both locally
and internationally, of the human rights violations in Zimbabwe and to
hold the Zimbabwean government accountable.
If the government goes ahead and enacts a law that bars citizens from engaging foreign governments
to raise awareness on the country’s human rights record based on international conventions and
treaties Zimbabwe is party to, the law would not only be contrary to the basic values of international
co-operation, but it would also be ultra vires local, regional, continental and intentional laws
Zimbabwe’s party to.
Such rights are enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the
African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
They are also protected in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
9