Maravi

SACCORD accuses Rupiah of ‘politicking’ on human rights

SACCORD accuses Rupiah of ‘politicking’ on human rights
By Mwala Kalaluka
Tue 10 May 2011, 04:01 CAT

President Rupiah Banda’s recent acknowledgment that failure to respect citizens’
human rights can cause unrest was inspired by political expediency, says Lee
Habasonda.

Commenting on President Banda’s recent statement when he swore in Human Rights commissioners at State House in Lusaka, Habasonda said the President needs to put the law enforcement agents in order.

“The President’s statement is a clear testimony that our leaders only like to politicise matters when they actually know the effect of some of the decisions they take in government, which are not correct,” he said.

Habasonda, who is the executive director of the Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolutions of Dispute (SACCORD), said there was currently no sufficient assurance that President Banda's acknowledgment of the consequences of human rights violations would be concretised.

“They need to address the human rights violations in a more concerted manner rather than be concerned about their political survival,” Habasonda said. "President Banda needs to order his Minister of Home Affairs to teach the police and its rank and file, including security agencies, how to manage citizens.”

Habasonda said the police were not employed to violate human rights but to the protect them. Habasonda said home affairs minister Mkhondo Lungu has to tell the nation what lessons his government had learnt from the way it handled the riots in Mongu, Mazabuka and Mansa.

He said President Banda had acknowledged that the North African situation could be replicated in any country where people’s rights were not being taken care of.

Labels: BAROTSE FREEDOM MOVEMENT, LEE HABASONDA, RUPIAH BANDA, SACCORD

posted by MrK @ 2:48 PM