Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
A Call for Peace in the
Forthcoming
General
Election
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum unreservedly condemn the violence
perpetrated by government supporters on the marchers for peace.
The Forum also condemn the Zimbabwe Republic Police for allowing an armed
mob into the centre of town where the mob was able to inflict injury and terror
both upon the marchers and innocent bystanders. This is not the first time that
the ZRP has shown a reluctance to enforce the law or to follow the direction of
the courts and such reluctance can only be seen as condoning violence.
The Forum therefore calls upon the President, the Government, and all
political parties to refrain from all hate speech and expressions of violence in
the run up to the elections. We note that the campaign to date has been marked
by continuing expressions of hate and violence, and that unless all political
parties and candidates work to control the violence themselves, it can only
escalate.
The Forum also calls upon the ZRP to undertake their duties under the law
without favour and to ensure that all citizens remain within the law at all
times. Furthermore we call upon the police to ensure that all persons who
indulge in hate speech or who advocate or perpetrate violence are prosecuted
within the existing law.
Finally, the Forum calls upon all civic and church groups to associate
themselves with this statement and to come together in a combined effort to
ensure peace during the elections. The Forum believes that it is especially
important for the churches to be taking a leading role in the movement for peace
in
Zimbabwe
.
AMANI
CCJPZ
LRF
TI(Z)
UZ (LAC)
ZACRO
ZLHR
ZimRights
ZWLAAmnesty
17 April 2000
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