Tsvangirai Bemoans Unity Government’s Failure To End Rights Violations.

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Harare, December 11, 2011 – Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has bemoaned
continued rights violations in the country despite the existence of the
inclusive government which committed itself to upholding rights.

“We are celebrating this day at a time when human rights in this country
remain under siege despite the consummation of the inclusive government in
February 2009,” said Tsvangirai in a statement read on his behalf by Deputy
Minister Jessie Majome.

The statement was reading on the annual UN human rights day commemorations
held in Harare Saturday.

Tsvangirai’s speech continued “while we have fared well as a government in
improving basic social services especially health and education, ordinary
citizens and human rights defenders in particular continue to be harassed
and intimidated.”

The Prime Minister further revealed the country is experiencing gross rights
violations a day mainly from elements linked to President Robert Mugabe’s
Zanu-PF party.

“Since January this year alone, an average of over 20 rights violations
either sponsored or abetted by the state has been recorded daily and this
means we are still far away from experiencing the peace and the freedoms for
which a brutal liberation struggle was wagged by brave sons and daughters of
this land.”

Over a thousand people attended the commemorations which were held at the
Harare Gardens.

But there was a conspicuous absence of Zanu-PF politicians during the
otherwise lively commemorations, which were marked by song and dance by
local young musicians among them Alexio Kawara, XQ, Freddy Manjalima aka
Kapfupi and a host of other young artists.

MDC-T politicians, Nelson Chamisa who is ICT Minister and Home Affairs
Co-Minister Theresa Makone also gave speeches during occasion.

Chamisa commended Zimrights and Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, the organisers
of this year’s commemorations, for keeping the state under the check on
issues of human rights observance.

Minister Makone on her part, lashed out at the predecessor Zanu-PFgovernment
for allegedly violating human rights by parceling out land to Zanu-PF
loyalists at the expense of other Zimbabweans.