Perpetrators of Violence must Face Justice: Envoy

BY CAIPHAS CHIMHETE AND BERTHA SHOKO

THE United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe, James McGee, said perpetrators of political violence in last year's harmonised elections must face justice.McGee said the human rights situation in the country remained worrying.

In a wide-ranging interview with journalists in Harare last week, McGee said it was important for perpetrators of last year's human rights abuses to be brought to justice.Over 200 people, mostly supporters of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), were murdered in last year's poll, the most violent election since
the country's Independence.

"Those behind the March post-election human rights abuses of last year should face trial. They must be brought before the courts of law and tried, to allow for the nation to move forward," McGee said.

McGee said while there had been an improvement on the economic front following the formation of the inclusive government, the US was still worried about the continued abuse of human rights and lack of the rule of law.

"But other things such as the rule of law, respect for human rights those things are not moving in as nearly a rapid pace to satisfy us," he said.

"But again this government has only been operational for six weeks so we want to give them the opportunity, the leg room, the political space to do what is right and show what they can do."

On the continued incarceration of MDC activists, including senior members of the party in the country's jails despite the formation of the inclusive government, McGee said it was most "unfortunate". He said in good faith those prisoners must be released as soon as possible.

Among those battling for freedom are MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai's former personal assistant Ghandi Mudzingwa and the party's director of security Chris Dhlamini who are facing banditry and terrorism charges.

Freelance photojournalist Shadreck Anderson Manyere who is facing the same charges is also still locked up.Manyere was granted bail last week but the State appealed against this decision.

Apart from the continued detention of political prisoners, Mugabe has done nothing to stop the new wave of violent farm invasions that has affected more than 100 white-owned commercial farms mostly in Mashonaland West.

Most farm owners have since gone into hiding fearing for their lives, while their workers have been rendered destitute after being chased away from the farms that had become their homes.Others have been arrested for "failing to vacate state property".

McGee said the US would not lift targeted sanctions on President Robert Mugabe and senior members of Zanu PF party unless the lawlessness bedevilling the country stopped.

In fact, McGee said, the US could widen the visa and financial sanctions on Mugabe and his cronies if they do not show willingness to change.

"The individual sanctions are against people and people need to show us absolute ability to change, without which sanctions will remain. In fact, you might see more individual sanctions," McGee said.

McGee said those officials who want to discuss issues of trade and economic co-operation with the US but are on the sanctions list can come to him since he is the US government representative in Zimbabwe.

"They don't need to travel to the US for that," McGee said.

The US and the European Union (EU) imposed sanctions against Mugabe and senior officials of his party for gross human rights violation and lack of rule of law. The US ambassador however admitted there were positive developments brought about by the inclusive government.

He said inflation had come down because the RBZ had stopped printing money. The Central Statistical Office (CSO) last week said the country's month on month inflation for March decreased by 0.1 percentage points to -3% in March.

In February the month on month inflation stood at -3.1%.

"We are no longer seeing the uncontrolled printing of money. Inflation which had been running in numbers that I am not familiar with.quintillions, gazillions of percentage points, last month inflation was minus 2.5% so we have turned around and we are going back in the right direction. So that's very very positive," McGee said.