Zimbabwe - Abduction of Jestina Mukoko
posted by impuku | 14.12.2008 23:10
Jestina Mukoko was abducted on the 3rd of December in Harare and she is still missing. See the Front Line report:
http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/1660
http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/1660
PRESS RELEASE from the Tanzania Gender Networking Programme
Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) has been following the steadily deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe for some time, with growing concern about the steady erosion of the welfare and safety of the Zimbabwean people, and the failure of Zimbabwean political leaders to resolve the crisis. Space for democratic organizing and freedom of speech has been lost, and people’s livelihoods and access to health, water, and education have been swept away. Sanctions have worsened what was already an untenable situation for the majority of people. Girls and women are especially targeted for sexual abuse, and yet the world looks on without taking coherent steps to stop the violence now, as well as the injustice and inequalities underlying these events.
We wish to express our concern and outrage about the worsening situation in Zimbabwe, and particular alarm at the recent abduction of Jestina Mukoko, a human rights defender from the Zimbabwe Peace Project.
We condemn the failure of Zimbabwean political leaders on all sides to resolve the crisis. We demand that they provide leadership now or step aside to allow the people of Zimbabwe space to find new solutions on how to rebuild their lives and country.
We further condemn the failure of Southern African and African Union leaders to resolve the political crisis in Zimbabwe and fear that the people of Africa can no longer count on these bodies and those in leadership in our continent.
We also condemn the ‘Big Powers’ whose multinational corporations continue to plunder the natural resources of Zimbabwe while their government leaders talk on and on, doing nothing to save the lives and livelihoods of the Zimbabwean women and men and children.
We pledge solidarity with Zimbabweans who say:
o Form a legitimate government - end the human suffering NOW
o Provide safe and accessible water, food, medical care NOW!
o Stop the war on women’s bodies NOW!
o Free Jestina Mukoko and other human rights defenders NOW!
o Give Zimbabwe back to its people NOW!
Issued by TGNP,
Usu Mallya,
Executive Director
051208
Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) has been following the steadily deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe for some time, with growing concern about the steady erosion of the welfare and safety of the Zimbabwean people, and the failure of Zimbabwean political leaders to resolve the crisis. Space for democratic organizing and freedom of speech has been lost, and people’s livelihoods and access to health, water, and education have been swept away. Sanctions have worsened what was already an untenable situation for the majority of people. Girls and women are especially targeted for sexual abuse, and yet the world looks on without taking coherent steps to stop the violence now, as well as the injustice and inequalities underlying these events.
We wish to express our concern and outrage about the worsening situation in Zimbabwe, and particular alarm at the recent abduction of Jestina Mukoko, a human rights defender from the Zimbabwe Peace Project.
We condemn the failure of Zimbabwean political leaders on all sides to resolve the crisis. We demand that they provide leadership now or step aside to allow the people of Zimbabwe space to find new solutions on how to rebuild their lives and country.
We further condemn the failure of Southern African and African Union leaders to resolve the political crisis in Zimbabwe and fear that the people of Africa can no longer count on these bodies and those in leadership in our continent.
We also condemn the ‘Big Powers’ whose multinational corporations continue to plunder the natural resources of Zimbabwe while their government leaders talk on and on, doing nothing to save the lives and livelihoods of the Zimbabwean women and men and children.
We pledge solidarity with Zimbabweans who say:
o Form a legitimate government - end the human suffering NOW
o Provide safe and accessible water, food, medical care NOW!
o Stop the war on women’s bodies NOW!
o Free Jestina Mukoko and other human rights defenders NOW!
o Give Zimbabwe back to its people NOW!
Issued by TGNP,
Usu Mallya,
Executive Director
051208
posted by impuku
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Amnesty Urgent Action for Jestina
15.12.2008 09:57
UA 333/08
Enforced disappearance/Fear for Safety
ZIMBABWE
Jestina Mukoko (f) director of the Zimbabwe
Peace Project (ZPP)
Human rights activist Jestina Mukoko was forcibly taken from her
home by a group of at least 12 armed plain-clothes men who
identified themselves as policemen on 3 December. More than 48
hours after her abduction her whereabouts remain unknown. Lawyers
have checked with police stations in the capital Harare and the
town of Norton, but have failed to locate her.
Jestina Mukoko is the director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project
(ZPP), a local human rights organisation that is involved in
monitoring and documenting human rights violations in Zimbabwe.
According to an eyewitness more than a dozen men, believed to be
state security agents, stormed her home in Norton and took her by
force while still barefoot and dressed in her pyjamas. The men
then drove off in two cars, one of which did not have registration
plates.
Amnesty International has been told that on 29 November another
group of about six men, believed to be part of the same group,
tried to enter her house during her absence after claiming to be
workmates.
Jestina Mukoko's abduction is consistent with an established
pattern of harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders
by the Zimbabwean authorities in an attempt to discourage them
from documenting and publicising the human rights violations that
are taking place.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Human rights defenders in Zimbabwe operate in a very restrictive
environment.They face repeated arrests, torture and ill-treatment,
intimidation andharassment by state security forces and other non-state
actors alignedto President Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National
Union – Patriotic Front.
Amnesty International has documented several cases of enforced
disappearances similar to that of Jestina Mukoko this year alone.
Some of the victim's bodies were later found dumped. The
Zimbabwean authorities have been unwilling to investigate these
cases of enforced disappearances, including politically motivated
killings of human rights defenders and political activists.
In the run up to the 27 June presidential election run-off, scores
of supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were
abducted and killed. Thousands were tortured at camps that were
set up with the acquiescence of the security forces. Nearly 200
people died as a result of state-sponsored violence during that
time.
Between 27 October and 1 November 15 people, most of them MDC
activists from Mashonaland West province, including a baby, were
abducted from their homes and have not been seen since. Zimbabwean
authorities are still to comply with an order that was issued by
the High Court on 11 November compelling them to bring the victims
before the courts.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as
possible, in English or your own language:
- expressing grave concern over the abduction or arrest of Jestina
Mukoko, the director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, who was
forcibly taken from her home by people believed to be state
security agents on 3 December 2008;
- calling on the Zimbabwean authorities to disclose the
whereabouts of Jestina Mukoko and not to ill treat her.
- calling on the Zimbabwean authorities to allow Jestina Mukoko
access to her lawyer, family as well as food, water, warm clothes
and medication;
- stating that Amnesty International considers that Jestina Mukoko
is solely detained for expressing her views, without advocating
violence, and considers her a prisoner of conscience. Amnesty
International therefore calls for her immediate and unconditional
release;
- calling on the Zimbabwean authorities to immediately end its
practice of enforced disappearances and follow international
standards on arrest and detention for persons under criminal
investigation;
- expressing concern about continued harassment and intimidation
of human rights defenders and political activists by the
Zimbabwean security forces;
- calling on the Zimbabwean authorities to immediately investigate
all those responsible for the enforced disappearances, including
those who sanctioned it and bring them to account.
APPEALS TO (Time difference = GMT + 2 hrs / BST + 1 hrs): (It may be
difficult to get through to Zimbabwe by fax so please keep trying,
alternatively send letters)
President Robert G. Mugabe
Office of the President
Munhumutapa Building
Samora Machel Avenue
Box 7700
Causeway
Harare, Zimbabwe
Fax: 00 263 4 734644
[Salutation: Dear President]
Commissioner General of Police Augustine Chihuri
Zimbabwe Republic Police General Head Quarters
PO Box 8807
Causeway
Harare
Zimbabwe
Fax: 00 263 4 253 212
[Salutation: Dear Commissioner ]
Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces
General Constantine Chiwenga
Ministry of Defence
H/Q Defence House cnr Kwame Nkhuruma
3rd Street
Private Bag 7713
Causeway, Harare
Zimbabwe
Fax: 00 263 4 796762
[Salutation: Dear General]
Attorney General
Justice Bharat Patel
Office of the Attorney General
Private Bag 7714
Causeway
Harare
Zimbabwe
Fax: 00 263 4 777 049
[Salutation: Dear Attorney General]
PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:
His Excellency Mr Gabriel Mharadze Machinga
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe House
429 Strand, London WC2R 0JR
Fax: 020 7379 1167
Email:
AND, IF POSSIBLE, TO THE FOLLOWING:
Zimbabwe Peace Project
PO Box BE 427
Belvedere
Harare
Zimbabwe
Fax: 00263 4 778311
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Please do not send appeals after
16 January 2009.
A.