Typical of the alarming development HRH and other international human rights NGOs have observed in many countries, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe is now clearly joining the ranks of presidents who in recent years have found new ways and also increased their efforts to silence their own civil societies. Please read the statement from the Conectas IV International Colloquium on Human Rights recently held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (10-NOV-04)

Statement on the Non Governmental Organisations Bill in Zimbabwe Conectas IV International Colloquium Human Rights

We members of Civil Society Organisations from 30 countries from the South, (Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America) meeting in Sao Paulo for the IV International Colloquium on Human Rights under the theme of the Millennium Declaration and Development Goals: Challenges for Human Rights on the 10th-16th of October 2004, have noted the importance of Millennium Developments Goals to the developing world.

We consider with great conviction the importance of collective responsibility in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals that firmly places at the center the role of both the State and Civil Society.

Whereas our governments have committed themselves to the Millennium Development Goals, the pivotal role of the United Nations and the principles of multilateralism;

Whereas the members of the United Nations have agreed to commit themselves to values of international relations that place to the fore freedom, peace, and social justice, with a commitment to democratic and participatory governance based on the will of the people and human rights;

We note with great concern the slow pace towards the implementation of public policies and programmes that will ensure that Millennium Development Goals are attained by the set timeframe of 2015.

We further note that the government of Zimbabwe has been vocal and has been playing an important role in placing the issue of development in the international agenda.

This position has made the world consistently reflect on its responsibility to the poor and the marginalised of the world. Importantly, civil society has pursued an agenda of development through a number of interventions that have been complimentary to the efforts of the nations of the South.

The United Nations, the African Union, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), of which Zimbabwe is a member, recognize the importance of the role of NGOs around the world in these development efforts.

We note and salute the role played by civil society in Zimbabwe in the fight for independence and the post independence national reconstruction process and peace building.

We however, note with great concern the imminent threat inherent in the intended piece of legislation i.e. the Non-Governmental Organisations Bill, 2004, which endangers the existence of civil society in Zimbabwe and its liability to contribute towards the attainment of the Millennium Goals.

The current form and content of the Bill criminalize the work of Zimbabwean citizens who advocate for the promotion and protection of human rights and democratic governance.  Moreover the Bill states under Section 17 that “no Local non-governmental organisation shall receive any foreign funding or donation to carry out activities involving or including issues of governance”. The Bill defines “issues of governance” as the promotion and protection of human rights and political governance issues.

We hereby draw the attention of the Zimbabwean government to all the international conventions on human rights and good governance that it has ratified. We the participants of the IV International Colloquium on Human Rights therefore call upon the Zimbabwean government to:

  • amend the provisions of the Bill that make it a criminal offence for Zimbabwean citizens to promote and advocate for human rights and good governance.
     
  • amend the provisions of the Bill that make it a criminal offence for Zimbabwean organisations working on promoting human rights and good governance to receive financial contributions from non-Zimbabwean sources.
     
  • enact laws that promote and protect human rights as enshrined in international conventions and instruments particularly the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.