New rights body should be independent, say activists

Zimbabwean activists have reacted with caution to the government's proposal to set up a human rights body. The official Herald newspaper reported that the cabinet had approved a proposal to amend the constitution, allowing the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to be established. It would have a mandate to receive, investigate and redress complaints relating to human rights. "It would also have the responsibility to promote and protect human rights as the country continues with its quest to create a culture of human rights observance," said the newspaper. "It is absolutely important that any such commission is independent, transparent, and any determination made by the body must be honoured," said Eileen Sawyer, director of the Human Rights Forum (HRF), a coalition of 17 Zimbabwean NGOs. Zimbabwe has constantly been criticised for alleged human rights violations, more recently after Operation Murambatsvina, which the government said was aimed at clearing slums and flushing out criminals, left more than 700,000 people homeless or without a livelihood in the winter of 2005. Earlier this year, the African Union's African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights criticised the clean-up operation and expressed concern over the "continuing deterioration of the human rights situation" in Zimbabwe. The UN Country Team in Zimbabwe commended the government's initiative to set up the commission, saying in a statement that it would enhance human rights in the country and, "equally, we believe that it is a factor that will assist in Zimbabwe's compliance with its regional and international human rights obligations". The team urged the government to set up the commission through a "process of consultation with all the relevant stakeholders". John Makumbe, a senior political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe, was dismissive of the government's initiative, calling it "window dressing to appease the authorities' critics and legitimise its actions".